Chrysler brings the Pacifica sports-tourer and the Crossfire coupe to American showrooms — the first products engineered from the ground up under DaimlerChrysler.
Archive note: this page is a restored record of a Global Auto Index news item originally published in 2003. It was reconstructed in July 2026 to preserve a reference cited by external encyclopedias; the facts below reflect period reporting on the 2003 launches.
Chrysler has launched two new models in the United States: the Pacifica, a six-passenger "sports-tourer" positioned between minivan, SUV and sedan, and the Crossfire, a two-seat coupe built around Mercedes-Benz mechanicals. Both are milestone products — the first vehicles jointly engineered from a clean sheet since the 1998 DaimlerChrysler merger.
Pacifica: 30-Month Program at Windsor Assembly
The Pacifica was developed in 30 months at a cost below $1 billion — a fast and comparatively lean program by industry standards of the time. Production began at the Windsor Assembly plant in Ontario, Canada in January 2003, where the Pacifica is built alongside Chrysler's long-wheelbase minivans on a shared line. The launch model carries a 3.5-litre V6 rated at 250 horsepower, paired with a four-speed automatic, in front- or all-wheel-drive form, and seats six in a 2+2+2 layout. The production car follows the Pacifica and Citadel concept vehicles and was first shown in production form at the 2002 New York International Auto Show. DaimlerChrysler has set an ambitious target for the newcomer, forecasting sales in the region of 100,000 units per year, and is backing the launch with a high-profile advertising campaign fronted by singer Celine Dion.
Crossfire: German-Built Halo Coupe
The Crossfire takes the opposite route to market: the rear-wheel-drive two-seater is assembled in Germany by coachbuilder Karmann in Osnabrück and draws extensively on the Mercedes-Benz SLK parts set. Power comes from a Mercedes-sourced 3.2-litre V6 producing 215 horsepower, offered with six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. Arriving for the 2004 model year, the Crossfire serves as a halo car intended to sharpen Chrysler's image as the premium American brand within the DaimlerChrysler group.
Together the two launches mark Chrysler's push upmarket in 2003. Full specifications and production history for both models are catalogued in the Global Auto Index manufacturer database under Chrysler.
