The Pacifica is already about as sleek as you can get in terms of a minivan, but it doesn't look tough. The Hellcat Pacifica rendering by Abimelec Design adds the toughness that the Pacifica needs.
They plan on replacing it with what they call the GME-T6, or “Global Medium Engine Turbocharged Six.” It’s a three-litre inline-six that’s twin-turbocharged. I’ve heard it’s capable of five hundred horsepower, but “capable of” and “produces” are two entirely different things. On the one hand, I’m disappointed that the V8 is gone, but on the other hand, I’d rather something like this than what they did in the seventies, replacing the Hemi with a bunch of V8s that made one-third the power. Many companies have had major success with turbocharged inline-six cylinders over the years, including Dodge with the Cummins diesel. In reality, the Hemi had a good run since they brought the name back in 2003, and there’s been a ton of different variations of it installed in various vehicles, but never a minivan. A Hemi Durango was available, and so was a Hemi Jeep Grand Cherokee, but no sliding-door minivan. Engine compartments today are tight, so I somewhat understand going with something smaller, though I guarantee they’ll fill the space with turbo plumbing. Before Chrysler pulls that last Hemi out of the mould, would it be too much to ask to bring the Hellcat Pacifica to life?
First, let me say that this would be a massive undertaking, involving a total re-structuring of the vehicle from the top of the tires down, costing the company millions of unrecoverable dollars on a very niche project. Second, let me say that none of that has ever stopped Chrysler before, so let’s get this done. The Pacifica is front-wheel drive, with an option of all-wheel drive, so the engine sits under the hood in the conventional front-wheel drive arrangement of the crank being parallel to the front suspension. Also, the Pacifica is already no slouch in terms of power, with the 3.6-litre V6 pumping out 287 horsepower. That being said, it’s still over 500 horsepower short of the 807 that the Hellcat V8 produces, and it does burnouts with the wrong tires. A couple of years ago, Abimelec Design released this rendering of what a Hellcat Pacifica could look like. It has a nice, aggressive, low stance, and has a wide body kit that covers the big Hellcat wheels. There’s a hood scoop, the mandatory fender badges, and a slick coat of B5 blue paint. Visually, not a lot would have to change, but mechanically, almost nothing would stay the same. Obviously, it needs to be rear-wheel drive, with the possible option of all-wheel drive. In reality, there’s no reason for Chrysler not to do it. This is the company that made the Hemi Dart, Omni GLH, and the Viper. It doesn’t need to be a top seller. It needs to be an icon.
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