Employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant have been working seven days a week since Christmas and industry analyst Sam Fiorani predicts the future of the plant looks even brighter in 2025.
With the dust settled from last fall’s contract negotiations, AutoForecast Solutions’s vice-president of global forecasting said Windsor Assembly is still expected to be home to Chrysler’s next new product. And then a major refresh of the Pacifica minivan should follow shortly after that.
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“We’re looking at production to start in September 2025,” said Fiorani of the new product.
“We’re expecting it to be roughly a mid-sized crossover vehicle. It’s likely going to be two-rows.”
AFS Forecast is a global automotive production forecasting database firm that works with companies at all levels of the industry.
Chrysler brand CEO Christine Feuell, as recently as last week, declined to reveal where Stellantis plans to produce the new Chrysler product.
However, Feuell has repeatedly confirmed it will be a battery-electric crossover vehicle using the STLA large platform. She also said the final product has been significantly modified and improved from the Airflow concept vehicle that was originally revealed.
Fiorani said Stellantis has also told AutoForecast Solutions to refer to the vehicle by its placeholder name ‘Iconic’ rather than the Airflow.
“Chrysler should be appealing to a more upscale buyer,” said Fiorani of the vehicle’s target market.
“This vehicle should be targeting people who have matured out of a Ford Edge or Chevy Blazer. A little more prestige to the vehicle, but still not necessarily needing that third row.”
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Fiorani said the vehicle will use the STLA large platform shared by the Pacifica minivan and the Dodge Charger and Challenger to be produced in Windsor.
Stellantis unveiled the details of its STLA large platform recently and Fiorani gives it high marks.
Among the highlights of the platform is its 800-volt architecture, which greatly improves charging times. The platform can also be used for gas-powered engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids.
“With the STLA large accepting internal combustion engines, it is a step beyond GM’s Ultium,” Fiorani said.
“Stellantis is building a good reputation for technology and modern powertrains between the STLA large platform and the electric cars we’re getting now and the near future. They’re carving out a nice niche where it’s a modern car company.”
After the launch of the new crossover, Chrysler will refresh the Pacifica the following year as it kicks off new product introductions yearly.
Stellantis reported it sold about 130,000 Pacificas in 2024. That’s the most since the Windsor-built vehicle was launched in 2017.
“It’s unlikely to be on the level of a new Pacifica,” Fiorani said. “It’ll be a more style refresh.
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“It’ll still look like a Pacifica. They’ll be ramping up producing the hybrids.”
Fiorani said the hybrid version will likely be an important piece of the company’s strategy to meet mandated emissions targets in the 14 U.S. states that follow California’s stringent standards. Pacifica is already the third-best selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S. after Stellantis’s Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee.
As for Windsor Assembly’s newest products, the Challenger and Charger, Stellantis is currently running test production to prepare for the launch of the two-door versions of the products in June.
However, Fiorani said he’s expecting a four-door version of the Charger will also be introduced. The Challenger already offers both two- and four-door versions.
“We’re waiting for more details on the Charger,” Fiorani said.
“We’ve been hearing the four-door model will be delayed for a few months as they’re working on a few things in production. We expect production of that to come in early 2025 . . . for the Charger.”
Fiorani has had an impressive track record in forecasting product for Windsor Assembly. He revealed the plant would be the home of the new generation of Chargers and Challengers more than a year before Stellantis confirmed where it was placing those vehicles.
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He also feels Stellantis’s Brampton facility is a prime candidate for another product to complement the new electric replacement for the Jeep Compass the company previously confirmed. The assembly plant is currently down for retooling and the company has said production should resume in 2025 using the STLA medium platform.
“That’s too big a plant, unless they have plans to have gas engines too, you’re not going to sell 200,000 EVs that size anytime soon,” said Fiorani, adding the time needed, and the scale of the retool, also hints at a second product.
Fiorani sees the new Dodge Hornet as a potential fit for the plant. The plug-in hybrid Hornet shares the body, powertrain and interior of Alfa Romeo’s Tonale and is built in Naples, Italy.
“Building it in North America, Stellantis could take advantage of the IRA (U.S. Inflation Reduction Act) incentives,” Fiorani said.
“The Hornet is a nice vehicle, sporty, quick, nice to drive, just a little expensive because it’s imported. It fits in the Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota RAV4 category.
“It would help fill Brampton and make the plant and the replacement for the Compass more profitable.”
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