In recent days, Carlos Tavares announced that he will leave the leadership of Stellantis at the end of his contract in early 2026. As a result, a significant shake-up could be coming for all brands in the next few years. What’s perhaps most concerning is the evaluation of all brands that will take place in 2026, after which “important decisions” could be made. In fact, Tavares explained that Stellantis has invested in its brands only for the first five years after the 2021 merger, meaning that in 2026, the money from the automotive group will run out, and each brand will have to prove its worth, moving forward on its own. The first brand most at risk in the group could therefore be Chrysler, which currently has only one vehicle in its lineup: the Pacifica minivan.
Chrysler Cordoba: here’s what a possible new generation of the coupe could look like
A new Chrysler crossover is expected to debut in 2026, although many enthusiasts hope it won’t be exclusively electric. This wouldn’t be a good move for the brand, which needs profitability now more than ever. Moreover, Stellantis itself isn’t having a great time: in the period from January to September 2024, it recorded a 17% decline, while in the third quarter of the year alone, sales plummeted by 20%. Something needs to be done, and quickly, because 2026 isn’t far off.
Digital creators are trying to give ideas on how vehicles from the brand’s past could look in modern guises. Among the depictions is the Chrysler Cordoba, a coupe produced from 1975 to 1983. About 795,000 units were reportedly sold: so Chrysler, what are you waiting for?
The render in question was created by Vince Burlapp, known on social media as vburlapp. This model could become the sister of the Dodge Charger Daytona and, therefore, be based on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, with the possibility of offering it in both electric versions and with a combustion engine, specifically the 3.0-liter inline-six Hurricane twin-turbo.
It would certainly be a first step towards saving Chrysler, which is currently groping in the dark compared to other brands in the automotive group. The brand would need at least a couple of SUVs and a sedan to fight for survival, but obviously, it’s impossible to launch these models on the market in just a few years. Will Stellantis be merciful in 2026 and give Chrysler a new chance, or will it definitively fall into the abyss?