The Chrysler Pronto Cruizer concept from 1999.Hot on the heels of pivoting back to Hemi V8s after realizing nobody wants an electric Dodge Charger, Stellantis is apparently keeping its crowd-pleasing streak alive, because word on the street is that it's working on small, affordable models for Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge.Pennsylvania Chrysler dealer Dave Kelleher told The Detroit News that last fall, they were shown a cheap potential future model called the Pronto behind closed doors. What's more, similar entry-level models for Jeep and Dodge were also allegedly shown. The Pronto is said to start somewhere in the $20,000s, and all three cars reportedly shown are smaller than each brand's existing products.When Car and Driver reached out to Chrysler on the topic, the automaker responded: "Stay tuned for more information on the Chrysler brand that will be announced at Investor Day."I've been doing this long enough to know that when you ask an automaker's PR people about unannounced future products, they are trained to respond with some version of "We cannot comment on future product," nine-and-a-half times out of 10. The fact that Chrysler did not, in fact, say this but instead led with "Stay tuned..." doesn't necessarily confirm anything, but also says a lot. Stellantis Investor Day, by the way, is scheduled for next Thursday, May 21. Welcome back, PT Cruiser?The Plymouth Pronto concept from 1997.CDJR enthusiasts will know that this wouldn't be the first appearance of the Pronto name. Plymouth brought out a Pronto hatchback concept in 1997, which was followed by the Pronto Spyder convertible concept in '98, then the Chrysler Pronto Cruizer concept in '99.The latter ended up serving as the design inspiration for, you guessed it, the PT Cruiser that landed at the turn of the century and went on to become the much-loved/much-hated cultural icon it is today.The Detroit News report says Chrysler dealers have been clamoring for something affordable to sell, specifically a compact-ish crossover-type vehicle that can be had for $30,000 or so. Stellantis CEO Matt McAlear recognizes the need, and while he doesn't confirm the Pronto specifically, he does appear to confirm that affordable Chryslers are coming."[Affordable options are] definitely part of the Chrysler future, and it's part of all of our brands' futures," McAlear told DN. "It's something that we know we need to work on as a company, and we need to take a good look at where the industry is going and make sure we're competitive." At the moment, the Chrysler brand is a bit of a shell of itself, selling only the Pacifica minivan (even the Voyager name is being retired as of 2027).I'm not going to sit here and pretend to be an expert on what Gen Z likes or doesn't like. But on vibes alone, a post-ironic PT Cruiser revival starting at $26,995 sounds like just the move Chrysler needs to make if it stands any chance of still being around in 10 years' time. Bring on the Pronto, pronto. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google.
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