Not gonna happen, but Abimelec Arellano gives us imagery for our freaking fast family dreams.
Minivans are not usually the subject of much coverage here at HotCars. But this Chrysler Pacifica Hellcat rendering by Abimelec Design (via Instagram) is something that both gearhead and soccer mom (or dad) will notice. A good vehicle rendering combines fantasy with reality. Political operatives have been doing the same thing for generations against opposing candidates. Mix fiction in with fact and the entire story is taken as gospel. There’s nothing more real in the world of vehicles than a minivan, a necessity for some in modern life. At the same time, FCA has recently begun stuffing Hemi engines into all sorts of vehicles—namely the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and Ram 1500 TRX.
Details Make All The Difference In This Render
The fiction in this rendering is the carefully crafted design elements. Here, Mexican-based creator Abimelec Arellano gives the Pacifica a hood scoop for improved airflow to a supercharger. The widened fenders accommodate larger wheels. The modified front end embraces design features from current FCA products. The blue paint appears to be either Dodge’s Frostbite or Jeep’s Hydro Blue. The SRT/Hellcat badging gives that final attention to detail.
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FCA's Reality Makes This Render Unrealistic
Unfortunately, in this case, the fantasy is over before it begins. The likelihood of a Pacifica Hellcat is non-existent for several reasons. Pacifica’s front-wheel-drive orientation makes shoving a large and heavy Hemi into the minivan’s engine compartment a challenge at best. A 2019 Driving Line article recounts General Motor’s early experience of using the Corvette’s small-block LS engine in 1960s Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado models. The V-8 in these front-wheel-drive cars produced 300HP and 323 lb-ft of torque—what you are likely to find in many of today’s high-output four-cylinder motors. GM engineers also had significant corporate resources and massive amounts of underhood space to accommodate the mechanicals in these vehicles.
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The story continues with GM giving this powertrain combination another go in the late 2000s. The Chevy Impala SS and Monte Carlo, Buick LaCrosse, and Pontiac GXP all having the 5.3L V8 option. This approach took significant engineering to reduce torque steer and address other challenges. Investment-heavy steps that FCA, a company well known for using decade-old designs, is unlikely to undertake.
But wait, doesn’t the Pacifica come with all-wheel drive? Yes, Chrysler added this option earlier this year but that won’t increase the chances of a Hellcat family cruiser. According to a 2019 story in Torque News, FCA killed the Dodge Charger Hemi and AWD combination beginning with 2015 models due to a lack of demand and high development costs. The report adds that AWD variations require expensive crash and emissions testing. Chrysler’s formula of high sales and streamlined costs wouldn’t apply to an out-of-the-ordinary minivan. Families can dream.
Sources: Instagram, Artstation, Driving Line, Torque News
NEXT: 10 Classic Muscle Cars We’d Drive Over A New Challenger Hellcat Any Day
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Dave Goldberg is a lifelong auto enthusiast and holds a BA in Journalism from The George Washington University.While he leans towards European wheels for his personal driving, Dave gets excited about everything from Acura to Zagato.
