The Pacifica was the first jointly engineered product of the 1998 Chrysler-DaimlerBenz "merger of equals." [3] Chrysler developed the vehicle in 30 months at a cost below $1 billion.[2] [5] DaimlerChrysler heavily touted the Pacifica as the next "big thing" in the fledging crossover market, forecasting sales of 100,000 per year. These estimations proved to be wildly optimistic, as sales never came close to expectations. There was stiff competition from similar vehicles, like the Infiniti FX, Nissan Murano, and Lexus RX330; the RX was the volume leader and widely considered the benchmark for the class. The initial production was plagued by quality flaws and glitches, giving the nameplate a poor reputation from the onset. [5]
A three year, multi-million dollar contract was signed with singer Celine Dion in 2003, with advertisements designed to reposition Chrysler as a premium marque. However, the promotional campaign was widely considered a flop and so DaimlerChrysler ended it just one year later. [6]
The Pacifica was designed to combine the convenience of a minivan, the elevated position of an SUV, and the handling of a sedan. Some unnecessary and expensive features were added, such as a navigation system and a load-levelling suspension. Compared to traditional (non-crossover) luxury SUVs such the Lincoln Navigator, the Pacifica had less heavy cargo-hauling capacity but otherwise it was superior in handling, comfort, interior, and amenities. However, the Pacifica was generally considered inferior to the Chrysler Town & Country minivan, for that class of vehicle. Despite the Mercedes-like interior and other Mercedes-derived technologies, however, the Pacifica may have been overpriced for its marque, as general public perception did not consider Chrysler a luxury brand like that of Lincoln, Lexus, and Mercedes. [5]
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