Chrysler announced late Friday that it's closing the Pacifica Advanced Design Center. That's the studio that was led by Freeman Thomas, before he fled Chrysler for Ford Motor Company.
"These changes set the stage for Chrysler's future global growth efforts," somehow, Chrysler says. (That "somehow" is my word, not Chrysler's.) The move consolidates the advanced design function in Auburn Hills, run by Trevor Creed. Not good news for the future of Chrysler design on any account. I suspect we'll see such cutbacks and closings accelerating through the Chrysler LLC organization throughout the year.