If you weren’t able to attend the recent Overland Expo Mountain West, you not only missed out on rustic camping, expert-led specialized classes, and a huge trade show, but also the debut of the Chrysler Pacifica Grizzly Peak Concept.
As you can probably guess from the event and the name of the vehicle, the Pacifica Grizzly Peak Concept is an off-road version of Chrysler‘s minivan. Yes, it’s a bit unusual as far as Pacificas go, but it’s also not surprising. The popularity of overlanding and “van life” has risen significantly over the past several years. Automakers have not only continued to pump out off-road SUVs, but they’ve also started to make rugged versions of vehicles that were previously street-focused, which explains the lifted, all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition, all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT, and three-row Nissan Armada Pro-4X.
Chrysler based the Grizzly Peak Concept on an all-wheel-drive Pacifica Limited. Designers coated the mid-range model with Arktos matte paint and Foreshadow accents, and covered the lower body with a protective wrap. A 2.75-inch front and 2.5-inch rear suspension lift along with a set of 31-inch BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires on 18-inch Foreshadow wheels make this van less of a mall-crawler and more of a trail-climber.
Baja Designs LP4 LED fog lamps and low-profile TYRI LED lights on the roof illuminate the path ahead. If the going gets a little too tough, there’s a traction pad and a spare tire on the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform roof rack. An ARB retractable awning provides protection from the sun and helps keep meals prepared on the trail from tasting like rainwater.
The cabin was customized with a one-off color scheme of Cement Gray Katzkin leather seats, orange seat belts, and Liquid Titanium accents. Chrysler even went as far as swapping in a sport steering wheel with orange accent stitching and paddle shifters. Mopar all-weather floor mats protect the carpeting against water and mud.
Chrysler knows van life and overlanding require a vehicle that doubles as a hotel room, so it took out the third-row seats and replaced them with a large cargo floor panel to provide a better sleeping space. If that room is needed for hauling more gear, an additional set of tie-downs behind the second row helps keep it in place.
Don’t expect Chrysler to put the Pacifica Grizzly Peak Concept into production, but there may be a few silver linings here: Many of these items look like the kind of stuff Mopar and its Affiliated Accessories vendors already carry or could easily add to their catalogs. Perhaps one of these days you may just see a lifted Pacifica covered in dried mud in the drop-off lane at your child’s or grandchild’s school.