Magic Wagon Turns 25
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The modern minivan is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. Yes, it was on November 2, 1983 that Lido A. Iacocca drove the first minivan off the assembly line in Windsor, Ontario. This radical concept--a front-drive garageable van with highchair-like seats and a low, flat floor--which he and Hal Sperlich had failed to sell Ford on some years before, was a serious gamble. Doubters pegged likely annual volume at 74,000 units. The reality has been more like a half million per year, with over 12 million sold in over 80 countries worldwide.
Chrysler still owns 40% of the market here at home, and together the Chrysler minivan brands have outsold each of its ever-more-impressive competitors. This trend could continue, especially if you tally sales of the VW Routan that now rolls down the same assembly line. And amid the doom-and-gloom sales reporting, Chrysler's minivan sales are a bright spot, jumping a reported 6% year over year, which translates to an increase of 12 market-share points in this down market. The Windsor plant is currently running three shifts at capacity, cranking out 1426 vehicles per day.
I don't usually jump at these plant-tour birthday parties, but I had a special interest in this one, as I played a tiny role in the history of the Chrysler minivans. My first permanent assignment as a freshly minted Chrysler Institute of Engineering graduate was in the Advance Vehicle Packaging department. It was our job to determine exactly where everything went on the inside of a vehicle -- not what it looked like, but the ergonomic interface, the position of the controls, visibility, etc.
My last major project there before running off to join the automotive-journalism circus was the 1996-model NS-body minivan. This was the Cab-Forward redesign (which I still think was the best looking of all the ChryCo minivan generations). There was considerable concern about how customers would react to that large windshield and long dash, so I was tasked with shepherding a project to build a running prototype out of an old van mocking up the proposed windshield/dash/seating position. Folks drove it, liked it, and the rest is history.
The birthday festivities included unveiling special 25th Anniversary trim packages, which basically add a new Dark Slate Gray leather option, new woodtone trim, French stitching, special wheels, and other touches. It's bundled with the dual-DVD screen package, so it won't come cheap (pricing hasn't been announced for the U.S. yet; Canada's 25th Anniversary packages are different, adding CAN$1400 of content with no bump in the sticker price).
And to tease us all, out in front of the plant was a plug-in hybrid-electric Town & Country. Chrysler has stated a goal of producing at least one of its recently introduced electric and range-extending electric vehicles by 2010 (no word yet on whether this Chrysler will edge out the Lotus-based RWD Dodge EV sportscar or the AWD Jeep Wrangler-based range-extended plug-in hybrid). The front-drive Chrysler uses a 190 kW (255-hp) electric motor powered by a 22-kW-hour lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged using 110/120 or 220/240-volt power. Performance claims include 0-60 mph in 8.7 sec, quarter mile in 16.2 sec, a top speed of over 100 mph, and a range of up to 40 miles of electric-only driving; 400 burning about eight gallons in the small onboard gasoline engine. To track progress of these EVs, visit www.Chryslergoeselectric.com
Now, for you trivia buffs, here's a list of 66 minivan firsts that Chrysler lays claim to:
1. First minivan introduced to the market (first front-drive small van) (1984)
2. First minivan to offer selection of engines, V-6 or four cylinder (1987)
3. First to offer long-wheelbase minivans, Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth Grand Voyager (1987)
4. First to offer luxury minivan with introduction of Chrysler Town & Country (1990)
5. First minivan to offer standard driverside airbag (1991)
6. First minivan with center high-mounted stop lamp (1991)
7. First minivan with child-safety locks on sliding door (1991)
8. First minivan to offer four-wheel anti-lock brakes (1991)
9. First minivan to offer Quad Command seating package (1991)
10. First minivan to offer all-wheel drive on front-drive platform (1991)
11. First minivan to offer integrated child seat (1992)
12. First to introduce an all-electric powered minivan, Dodge TEVan (1993)
13. First minivan to offer standard passenger-side airbag (1994)
14. First minivan with dynamic side-impact protection (1994)
15. First minivan to meet California 1997 Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) certification (1994)
16. First minivan to meet Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) certification (1995)
17. First minivan with seamless passenger-side airbag door (1996)
18. First minivan to offer dual-zone temperature control (1996)
19. First minivan in U.S. market to offer driver-side sliding door (fourth door) (1996)
20. First minivan to offer windshield wiper de-icer (1996)
21. First minivan to offer 16-in. wheels and tires for enhanced performance (1996)
22. First minivan to offer power memory seat and mirrors (1996)
23. First minivan to offer Easy-Out Roller Seats(r) (1996)
24. First minivan to offer adjustable cupholders (1996)
25. First minivan with cab-forward design (1996)
26. First minivan to offer adjustable reclining rear child seat with molded seat cushion (1996)
27. First minivan with removable windshield wiper module (1996)
28. First minivan with mid-cabin upper-level comfort control (1996)
29. First minivan with dual-action rear drum brakes (1996)
30. First minivan capable of transporting 4x8-ft (1.2x2.4 meter) material on top of folded seatbacks or with seat removed and liftgate closed (long wheelbase) (1996)
31. First minivan with rear seatback-mounted grocery-bag hooks (1998)
32. First minivan to offer Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) availability, ethanol/gasoline (1998)
33. First minivan to offer 17-in. wheels and tires for enhanced performance (1999)
34. First minivan to offer Auto Stick transaxle (1999)
35. First minivan to offer wireless headphones for in-vehicle entertainment system (2000)
36. First minivan to offer 6.4-in. (16.2-centimeter) LCD screen for in-vehicle entertainment system (2000)
37. First minivan to offer power-up/power-down liftgate (2001)
38. First minivan to offer removable, powered center console (2001)
39. First minivan with power dual sliding doors, allowing for minivan-first manual override, powered by an industry-first inside-the-door motor (2001)
40. First minivan to offer power sliding door obstacle detection system when opening and closing (2001)
41. First minivan to offer engines with power over 210 horses (2001)
42. First minivan to offer pop-up rear-cargo organizer (2001)
43. First minivan with three-zone temperature control system (2001)
44. First minivan with rear split 50/50 Easy-Out Roller Seats (2001)
45. First minivan with Stow 'n Go(r) seating and storage system (2005)
46. First minivan with Super High Density (SHD) foam cushion seating (2005)
47. First minivan with split-bench third-row reclining tailgate seating (2005)
48. First minivan with third-row easy-entry system - with the pull of a single strap, the second-row seat tumbles out of the way (2005)
49. First minivan with a driver-side inflatable knee blocker (2005)
50. First minivan with Door Alert (2005)
51. First minivan with overhead rail system with movable/removable storage bins (2005)
52. First minivan to offer Swivel 'n Go seat system (second-row seats swivel 180 deg rearward and includes a removable table that installs between the second and third rows) (2008)
53. First minivan to offer a removable, two-part sliding front console with power outlet (2008)
54. First minivan to offer an umbrella holder (2008)
55. First minivan to offer a dual DVD system that can play different media at the same time (2008)
56. First minivan in North America to offer a six-speed transaxle (2008)
57. First minivan to offer dual A/V jacks, 115-volt inverter and 12-volt power outlet in C-pillar (2008)
58. First minivan to offer ambient halo light package with movable LED pinpoint lighting (2008)
59. First minivan to offer an integrated child booster seat (2008)
60. First minivan to offer a removable, rechargeable LED flashlight (2008)
61. First minivan to offer first- and second-row heated seats in cloth or leather (2008)
62. First minivan to offer YES Essentials stain-resistant, odor-resistant, anti-static cloth seats (now called Stain Repel seat fabric) (2008)
63. First minivan to offer Blind Spot Monitoring System (2009)
64. First minivan to offer Rear Cross Path System (2009)
65. First minivan to offer SmartBeam(r) headlamps (2009)
66. First minivan to offer swiveling third-row monitor (2009)
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