Chrysler reigned supreme as 'King of the Minivans' once upon a time some thirty years ago. Over time, however, the automaker's people-hauling fiefdom has been threatened by the likes of such foreign brands as Toyota and Honda. Even though Chrysler's minivan supply and demand has steadily eroded, the automaker is still looking to get its mojo back in this segment, so don't count them out just yet! The Detroit automaker has some big plans coming down the pike for those soccer mom mobiles.
Chrysler's minivan sales numbers are pretty bleak compared to what they used to be, falling from a 2000 calendar-year peak of 1.7 million, 7.2% of the U.S. new vehicle market, to just 472,398 in 2011. Yet despite the doom and gloom minivan math, Chrysler is still looking to still give that next-generation minivan aficionado a product that is stylish and hands-down stunning.
Chrysler is well aware they have vehicle innovation and functionality down pat, these are not the issues they are grappling with, aesthetics is what they are trying to tackle. "I want people to just be floored," Chrysler design chief Ralph Gilles told The Detroit News. "I want them to not care about paradigms, not care about all that soccer-mom crap. I want them to look at the next-gen minivan and say, 'That is a beautiful car. Period.' It's due for something stunning."
Reportedly, only one minivan will be offered by Chrysler, now as to which one, the Dodge Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country, mums the word thus far. The minivan that does wind up getting put out to pasture will be replaced with a new crossover.
Chrysler expects to launch its next-generation minivan eye candy sometime in 2015, so be on the lookout, it just might "floor" you!
--Car Chick
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