The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been produced and marketed by the American automaker Chrysler. In production since the 1984 model year, Chrysler has produced six distinct generations of minivans; at various stages of their production, Chrysler minivans have been marketed worldwide, primarily in North America and Europe.
Initially introduced as the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, the Chrysler minivans have been marketed under a variety of nameplates under Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, and Ram brands; through the use of rebadging, Chrysler minivans have also been marketed under the Lancia and Volkswagen brands.
While not the current top-selling minivan nameplate, the Chrysler minivans remain the highest-selling example of the segment, with over 12 million produced. The introduction of the Chrysler minivans popularized the use of the body style by automakers in the United States and Canada, leading to competitors such as the Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari, Ford Aerostar, Toyota Previa, and Mazda MPV. During the 1990s, the popularity of the Chrysler minivans led to the form factor becoming closely followed by many competitors, leading to the Ford Windstar/Freestar, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, and Nissan Quest.
Since their 1984 introduction, Chrysler has manufactured minivans at Windsor Assembly, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada; from 1987 to 2007, Saint Louis Assembly in Fenton, Missouri added additional manufacturing in North America. For the European market, exports were largely supplemented by the Eurostar joint-venture factory in Graz, Austria from 1992 to 2002.
Video Chrysler minivans
First generation (1984-1990)
The S platform was a modified variant of the Chrysler K platform used for the Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country and Plymouth Voyager. Chrysler manufactured the Generation I minivans, internally codenamed T-115 during development from October 1983 until 1990.
Models include:
- 1984-1990 Dodge Caravan
- 1987-1990 Dodge Grand Caravan
- 1984-1988 Dodge Mini Ram Van
- 1989-1990 Dodge Caravan C/V
- 1984-1990 Plymouth Voyager
- 1987-1990 Plymouth Grand Voyager
- 1988-1990 Chrysler Voyager (Europe)
- 1990 Chrysler Town & Country
Maps Chrysler minivans
Second generation (1991-1995)
Developed from 1985 to 1989, Generation II was introduced in 1990 and called AS. Design specifications were chosen in 1987 and were evolutionary. This was the last K-based version of the S platform, as the NS platform switched to a new cab forward design.
Models:
- 1991-1995 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
- 1991-1995 Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager
- 1991-1995 Chrysler Town & Country
- 1991-1995 Chrysler (Grand) Voyager/Caravan (Mexico)
- 1993-1995 Chrysler TEVan (limited production electric vehicle)
ES
The ES platform is the European counterpart to the North American AS platform.
Models:
- 1991-1995 Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager (Europe)
Third generation (1996-2000)
Generation III of the platform was developed from early 1990 to December 26, 1994, being introduced on January 4, 1995 and called NS. Its cab forward design was defined by September 23, 1991 and inspired by the 1992 Chrysler EPIC concept minivan, designed in-house by Julie Dolan in mid-1991. Final exterior designs were development program approved in May 1992 and frozen for scheduled late 1994 production that same month. The first NS prototypes were built in November 1992 and presented on November 24, 1992 to Chrysler executive management. The 1992 "Reinventing Chrysler" documentary, provided footage of the NS design process in the spring of 1992.
Models:
- 1996-2000 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
- 1999-2000 Dodge Caravan EPIC (limited production electric vehicle)
- 1996-2000 Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager
- 1996-2000 Chrysler Town & Country
- 2000 Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager
GS
The Chrysler GS platform is the global export counterpart to the North American Chrysler NS platform.
Model:
- 1996-2000 Chrysler Grand Voyager
Fourth generation (2001-2007)
Generation IV of the platform was introduced on January 10, 2000 and was called RS.
Models:
- 2001-2003 Chrysler Voyager
- 2001-2007 Chrysler Town & Country
- 2001-2007 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
- 2001-2007 Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager(Mexico)
CS
The CS is a variant of the RS platform made specifically for the Chrysler Pacifica crossover SUV.
Model:
- 2004-2008 Chrysler Pacifica
RG
The Chrysler RG platform is the global export counterpart to the North American Chrysler RS platform.
Model:
- 2001-2007 Chrysler Voyager/Grand Voyager
- 2001-2007 Chrysler Ram Van (Netherlands, cargo van)
Fifth generation (2008-present)
Generation V Chrysler minivan was introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show as a 2008 model, based on the new RT platform. It offers a new 4.0 L V6 as its top engine, mated to a six-speed automatic. The short-wheelbase model was dropped, and, as a result, there is no longer a Dodge Caravan, only the Grand Caravan. A version of the Chrysler Town & Country is sold in Europe as the Lancia Voyager and several other export markets as the Chrysler Grand Voyager. In Europe this version is equipped with a standard 2.8 L 4-cyl turbodiesel engine (which is also standard on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan in the Philippines) and six-speed automatic transmission. For 2011, all the previous engines were dropped and replaced with Chrysler's new 3.6L Pentastar V6.
Models:
- 2008-2016 Chrysler Town & Country
- 2008-present Dodge Grand Caravan (replaced by RU-platform Chrysler Pacifica, remains in production)
- 2008-2010 Chrysler Grand Voyager
- 2011-2015 Lancia Voyager
- 2012-2014 Ram C/V (replaced by Ram ProMaster City)
RM
The Volkswagen Routan was introduced at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show as a rebadged variant of the Chrysler minivans, manufactured at Windsor Assembly using the RT platform, marketed as the RM platform. Marketed by Volkswagen exclusively in the North American market, the Routan featured revised interior and exterior styling as well as feature content from the Chrysler vans. Production of the Routan was discontinued in 2013.
Model:
- 2009-2014 Volkswagen Routan
Sixth generation (2017-Present)
The sixth generation of the Chrysler minivan was introduced at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show with the unveiling of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, reviving a name previously used on its minivan-derived crossover SUV. The Pacifica consolidated the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan nameplates together under the Chrysler brand, with the European-market Chrysler/Lancia Voyager discontinued altogether.
Based loosely on the Fiat Compact platform shared with the Jeep Cherokee (KL) (and the discontinued Chrysler 200), the Chrysler Pacifica is the first North American-market minivan sold with a 9-speed automatic transmission; an optional CVT is offered as part of the first plug-in hybrid powertrain in a minivan.
Models:
- 2017-present Chrysler Pacifica/Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
See also
- Chrysler platforms
- Minivan
External links
References
- "Generations: Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth Minivans". Edmunds.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2005. Retrieved January 3, 2006.
- Allpar minivans section - Chrysler Corp. minivan history, each generation, and 2008 rumors/spy shots
- Internet forum (in French) [1] www.minivanchrysler.com
- Van Worth Calculator [2]
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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