The Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that have been produced and marketed by the American automaker Chrysler since the 1984 model year. Currently in its sixth generation, the model line is marketed worldwide, primarily in North America and Europe. Introduced as the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, the Chrysler minivans have been marketed under a variety of nameplates under the Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, and Ram brands; through the use of rebadging, the model line has also been marketed under the Lancia and Volkswagen brands.
Since 1983, Chrysler has manufactured minivans at its Windsor Assembly facility (Windsor, Ontario, Canada). From 1987 to 2007, the company supplemented production in North America with its Saint Louis Assembly facility (Fenton, Missouri). For the European market, exports were largely supplemented by the Eurostar joint-venture factory in Graz, Austria from 1992 to 2002. The highest-selling line of minivans worldwide, Chrysler produced the 15 millionth example of the model line in 2019.[1][2]
The first-generation Chrysler minivans were released in November 1983 as 1984 models. The Dodge Caravan was an all-new nameplate, with the Plymouth Voyager adopted from its previous full-size van line. The model lines were built on the front-wheel drive Chrysler S platform. To streamline production and development costs, while the S platform was a distinct design, it shared powertrain commonality with the K platform and its variants; interior components were also shared with other Chrysler vehicles.
For 1987, Chrysler introduced the extended-length Dodge Grand Caravan and Plymouth Grand Voyager, which used a long-wheelbase version of the S platform chassis. For 1988, the Chrysler Voyager was introduced for European export. Alongside the passenger van, the model line was sold by Dodge as a cargo van; from 1984 to 1988, it was known as the Dodge Mini Ram Van and as the Dodge (Grand) Caravan C/V from 1989 to 1990.
Chrysler added a minivan to its namesake brand early in the 1990 year, shifting the Chrysler Town & Country from its traditional station wagon usage to a minivan; sold exclusively in a long-wheelbase version, the Town & Country became the highest-trim Chrysler minivan.
The second-generation Chrysler minivans were released for the 1991 model year, returning the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, their extended-wheelbase "Grand" versions, and the Chrysler Town & Country. The minivans were introduced to Mexico, with Chrysler using the Chrysler Grand Voyager/Grand Caravan nameplate.
Designated the Chrysler AS platform (as Chrysler switched to a two-letter platform nomenclature), the second-generation minivans underwent a substantial revision of the body (sharing only the front door and sliding door stampings) and chassis (the front suspension was retuned and the rear suspension was redesigned entirely); powertrain commonality shifted from the K-car sedans towards its larger derivatives. In a first for the segment, the model line was fitted with a standard driver-side airbag (1991) and optional integrated rear child safety seats (1992). Following its introduction in its Ford and GM competitors, Chrysler introduced an all-wheel drive system as an option for 1991.
For 1994, the model line underwent a mid-cycle revision. While the model line was officially classified a light truck by the US government, the minivans were upgraded to meet 1998 federal safety standards for cars, adding side-impact door beams, dual airbags, four-wheel disc brakes, and a redesigned dashboard. The second-generation minivans are the last versions of the model line to be fitted with a manual transmission in North America and also the final versions fitted with exterior woodgrain trim.
From 1993 to 1995, the Chrysler TEVan was a limited-production electric vehicle based on the Dodge Caravan; sold to fleet buyers, between 56 and 80 were produced. For 1994, Chrysler offered a CNG (compressed natural gas) version of its minivan; the fuel tank replaced the spare tire well.
ES platform
The ES platform is the European counterpart to the North American AS platform. Alongside production by Windsor Assembly in Canada, production of export-market minivans began in 1992 in Graz, Austria (in the Eurostar joint venture factory between Chrysler and Steyr-Daimler-Puch). Alongside the European-market Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager, the ES platform serves as the basis for the Dodge Mini Ram Van (a cargo van exclusive to the Netherlands).
The third-generation Chrysler minivans were released in January 1995 for model year 1996. In a $2.8 billion redesign of the model line (the most expensive design program ever undertaken by Chrysler at the time), the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country underwent their first complete redesign since their introduction. The Dodge Caravan (Chrysler Caravan in Mexico) and Plymouth Voyager were both returned in both standard and extended-wheelbase versions; the Chrysler Town & Country was expanded into a full model line, introducing multiple trim levels and a short-wheelbase body.
Designated the Chrysler NS platform, the minivans again used a front-wheel drive chassis (with all-wheel drive as an option). Nearly four inches taller than its predecessor, the third generation adopted a cab forward configuration, shifting the windshield and dashboard forward. As a first in an American-market large minivan, a driver-side sliding door (originally intended for the first-generation model line, but deleted to reduce costs) was introduced as an option. To improve the flexibility of seat removal, the rear seat latches were redesigned, with bench seat latches set on rollers. To further differentiate each model line, designers styled the Caravan, Voyager, and Town & Country with distinct front fascias and exterior trim; exterior woodgrain trim was retired from all three model lines. In another change, the hood ornament was deleted (the only Chrysler Pentastar visible to the driver was on the steering wheel).
Replacing the TEVan, the Dodge Caravan EPIC electric vehicle was produced from 1999 to 2000 (taking its name from a 1992 concept car); the EPIC was leased to fleet buyers.
Coinciding with the phaseout of the Plymouth brand, Chrysler introduced a Chrysler-brand Voyager and Grand Voyager for North America for 2000 (sold concurrently alongside its Plymouth namesake).
GS platform
The Chrysler GS platform is the global export counterpart to the North American Chrysler NS platform. Again sharing design and powertrain commonality with its North American counterpart, the export version of the Chrysler model line was the only version to offer a manual transmission and a 2.5L turbodiesel engine. In 1996, the Austrian Eurostar factory commenced production of the first right-hand drive Chrysler minivans.
Alongside the Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager marketed for European export, Chrysler marketed the renamed Dodge Ram Van in the Netherlands in a cargo-only configuration.
The fifth-generation Chrysler minivans were introduced at the 2007 North American International Auto Show for the 2008 model year, marking the debut of the RT platform. In a major change, the short-wheelbase configuration was dropped, alongside the Chrysler Town & Country, all Dodge minivans were now Grand Caravans. The export-market Chrysler Grand Voyager made its return; following the acquisition of Chrysler by Fiat, the model line was also marketed as a Lancia Voyager outside North America. Unlike the preceding and succeeding generations, the fifth generation minivans were not marketed under the Chrysler Grand Caravan nameplate. It was also the only generation of the Dodge Grand Caravan to be marketed in Mexico.
The first Chrysler minivans to be powered exclusively by V6 engines (in North America), the RT platform marked the introduction of a 4.0L SOHC V6 and a 6-speed automatic transmission. For 2011, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 replaced all three V6 engines, remaining the sole V6 engine through current production. In Europe, the Voyager was powered by a 2.8L VM Motori inline-4 turbodiesel; for the first time, no manual transmission was offered.
For 2012, the Grand Caravan C/V cargo van shifted its branding, becoming the Ram C/V. In 2015, Ram replaced the C/V with the Ram ProMaster City (a rebadged Fiat Doblo).
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, designated as the RM platform. Marketed by Volkswagen exclusively in the North American market, the Routan featured revised interior and exterior styling as well as different equipment content from the Chrysler vans. Production of the Routan was discontinued in 2013.
On February 28, 2020, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced the discontinuation of the Dodge Grand Caravan, the last RT nameplate in production; production of the minivan was scheduled to conclude in late May but has since been delayed to mid-July.[3][4]
The sixth generation of the Chrysler minivan was introduced at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, as Chrysler released the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Serving as a replacement for the Town & Country, the Pacifica revived the nameplate of the 2004–2008 Town & Country-derived CUV. For the first time since their 1984 introduction, Chrysler markets a different minivan than Dodge, with the latter division retaining the previous-generation Grand Caravan; the Chrysler/Lancia Voyager export nameplates were discontinued and all exports are sold as Pacificas.
For the 2020 model year, Chrysler reintroduced the Voyager nameplate (last seen in 2003 for the United States). Adopting the lower two trim levels of the Pacifica, the Voyager also introduces a trim level specifically for fleet sale.[5] The option of all-wheel drive (last seen in 2004) was also reintroduced for the gasoline-only Pacifica during this model year.[6]
For the 2021 model year, Chrysler announced that the lower two trim levels of Pacifica, sold as the Voyager in the United States, will be sold under the Grand Caravan nameplate in Canada. The L and LX trim levels respectively adopt the SE and SXT designations from the outgoing Dodge Grand Caravan.[7] Vehicles bearing the "Chrysler Grand Caravan" nameplate were last seen in 2007, primarily in South American markets.
Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis North America, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Plymouth.
Plymouth was a brand of automobiles produced by Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler. The brand was launched in 1928 to compete in what was then described as the "low-priced" market segment that was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. It became a high-volume seller for the automaker until the late 1990s. Plymouth cars were marketed primarily in the United States. The brand was withdrawn from the marketplace in 2001. The Plymouth models that were produced up to then were either discontinued or rebranded as Chrysler or Dodge.
The Dodge Caravan is a series of minivans that was manufactured by Chrysler from the 1984 to 2020 model years. The Dodge version of the Chrysler minivans, the Caravan was marketed as both a passenger van and a cargo van. For 1987, a long-wheelbase Dodge Grand Caravan was introduced. Produced in five generations across 36 model years, the Dodge Caravan is the second longest-lived Dodge nameplate.
Plymouth Voyager is a nameplate for a range of vans that were marketed by the Plymouth division of Chrysler. From 1974 until 1983, the Voyager was a full-size van, sold as the counterpart of Dodge Sportsman. Starting with the 1984 model year, the Voyager was marketed as one of the new Chrysler minivan, along with the Dodge Caravan. As a minivan, there were three generations of the Voyager from 1984 until 2000. Following the closure of the Plymouth division in 2000, the Voyager was marketed under the Chrysler brand as a lower-trim version of the Chrysler Town & Country through 2003.
The Chrysler Voyager is a minivan produced by the Chrysler division of Stellantis. In the current lineup, it is positioned as the lower-end Chrysler minivan, having replaced the Dodge Grand Caravan in 2020, below the Chrysler Pacifica.
The Chrysler Town & Country is a minivan that was manufactured and marketed by Chrysler from 1990 to the 2016 model years. The third Chrysler minivan introduced in North America, the Town & Country adopted its nameplate from the flagship Chrysler station wagon line, adopting its exterior woodgrain trim as a design feature for several generations.
The Ford Aerostar is a range of vans that was manufactured by Ford from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. The first minivan produced by Ford, the model line was marketed against the Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari and the first two generations of the Chrysler minivans. Introduced shortly before the Ford Taurus, the Aerostar derived its name from its slope-nosed "one-box" exterior.
The Chevrolet Lumina APV is a minivan that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The first front-wheel drive minivan sold by Chevrolet, the Lumina APV was sold in a single generation from the 1990 to 1996 model years. Marketed alongside the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile Silhouette, the Lumina APV competed against the Dodge Grand Caravan/Plymouth Grand Voyager, the extended-length Ford Aerostar, and the Mazda MPV.
The Dodge Ram Van is a range of full-size vans that were produced by Chrysler Corporation from the 1971 to 2003 model years. Replacing the Dodge A100, the Ram Van transitioned to a front-engine drivetrain configuration. Mostly offered as a cargo van and a passenger van, the model line was also initially offered as a cutaway van chassis.
Windsor Assembly Plant (WAP) is a Stellantis Canada automobile factory in Windsor, Ontario. The factory opened in 1928 and Chrysler minivans production began in 1983. Windsor Assembly is Windsor's largest employer. The plant currently operates two shifts with over 4,200 employees.
The Ultradrive is an automatic transmission manufactured by Chrysler beginning in the 1989 model year.
The Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat minivan and rebadged variant of the Chrysler RT platform, with revised styling, content features, and suspension tuning from the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.
In the context of the automobile industry, downsizing is a practice used to transition vehicles from one size segment to another. Commenced during the Malaise era, downsizing is done in response to consumer and government demands influencing vehicle design. As vehicle product lines completed their model cycles, automobile manufacturers developed the next generation of a vehicle with a smaller exterior footprint to allow for weight reduction and increased fuel economy, using a shortened wheelbase and body length.
The Chrysler Pacifica is a minivan produced by the Chrysler division of Stellantis. It is unrelated to the discontinued crossover and concept vehicles by the same name and replaced the Chrysler Town & Country for the 2017 model year. It is positioned as the higher-end Chrysler minivan, above the Dodge Grand Caravan until 2020 and above the Chrysler Voyager since 2020.
The first-generation Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans produced and marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from the 1984 to the 1990 model years. Introduced as the first minivans from an American-brand manufacturer and popularizing the minivan as a vehicle, the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager were launched ahead of chief competitors Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari and Ford Aerostar.
The RS-platform Chrysler minivans are a short- and long-wheelbase passenger minivans marketed by Chrysler from model years 2001–2007, as the fourth generation Chrysler minivans, heavily revised versions of their predecessors, the NS minivans.
The second-generation Chrysler minivans are a series of minivans that were manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Corporation in North America and Europe from 1991 to 1995. Officially designated the AS platform by Chrysler, the second-generation minivans were an extensive revision of the first-generation chassis and body. As before, passenger and cargo configurations were sold by Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler divisions. The first minivans offered with driver-side airbags and with optional integrated child safety seats, the second-generation Chrysler minivans offered all-wheel drive as an option for the first time; a manual transmission would be offered for the last time in the North American market.
The third-generation Chrysler minivans are a series of passenger minivans that were marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from the 1996 to 2000 model years. The first ground-up redesign of the model lines since their introduction, designers added a further degree of divisional identity between the Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country. In a notable change, the cargo van was discontinued, with all examples sold as passenger vans. Coinciding with the retirement of the Plymouth brand during 2001, this is the final generation marketed as the Plymouth Voyager.
The RT-platform Chrysler minivans are a series of passenger minivans marketed by Chrysler starting in model year 2008, the fifth in six generations of Chrysler minivans. Depending on the market, these vans were known as the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country, Chrysler Grand Voyager, Lancia Voyager, Ram Cargo Van, and the Volkswagen Routan, a modified version sold by Volkswagen in North America. Only long wheelbase models were offered with the Dodge Journey replacing the short wheelbase model. While most versions were discontinued in 2016 with the launch of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the Grand Caravan remained in production until 2020. It was replaced by the sixth generation Chrysler Voyager, a new entry-level model based on the existing Chrysler Pacifica minivan.
Chrysler is an American brand of automobiles and division owned by Stellantis North America. The automaker was founded in 1925 by Walter Chrysler from the remains of the Maxwell Motor Company. The brand primarily focused on building luxury vehicles as the broader Chrysler Corporation expanded, following a strategy of brand diversification and hierarchy largely adopted from General Motors.
Allpar minivans section – Chrysler Corp. minivan history, each generation, and 2008 rumors/spy shots
Internet forum (in French) www.minivanchrysler.com
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