Major Milestone for Chrysler Minivan

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

Chrysler LLC recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the minivan, a vehicle they’re credited with creating a quarter century ago. Since 1983, Chrysler has sold more than 12 million minivans worldwide.

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The automaker was the first to market the vehicle and leads the world in minivan innovation, with more than 65 minivan-first features. Chrysler and Dodge minivans make up more than 40% of the U.S. minivan market.

Designed for “baby boomers”, Chrysler designers and engineers realized the limitations of the full-sized van and in 1977 began developing a vehicle that would fulfill the needs of young, growing families and be a “family room on wheels.”

It needed to be fuel-efficient, easy to get in and out of and family friendly. What they came up with was a flat-load floor plan with the entire powertrain in front of the passenger compartment. Chrysler engineers created a platform offering the driver a tall perspective, while providing easy entry and exit.

The launch of the minivan was a huge success. Soccer moms and harried parents could now transport their kids easier than ever and soon the vehicle was its very own segment. The minivan became a cultural icon in the ‘80s and helped solidify the Chrysler brand worldwide.

Known for its great fuel efficiency, a new world record for fuel economy was set in 2000 by a Chrysler Voyager SE powered by its available 2.5-liter common-rail turbo diesel (CRD) engine. The vehicle journeyed 1,077 miles on a single tank of diesel fuel which was a first for any minivan. source