Minivans: Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country

Chrysler invented the minivan - twice. As Richard Moss wrote, Chrysler was working with Matra on a European minivan in the early 1980s; just before its launch, Chrysler Europe, including Matra, was sold to Peugeot-Citroen (PSA). Renault picked up the design, and made Europe's most popular minivan - starting in the same year as the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan. While there had been small vans in the past, the first minivans are generally acknowledged as being the Plymouth Voyager/Dodge Caravan and the (via Matra) Renault Espace. (See minivan history and development.)

From 1987 through 2007, there were two varieties of Chrysler minivan: the standard variety, and the longer "Grand" version (which includes the Town & Country). In 2008, only the Grands were left. Engines now range from a 3.3 liter flexible-fuel V6 to a 4.0 liter six, with a diesel sold outside North America; transmissions are a four speed automatic for the 3.3 and a six speed automatic for the 3.8 and 4.0. The whole hodgepodge will be replaced by Pentastar V6 engines hooked up to six speed automatics, with diesels for Europe.

Watch minivans being made

Minivan information: Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country

• 2011 minivans: 2011 Dodge Caravan and 2011 Chrysler Town & Country... pentastar powered
• 2008-2010 Dodge Grand Caravan / Chrysler Town & Country | 2008-2009 cargo vans
• Repairs and performance | Four speed automatic repairs and quick fixes
• Creation of the 1984-1990 minivans
• 1991-1995 minivans | 1994 changes | 1996-2000 minivans | 2001-2007 minivans | 2005-2006 minivan changes
• Electric minivans | CNG minivans | Dodge Caravan SST
• Building the 2009 Chrysler, Dodge, and Volkswagen minivans in Windsor (with movies / 25th anniversary)
• Reviews: 1998-99 | 2000 | 2003 | 2005 | 2008 (with video)
• 1984-2000 minivan powertrain table, courtesy of Drew Beck.
• European minivans, around 1995-2005, including four-cylinder and diesel Chrysler Voyagers.
• Preparing the Windsor factory for the 2008 minivans: flexible manufacturing, work teams, and more

Minivan forums | Reviews | 2008-2010 Review | Eurovans | Electric minivans | CNG minivans
Repairs and performance | Engines | Firsts | Factory / Minivans being built

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