T Mac
11-27-2007, 11:52 PM
Everyone knows that minivans are dying out, right? U.S. sales dropped to under one million in 2006 for the first time in years and have continued to plunge this year. Numerous models—including the Buick Terraza, Saturn Relay, Ford (F) Freestar, and Mercury Monterey—have been dumped and replaced with more popular, sportier, smaller, and more fuel-efficient crossover vehicles.
Yet, here comes financially troubled Chrysler—the inventor of the modern American minivan back in 1983 and onetime king of the genre—introducing a minivan, the '08 Town & Country. Could it be that, as in the mid-1980s, the minivan will give Chrysler at least a little help in forging a turnaround? "Long live Chrysler!," I say. "Long live the minivan!"
Minivans, like station wagons, have gotten a bad rap because so many people consider them clunky and unhip. But they remain highly practical. They can carry seven people in comfort and can be turned into voluminous cargo haulers by folding down the rear seats. Their rear-seat entertainment systems keep the kids occupied during long drives, and they even get relatively good gas mileage considering their size. (You could take a family of seven on vacation in two Toyota Priuses, but you wouldn't save much on gas.)
The new Town & Country makes Chrysler again highly competitive with Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC) in minivans.
Click here (http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/nov2007/bw20071121_473494.htm?chan=autos_auto+reviews_auto +reviews) to read the entire review from Business Week
Yet, here comes financially troubled Chrysler—the inventor of the modern American minivan back in 1983 and onetime king of the genre—introducing a minivan, the '08 Town & Country. Could it be that, as in the mid-1980s, the minivan will give Chrysler at least a little help in forging a turnaround? "Long live Chrysler!," I say. "Long live the minivan!"
Minivans, like station wagons, have gotten a bad rap because so many people consider them clunky and unhip. But they remain highly practical. They can carry seven people in comfort and can be turned into voluminous cargo haulers by folding down the rear seats. Their rear-seat entertainment systems keep the kids occupied during long drives, and they even get relatively good gas mileage considering their size. (You could take a family of seven on vacation in two Toyota Priuses, but you wouldn't save much on gas.)
The new Town & Country makes Chrysler again highly competitive with Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC) in minivans.
Click here (http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/nov2007/bw20071121_473494.htm?chan=autos_auto+reviews_auto +reviews) to read the entire review from Business Week