Chrysler News: Spying: Next Chrysler Town and Country Does A Strip Tease At Windsor Assembly

[William Maley]

The next-generation Chrysler Town and Country has been kept under wraps for most part. That was until earlier this week when The Windsor Star was somehow able to get shots of the next-generation van as it was being loaded into a transport truck at the Windsor Assembly line.

 

From the couple of shots published, we can tell that the next-generation van will be using design from the 700C shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 2012. The front looks to have a similar shape the 200 sedan, while parts of the side match up to the 700C concept.

 

Its expected that we'll be seeing the production version of the Town and Country at the Detroit Auto Show.

 

Source: The Windsor Star

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[David]

We'll I have to say I am not impressed. The concept does nothing for me either, but then I am an SUV guy not a mini van guy.

[aurora97]

Captain Picard is hailing FCA.  He wants his shuttle craft back in the Enterprise hanger.

 

Moving beyond the snark, why would any car company still mass produce mini-vans?

 

No one has more than three kids any more.

 

I will give FCA credit if they actually call it the Town and Country and not adopt the sheep-like alpha/numeric model "names" that is plaguing the industry today.

[hyperv6]

The Aztec for this decade.

[oldshurst442]

 I aint a minivan guy _{(nor am I a SUV/CUV guy)} but I think it looks smashing.

Edited October 10, 2015 by oldshurst442

[David]

Guess it could be the next shuttle in Star Trek. Maybe even in Dark Matter.

[Drew Dowdell]

I don't see anything as radical as the concept under the hefty bags.  Picture a current model with a Chrysler 200 face.  That's my guess.

[Suaviloquent]

It kind of reminds me of how a bullet train's front end is curved and how the locomotive cab is all streamlined.

 

In person, the 200's sheetmetal looks very fluid and all looks like it's all formed from one piece. It looks spectacular in white. Hopefully this does the same.

[daves87rs]

What.the.hell.is.that.

[regfootball]

My 2015 town and country all of a sudden looks that much better. Should be an easy decision to leave when the lease is up now.

Was checking out an odyssey today that was parked nearby. That would be good if the rear ass didn't hang over so much.

People still may have interest in vans, they just want AWD which sends people to crossovers.

We have two kids but three row vehicle still sees frequent use for family and kids friends. The van gets the same mpg as a mid size crossover anyways.

Just freaking add all wheel drive to the option sheet.

And don't make it ugly like this new one might unfortunately be.

Sergio if he screws up chryslers signature product should be burned at the stake. Imagine if he got his merger with GM.

[ocnblu]

Current model is kind of boxy, pendulum swings back to swoop, I see.

[regfootball]

Somewhere in between would be ok!

[daves87rs]

Current model is kind of boxy, pendulum swings back to swoop, I see.

 

 

Swoop it is!

[Stew]

Wait, i went to the article, I think you guys are looking at the 700C which is the only full picture and just the concept.  From what little I can see from the camoed models, it is more reminiscent of the mid 90s minivans which is a good thing.  Honestly, it isn't like the Odyssey or Sienna are anything but huge bags of ugly anyway........

The Aztec for this decade.

 

[Stew]

Captain Picard is hailing FCA.  He wants his shuttle craft back in the Enterprise hanger.

 

Moving beyond the snark, why would any car company still mass produce mini-vans?

 

No one has more than three kids any more.

 

I will give FCA credit if they actually call it the Town and Country and not adopt the sheep-like alpha/numeric model "names" that is plaguing the industry today.

 

There is still a relatively large market for minivans, more than enough to keep them in production.  Just look at the monthly sales numbers.

[David]

 

Captain Picard is hailing FCA.  He wants his shuttle craft back in the Enterprise hanger.

 

Moving beyond the snark, why would any car company still mass produce mini-vans?

 

No one has more than three kids any more.

 

I will give FCA credit if they actually call it the Town and Country and not adopt the sheep-like alpha/numeric model "names" that is plaguing the industry today.

 

There is still a relatively large market for minivans, more than enough to keep them in production.  Just look at the monthly sales numbers.

 

Very true as you still see a large amount of Chrysler, Toyota, Hyundai and Honda mini van sales.

[aurora97]

This will not be resolved within a discussion thread, but here are two questions to ponder.

 

1)  Apart from maybe the Ford Flex, what other true mini-van is being offered by GM and Ford?  The average price of a new car is just too high for a modest family to buy one of these things at the dealership.  The demographics don't add up in the long-term to keep these around.

 

2)  Should Sergio have FCA market the hell out of these mini-vans in the same way he has done so with the Hellcat?  The only "American" mini-van in the game? 

[Suaviloquent]

This will not be resolved within a discussion thread, but here are two questions to ponder.

 

1)  Apart from maybe the Ford Flex, what other true mini-van is being offered by GM and Ford?  The average price of a new car is just too high for a modest family to buy one of these things at the dealership.  The demographics don't add up in the long-term to keep these around.

 

2)  Should Sergio have FCA market the hell out of these mini-vans in the same way he has done so with the Hellcat?  The only "American" mini-van in the game? 

 

Yeah, that is true, but the Kia Sedona especially comes really nicely equipped just at $30k. And the defunct Caravan sold a lot because of its low price. Again, automakers are thinking about more than just sales now, but I don't think the minivan will quite just die away yet.

 

And there's always going to be 3 different target demographics, two of which we rarely think of. There's obviously the growing families.

 

There there's fleets. Minivans make great livery vehicles. They're very efficient in terms of utility for the price you pay.

 

But there's also families that tend to their elderly parents. It's a no brainer. Minivans offer excellent accessibility, part of why taxi fleets have plenty of them and middle-aged folks who want to live near or take care of their elderly parents have them as well.

 

Minivans might just become a segment ruled by a very small oligopoly of brands, but it doesn't change the value proposition.  

[aurora97]

The fleet sales cannot be ignored.  Great point.

[Drew Dowdell]

The fleet sales cannot be ignored.  Great point.

 

FCA also makes Work van versions of their mini-van, the Ram C/V.   In the Ram lineup, it gives them a Small, Medium, Large for work vans. (Promaster City, Ram C/V, Promaster)

 

I've been seeing lots of C/Vs lately

[regfootball]

minivans are the king of handicap conversions.

 

Ford Flex, if updated and lower in price, would sell a lot more.

 

New Kia van is seeing an uptick, the Japanese Sienna and Odyssey always do well.

 

Grand Caravan sells well because its price is reasonable.  We got our Town and Country via lease, that was the best way to get it and not lose our ass, it got to the point that most of the three row CUV's are simply unaffordable.

 

With  the minivan segment I think it is still about making the wrapper attractive and putting AWD on the option list in addition to price.

 

Really, think about it.  Why can't Ford take the Fusion and stretch the wheelbase 4-6" and make Flex 2?  In Ford's case its because they sell a lot more Explorers.  If there were a new Flex out at a price similar to what we got the Town and Country for, it woulda been a no brainer, duh Ford > Chrysler.  No reason why Ford can't design a second version of the funkwagon and sell 40,000 of them a year.