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The one with the wood panels is a K body station wagon. It's not even a minivan.
Given how popular the true Chrysler minivans were at the time, it's surprising how many of those K-body (Reliant/Aries) wagons were sold in the 1980s. The Reliant/Aries wagons (besides better but still-mediocre reliability) also had a one-upmanship over the competing GM X-body cars....the X-bodies never offered wagons, leaving that to subsequent GM models like the Celebrity, Cutlass Ciera, etc.....
I do like the fact that this...Pacifica...has a hybrid.
Everyone seems to be jumping on that hybrid bandwagon now.
I told her it was Pacifica, her response "wasn't that the nasty thing my stepdad had?"
And not many stepdads (or anyone else) actually owned them. Like the similar Mercedes R-Class, they were pulled from the American market from poor sales. One of my neighbors, though, did own one...a nice gold-colored one, though they were still uncommon in my area.
I think the name change is a good thing. Fiat is re-branding the entire Chrysler line and a change to a familiar name is a good move to emphasize the entirely new platform. They eliminated the Sebring line a few years back, bringing in the "200" to slot beneath the "300", so at least the new management is consistent.
My wife fell in love with the efficient packaging of minivans some years ago and I have to confess, I'm a convert - if a reluctant one. This one is the first I've seen that incorporates all the latest features and even is available in a hybrid configuration that answers the needs of most minivan users. Since most trips to deliver the kids to school and after-school activities, perform as the family runabout for shopping and suburban errands, fall within it's electric-only range, it's a plug-in that will consume NO fossil fuel for the most part. What is surprising is with the V6 engine along for the ride, it can be a solid, reliable cruiser, the modern version of the family truckster for extended road trips. That I like.
Now, if it can deliver on comfort and reliability, Chrysler may have a real game-changer here.
The one with the wood panels is a K body station wagon. It's not even a minivan.
I do like the fact that this...Pacifica...has a hybrid.
By the way about the name. My wife who knows nothing about cars, I mentioned they showed the new Chrysler minivan. She responded with "yeah I heard they changed the name or something" and I told her it was Pacifica, her response "wasn't that the nasty thing my stepdad had?"
I rest my case
The Town & Country nameplate predates the existence of the minivan. And that's an image that the name "T&C" conjures up, especially for anyone that had one.
The Town & Country nameplate predates the existence of the minivan. And that's an image that the name "T&C" conjures up, especially for anyone that had one.
It does, but he thought that was a T&C Minivan.
In any event...that vehicle was not a T&C, Minivan or wagon. Like I said that was a K body wagon.
The original Chrysler Town and Country, built from about 1945 through1950 was a luxury touring convertible. In the fifties the marque reappeared as a station wagon, but the wood trim would succumb to the needs of the marketplace. Like any "woodie", that cabinetry required a lot of care and covered parking. Several attempts were made to produce imitation woodies that used sheets of wood-grain vinyl to simulate the style of the original T&C's, but especially on the later models of the sixties and the K-cars that would follow, it just got progressively more awkward.
Here's a Gen2 T&C that replaced the original (and rather odd) concept of the pre-war era.
1946 T&C
Based on the long 'New Yorker' 131.5 inch wheelbase, it was powered by a straight-eight engine driving through a semi-automatic, 4-speed "Fluid Drive" transmission. It was massive with every conceivable luxury of the day, and distinguished by its real wood trim. There were only a few thousand built, so you only see them today at top concours events and in a few movies in a fully restored state.
. . . And you kick yourself for not buying a good one in the fifties when they were relatively cheap. Today, one in top condition would probably buy you a very nice home and a couple of nice cars to boot.
Hahahahaha, I knew you would be in this forum, just like I am. I probably did. That's how much I know about minivans, other than the KIA Sedona I rented last year... which was great, BTW.
We've totally exhausted the whole name argument in this thread, but I figured some might find this interesting:
The 1999 Chrysler Pacifica minivan styling concept. Guess putting the name on a minivan wasn't so crazy after all. And yes this concept does indeed look like a dung beetle carrying a reluctant load.
Checked out the Pacifica at the NAIAS last night. They had two or three on the floor with the windows open, but the doors locked. Probably still pre-production models???
The vans looked great in person and the layout and rear entertainment looked great!
Will have to see how the fit and finish will hold up compared to the T&C of past.
01-15-16, 07:53 PM
