Dodge Caravan to be replaced by Fiat crossover

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Dear Chrysler,

The Caravan has outlived every attempt by GM and Ford to usurp it. Changing too much of the formula will render the new "Euro Caravan" as moot as the Ford Windstar and Chevrolet Lumina APV.
The design is obviously working as Volkswagen won't bring thier own van here. They just re-badge your product.

Dance with the one that brung ya'.

Sincerely,
The car buying public.
 
Originally Posted By: Scum_Frog

Yes they do for the America's. For the real VW line up that includes a number of different vans they make as well as a bunch of models we can't get here in NA check out the VW German site http://www.volkswagen.de/de.html
Why some of these models are not available here is beyond me


They would simply cost too much.

There was some debate about bringing the Scirocco back to the US. But it would have cost something like $35,000. Imagine how much a van would cost.

The Routan is significantly cheaper than a Touran. I see what you did there VW!
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I have a feeling less contented Town & Country will be added to the mix to fill the void. I drove both 2009 TC and Caravan for similar prices/mileage. I liked the TC much more but not enough to buy it.

I have a serious problem myself with the name Dodge and never been interested in them. Dodge means AVOID.

Maybe Fiat can bring something no other minivan maker has. A fuel efficient engine maybe diesel.
 
Originally Posted By: swirlparanoid
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I'm going to take a wait-and-see attitude with this. Depending on the vehicle they bring over, it could be better, or worse. Let's face it, the 200 and new Avenger are better than their old counterparts, but they still aren't great. The new T&C and GC are absolutely improved, but they are doing something that could be considered smart- less badge engineering.

I'm guessing this is going to replace the Caravan
http://www.freemont.fiat.com/

and this is going to replace the Avenger
Fiat Croma
i dont see how that could be it since that's clearly a Dodge Journey with a Fiat badge


That Freemont has (only) diesel engines. One of the diesels comes only with a manual transmission. It looks like a europe only vehicle (unfortunately), and I doubt it's based on a Dodge Journey.
 
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen

...the avenger is useless...its not a super hero...and it avenges you nothing....


It's actually a fairly appropriate name when you consider the original Hillman Avenger that Chrysler tried to sell here in the '70s.

It wouldn't "avenge" anything either. Maybe a 3KC slant 4 1.2 powered Corolla....no, probably not even that.
crackmeup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I'm going to take a wait-and-see attitude with this. Depending on the vehicle they bring over, it could be better, or worse. Let's face it, the 200 and new Avenger are better than their old counterparts, but they still aren't great. The new T&C and GC are absolutely improved, but they are doing something that could be considered smart- less badge engineering.

I'm guessing this is going to replace the Caravan
http://www.freemont.fiat.com/

and this is going to replace the Avenger
Fiat Croma

I don't think the Croma is an Avenger replacement. Journey replacement probably, which isn't a bad idea. I drove in a Croma a couple years ago across Italy and I really enjoyed the car. Tried talking my mom into buying one for herself lol.
 
Originally Posted By: crw
Originally Posted By: swirlparanoid
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I'm going to take a wait-and-see attitude with this. Depending on the vehicle they bring over, it could be better, or worse. Let's face it, the 200 and new Avenger are better than their old counterparts, but they still aren't great. The new T&C and GC are absolutely improved, but they are doing something that could be considered smart- less badge engineering.

I'm guessing this is going to replace the Caravan
http://www.freemont.fiat.com/

and this is going to replace the Avenger
Fiat Croma
i dont see how that could be it since that's clearly a Dodge Journey with a Fiat badge


That Freemont has (only) diesel engines. One of the diesels comes only with a manual transmission. It looks like a europe only vehicle (unfortunately), and I doubt it's based on a Dodge Journey.


No he's right. If you check wikipedia, it states that the Journey is sold in Europe as the Fiat Freemont starting this year. Last year it was the Journey there as well.
 
I wonder if the fact that the it is the Chrysler lineup that will be rebadged and resold as Lancias, had anything to do with this decision?

Seems to me... it did.
 
Cool link.

You think minivans are on the way out? Ford and Chevy gave it up, besides the TC now, that leaves the VW clone, Honda Odyssy, Toyota Sienna (still made?)

Everything is going crossover, which I think is more similar to the original grocery-getters. The minivan is slowly dying.
 
Originally Posted By: river_rat
You think minivans are on the way out? Ford and Chevy gave it up, besides the TC now, that leaves the VW clone, Honda Odyssy, Toyota Sienna (still made?)


Don't forget the Hyundai and Kia minivans.

GM was never a serious contender in the minivan market. It couldn't decide if it liked the Astro, the Dustbuster (Lumina APV), the Venture, or Uplander the best. They were all half-hearted efforts, and it showed. Plus, add in the dozen other variants from Buick, Pontiac, Olds, and GMC...

The Windstar and the Freestar (and Monterey) were good competition. Better competition for Chrysler than what GM offered.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: river_rat
You think minivans are on the way out? Ford and Chevy gave it up, besides the TC now, that leaves the VW clone, Honda Odyssy, Toyota Sienna (still made?)


Don't forget the Hyundai and Kia minivans.

Hyundai Entourage is gone.

Mazda5 and maybe the upcoming Ford C-Max (if Ford ever decides to bring it) are actually mini-vans. Not that it matters. Few will buy it/them. But some cab fleets are supposed to get Ford Transit Connect passenger models. Maybe they'll make that widely availiable
 
Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
+1 Spazdog.


...oh and P.S..

...the avenger is useless...its not a super hero...and it avenges you nothing....


Avenger would be a great name for a cheap tire. "Oh, yeah, I can get you four Avengers for $203.81 including mounting and disposal. Sure, I'll set some aside, see you in an hour."
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04

GM was never a serious contender in the minivan market. It couldn't decide if it liked the Astro, the Dustbuster (Lumina APV), the Venture, or Uplander the best. They were all half-hearted efforts, and it showed. Plus, add in the dozen other variants from Buick, Pontiac, Olds, and GMC...


The Venture was nice but it was born with the curse of the previous generation dustbuster. So the styling was made as bland as possible.

The top shelf dustbuster (Olds) came with the great 3.8; they dumped that when they went with the 97 body style.
frown.gif


I would have liked to have seen a cargo version; I took the seats out of my SWB van and brought these massively long boxes of siding home in it.
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Astro was too trucklike and practical; to own one would imply you drive special needs kids for the school district, or you're part of "Airborne Express".
 
If anything, to eliminate duplication make it a trim.

Kill the Grand Caravan, thus saving money on assembly and marketing.

Make the Grand Caravan a trim of the Town and Country. Not sure why more Auto makers don't do this.

Scrub the multi dealer labels.
 
For some reason, domestic auto makers haven't been particularly successful in stretching one make to accomodate all budgets. In the past, they'd just create an entire new BRAND for that, and found out in the process that THAT wasn't all that efficient.

For example, Honda and Toyota have no problem selling base model Odysseys and Siennas, with non-tinted windows, steel wheels with hubcaps, and manual doors...right along side the loaded up Touring models with power everything, leather on every surface, three glass roofs and seven televisions, etc.

Contradicting myself a bit, Chrysler actually USED to sell a stripper T&C. It was called the LX, and came with the small 3.3L engine, hubcaps, etc. They may still have a base model T&C, I'm not sure. They should have no trouble selling base model T&Cs to customers looking for value-priced Grand Caravans.

As a former owner of both a Grand Caravan AND a Town & Country, I fail to see what Chrysler Group LLC is losing by deleting the Grand Caravan and retaining the T&C.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: Kuato
But there's a chance the Fiat will be a better vehicle.


Since I remember how wonderful Fiats were when they were last sold in the US, I'll wait for that to be proven in the real world.


This is exactly how I feel.

The word 'Fiat' doesn't bring any good memories.
 
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