All-New 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country Minivans Raise the Bar for the Minivan Segment
07 Janvier 2007 - 6:15PM
PR Newswire (US)
* Fifth generation of industry-leading Chrysler Group minivans to
arrive this fall DETROIT, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The
all-new 2008 Dodge and Chrysler minivans once again prove they have
the right ingredients to be the best vehicles to move people and
cargo. With 35 new and improved features, the 2008 Dodge Grand
Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country aren't just practical
vehicles, they also have the right mix to be "family rooms on
wheels," with something for everyone to enjoy. "The all-new 2008
Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan spice up the
minivan recipe by offering an all-new contemporary appearance, five
different models, three distinct seating and storage systems,
unmatched entertainment systems and the safety you expect and
deserve," said George Murphy, Senior Vice President - Marketing,
Chrysler Group. "Add in three powertrain options, clever interior
features and industry-leading functionality, and you have a recipe
that will be a favorite with any family." The newest ingredient for
functional family seating is the all-new Swivel 'n Go(TM) seating
system. Swivel 'n Go offers second row seats that swivel 180
degrees to face the third row with a removable table that installs
between the two rows, covered storage bins in the floor of the
second row, third-row uncovered storage and fold-in-the-floor
third-row seating. Swivel 'n Go also offers an available
industry-first integrated child booster seat in the second-row quad
chair and an available minivan-exclusive one-touch power-folding
third-row 60/40 bench seat. "Chrysler Group engineers turned the
tables on traditional seat systems to come up with a technology
that lets families have more choices of how to spend their time
while traveling," said Larry Lyons, Vice President - Front-wheel-
drive Product Team, Chrysler Group. "With Swivel 'n Go, second- and
third-row passengers can face each other to have a conversation,
play games or have a meal on the go." Safety is a key part of any
minivan recipe, and that continues to be true with the 2008 Dodge
Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. All-row supplemental
side-curtain air bags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with
traction control and brake assist, LATCH child seat anchor system
and a patented, energy-absorbing steering column are among the
standard safety features included in the 2008 Dodge and Chrysler
minivans. Innovations like an industry-first integrated child
booster seat, ParkView(TM) rear back-up camera, a rearview interior
conversation mirror, integrated child safety seat and ParkSense(R)
rear back-up system also ensure peace of mind while traveling.
Minivan Innovation Leadership The modern minivan was invented by
the former Chrysler Corporation in 1983. Since then, the Chrysler
Group has sold more than 11 million minivans and invented more than
60 minivan firsts that not only have revolutionized the minivan
segment, but made their way into other vehicle segments as well.
"Chrysler Group is the leader in bringing innovations to the
minivan segment, and those innovations seem to have an uncanny way
of ending up in other products," said Lyons. "Integrated child
safety seats, dual-zone temperature controls, a power liftgate and
DVD entertainment are just some of the features that started in a
minivan, but are now available in other vehicle segments." For
2008, the Chrysler Town & Country (sold as the Chrysler Grand
Voyager in most markets outside North America) and Dodge Grand
Caravan offer value, functionality, safety and a package of
innovative features that no other manufacturer can match. With 35
new or improved features, the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town and
Country and Dodge Grand Caravan offer consumers a home away from
home. "The 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan
offer the best amenities for today's busy families," said Murphy.
"With a dual DVD system that plays different media at the same
time, pinpoint LED lighting to read by, a table to play games or
finish homework, a voice-activated navigation system with real-time
traffic, power sliding doors and liftgate and YES Essentials(R)
cloth seats, every member of the family will enjoy their journey."
Unmatched Functionality and Entertainment The 2008 Dodge Grand
Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country have spiced up the recipe
for minivan success to include a place for everything. A premium,
multi-function, front-row sliding console, dual glove boxes,
second-row covered storage bins, third-row storage area and clever
storage bins and pockets offer more places to store things than
ever before. Three distinct seating configurations are available
for 2008 in North America. They include a second-row bench seat
with second-row covered storage bins and third-row
fold-in-the-floor seating, a Stow 'n Go(R) seating and storage
system that offers the only second- and third-row fold-in-the-floor
seats in the industry and the new Swivel 'n Go seating that allows
the second row seats to swivel 180 degrees to face rearward. Swivel
'n Go also includes a removable table that fits between the second
and third rows with a fold-in-the-floor third-row seat. A one-touch
power-folding third-row seat also is available. Available comfort
and convenience features include a new, removable sliding front
console that is large enough to store a purse; remote start; heated
first- and second-row leather or cloth seats; rearview interior
conversation mirror; YES Essentials stain-resistant,
odor-resistant, anti-static cloth fabric; a removable flashlight in
the rear quarter panel; first- and second-row power windows;
second- and third-row retractable sun shades; power sliding doors;
power liftgate with power button on the key fob and rear-pillar,
ambient halo lighting; movable, pinpoint Light Emitting Diode (LED)
reading lamps; map lights; and a dual- or tri-zone heating and
cooling system. "To get the best recipe of comfort, security and
flexibility that fits any lifestyle, we added comfort features like
remote start, heated first- and second-row cloth or leather seats
and ambient lighting, then mixed in standard safety features like
all-row supplemental side-curtain air bags and ESP," said Ann
Fandozzi, Director - Front-wheel-drive Product Marketing, Chrysler
Group. "Clever features found in the 2008 Chrysler Group minivans
include a 'Swiss- army-knife-like' sliding front console and a
removable flashlight in the rear quarter panel." Entertainment
features include a dual DVD, multimedia entertainment system that
can play different media at the same time, MyGIG(TM)
CD/DVD/HDD/MP3/satellite radio with voice-activated capability,
touch screen and real-time traffic and navigation, UConnect
hands-free communication system with Bluetooth(R) technology, mesh
side pockets on the second-row seats that can hold iPods, hand-held
gaming systems or beverages, 110V inverter, two second-row
output/input jacks with a 12-volt power outlet and an overhead
console with bins large enough to store headphones. Model Lineup
Five models and three powertrains are available for the 2008 Dodge
Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. Dodge offers two
models: the Dodge Grand Caravan SE and Dodge Grand Caravan SXT.
Chrysler offers three models: the Chrysler Town & Country LX,
the Chrysler Town & Country Touring and the Chrysler Town &
Country Limited. Powertrain choices for North America include a new
4.0-liter V-6 aluminum engine mated to a new six-speed transaxle
that produces 240 hp (179 kW) and 253 lb.-ft. (343 N*m) of torque,
a 3.8-liter V-6 aluminum engine mated to a new six-speed transaxle
that produces 198 hp (148 kW) and 230 lb.-ft. (312 N*m) of torque
or a 3.3-liter flex-fuel-capable (FFV) V-6 aluminum engine mated to
a four-speed transaxle that produces 170 hp (127 kW) and 205
lb.-ft. (278 N*m) of torque. The varied powertrain options provide
a pleasant driving experience in a variety of conditions. "Chrysler
Group has been a leader in flex-fuel-capable vehicles," said Lyons.
"We sold our first minivan capable of running on E85 in 1998, and
since then, Chrysler Group has sold more than 1,330,000 flex-fuel
minivans." Full model details and feature availability for markets
outside the United States will be released ahead of the vehicles'
launch in each respective market. Manufacturing Information The
2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans
will be built at Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
and St. Louis South Assembly Plant in Fenton, Missouri. The 2008
Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country are expected to
be in dealerships in the United States in the fall of 2007.
DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Kathy Graham, +1-248-512-2942,
; or Beth Ann Bayus, +1-248-512-0350, , both of Chrysler Group Web
site: http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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