Chrysler's new minivan goes upscale
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DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group, which popularized the minivan nearly 30 years ago, will showcase an upscale version of its Chrysler Town & Country family minivan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week.
The 2013 Town & Country S includes a standard Blu-Ray DVD player as well as a black chrome grill and black interior. The minivan is the third Chrysler model to join the automaker's "S" lineup after the 200 and 300 sedans.
Earlier this month, CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters that the automaker was "more or less" on track to launch a redesigned minivan by 2014. The company is the dominant player in the minivan segment, which it launched in 1983 under former CEO Lee Iacocca.
"We have spent an inordinate amount of time looking at that market," Marchionne said, adding that the new minivan has been tested in consumer clinics for more than a year.
U.S. minivan sales peaked in 2000 at just over 1.3 million and today's sales are about half that, due in part to higher gasoline prices and the "soccer mom" stigma -- that only families favor them. Over the last several years, Chrysler's U.S. rivals, General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co., stopped production of their less-popular minivans.
This month, Ford unveiled a version of its Transit Connect commercial van that includes sliding doors and other features seen in traditional minivans, but the second-largest U.S. automaker has opted to call the van a "people mover" instead.
Chrysler launched a sportier version of its Dodge Caravan last year to broaden its appeal. The model, called the "man van," features an all-black interior, wider tires and a stiffer suspension.
PRESS RELEASE: Chrysler Town & Country S Joins the “S” Family of Chrysler Models and Brings Cool, Modern Design to the Minivan
• Chrysler Town & Country now a part of the “S” family of models along with the 200 and 300 sedans
• New exterior and interior appointments give Town & Country S modern style
• Segment-exclusive Blu-Ray DVD player with HDMI input and two USB ports for recharging is standard
• 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine provides best-in-class horsepower with excellent fuel economy
• More than 40 available safety and technology features like SafetyTec, which provides industry-leading features including ParkView rear back-up camera, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection
November 26, 2012 , Los Angeles - Chrysler – the inventors of the minivan – is bringing modern design to the segment with the 2013 Town & Country S model. Debuting at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show, the Town & Country S is the latest “S” model in the Chrysler line-up, joining the 200 sedan and convertible and 300 sedan. The Chrysler Town & Country S gets exterior and interior enhancements as well as some standard equipment commonly associated with top-line models.
"We tailored the new Town & Country S for the active and style minded consumers. It's the downtown style for the Town & Country’s uptown looks,” said Saad Chehab, President and CEO – Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "It's more than fitting that we unveil this vehicle in Los Angeles given Town & Country S represents yet another modern take of ‘313’ in the ‘310.’”
Available in Brilliant Black, Deep Cherry Red, Stone White or Billet Silver, the 2013 Town & Country S gets revised trim that adds contrast to the minivan’s typically bright exterior treatment. A black chrome grille is combined with black-background Chrysler Winged badges front and rear, a black rear fascia step pad, “S” model badging, 17-inch aluminum wheels with polished face and black-painted pockets and blacked-out headlight bezels (delayed availability).
The interior features a monotone black interior unique to the Town & Country S. It starts with the Black Torino leather seats with an “S” logo embroidered in the seat backs and black Ballistic cloth seat inserts. The seats also feature grey stitching as do the door armrests. Piano Black gloss appliques are found on the instrument panel and on the spokes of the black leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the Chrysler Winged badge on the wheel matches the black background-look of the exterior badging. Finishing interior touches include a black headliner and upper consoles, black center console and an “S” logo in the instrument cluster.
The segment-exclusive dual-screen Blu-Ray DVD system with HDMI input, two USB recharging ports, a 12v outlet and a 115v two-prong outlet is standard. This system, new for 2013, allows rear seat passengers to view standard and Blu-Ray DVDs or to play a high-definition video game system on the new, higher definition, screens. Wireless headphones allow back seat passengers to enjoy this state-of-the-art system without forcing front seat passengers to hear the accompanying audio.
The 2013 Town & Country S also features a performance suspension that adds a new level of handling dynamics to the driving experience, yet still provides a comfortable ride that’s expected in a luxury minivan.
Town & Country’s award-winning powertrain delivers best-in-class horsepower without sacrificing fuel efficiency. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is a two-time “Ward’s 10 Best Engine” winner and produces 283 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The V-6 is mated to the 62TE six-speed automatic transmission. A fuel economizer mode helps the driver maximize fuel efficiency, and premium, lower-rolling-resistance tires, and low-drag brake calipers and rear bearings make great fuel economy possible. Town & Country achieves 17 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city, 25 on the highway.
The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country offers over 40 available safety, security and technology features, providing customers the safety they expect to ensure peace of mind when traveling. Standard safety features include ParkView rear back up camera, front seat-mounted air bags, a driver-side inflatable knee blocker, advanced multi-stage driver and front passenger air bags, side-curtain air bags for all three rows, and electronic stability control, including Brake Assist and all-speed traction control. Optional on Touring and standard on Touring L and Limited models is the SafetyTec Group consisting of rain-sensitive windshield wipers, Smartbeam headlamps, ParkSense rear park assist system, Blind-spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path detection.
New for 2013 is standard trailer sway damping that monitors a towed trailer’s behavior and automatically uses Town & Country’s anti-lock braking system to mitigate any swaying motions.
The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country minivan is built at Chrysler Group LLC’s Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
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