The minivan through the years
The basic idea of the minivan, maximize interior space while minimizing exterior dimensions, had been explored by more than one Detroit automaker since the 1970s.
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Iacocca, introducing the Plymouth Voyager in 1984, recognized the American family's need for fuel economy, roominess, comfort and function at a modest price, and long believed the minivan would be a success.

Lee Iacocca first campaigned to create the minivan while at Ford in the 1970s after the first OPEC crisis but didn't get to realize one of his major product dreams until he joined Chrysler. The Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager -- introduced in 1984 and quickly embraced by waves of Americans because of their low step-in height, roominess, decent fuel economy and noses with an engine up front to provide crush space in the event of an accident -- turned out to be some of the most successful products introduced by a Detroit automaker. They produced billions of dollars in profits for Chrysler over the years. "If you're not number one, then you've got to innovate," Iacocca often said of the strategy behind the creation of the minivan.













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