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A newer minivan (a Plymouth Grand Voyager)
A minivan is a type of vehicle developed independently by Matra/Renault and the Chrysler Corporation. It was launched in 1984, consisting of a
smaller van unibody
structure without an automobile frame. The target market for this vehicle was families living in suburban
areas. This vehicle was a cross between the station wagon and the large
work vans that people would customize for passenger travel. It came at a time when families wanted a different vehicle that
didn't have the stigma of the station wagon era of their parents. They
also wanted better fuel economy than that of the big V8 powered station wagons/vans of the previous generation.
The minivan also offered another change from the large van or the station wagon: front wheel drive, usually
found only on smaller automobiles. This made for easier assembly of the vehicle, and allowed for more cargo/passenger area along
the floor with the absence of the drive shaft hump. Minivans typically have removable seats and with the seats removed, the cargo
area in the larger minivans can hold a 4'x8' sheet of drywall or plywood flat.
Typical early minivan (a Dodge Caravan)
In order for the style of minivan to circumvent the current 1980s emission standards, the minivan had to be classified as a truck and could not have four doors like a
car. The first minivans were three door configurations with a sliding curbside door.
These early minivans came with four cylinder motors, which although they were more efficient, were not able to meet the life
span of bigger engines. It was common to require major
engine repairs on the four cylinder motors. The vehicles were also extremely sluggish when these small engines were paired with
hydraulic automatic transmissions. Later six cylinder motors were offered and have become a standard choice by
purchasers who plan to operate the vehicle for many years. Minivans are also notorious for having problems with their transaxles.
Modern minivans are now very similar to station wagons except they have a higher profile. Many later models added a sliding
door on the driver's side.
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