Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Minivans/MPVs, Chrysler, LLC., Daimler, Dodge
DCX minivans appear online ahead of Detroit
UPDATE: At the request of the Chrysler Group we've removed the photos of the DCX minivans from Autoblog. In our quest to be seen as a legitimate and professional automotive news outlet, we strive to play this game above board as much as possible. These pics appeared on the forum of a Spanish website, which drew suspicion that someone might have posted them there with the intent they be discovered and widely distributed, which they were. It's one thing if a site breaks an embargo and the rest of the internet community follows suit, but whoever broke the embargo should stand up and take their punishment rather than hiding behind a Spanish forum, if that's the case. Regardless, these minivans are a big deal to The Chrysler Group, and rightly so they are taking action to ensure that their unveiling is protected. Good for you if you got to see the pics while they were up on the site, but if not then don't worry. We'll have dozens and dozens of high-resolution live and official shots when the embargo for these vehicles lift on Sunday.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Owen 12:40PM (1/03/2007)
Very uninteresting, and that makes me very sad. A nice interior could be enough to save them from the competition, but from the outside, these look too chunky to be taken seriously. They look like the same old, same old.
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David 12:43PM (1/03/2007)
Note to DCX.... I think GM learned the hard way that the general minivan buyer does not want a hood like a car or SUV.
Why have you all done this? Is this supposed to be reminicent of the 300? You'll loose market share...that I can assure you.
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fordman 12:43PM (1/03/2007)
I think there is a 4.0 coming in these vans. Thats too bad. Thats too big an engine. Detroit still thinks there is no substitute for displacement. There is. Its called technology.
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Michael Karesh 12:44PM (1/03/2007)
The styling is perhaps overly conservative, and has none of the impact the 1996 had in 1995, but should appeal to the minivan faithful.
The big story will be the functionality of the interiors. I look forward to checking them out.
Of course, with any new DCX product people wonder about reliability, especially in the first year. I'll likely have initial reliability results around the end of February 2008, about five months after they go on sale. If CR sticks to their traditional schedule, they'll provide a dot in November 2008.
http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php
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Tim 12:47PM (1/03/2007)
And then a large sigh of relief came over the Honda and Toyota design studios. (Too Bad, what happened to the good designs from DCX)
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cowboy bob 12:47PM (1/03/2007)
Not so bad. Sure, it's not a blinger, but the market that this is aimed at used to run a stationwagon. Come to think of it, perhaps a new real stationwagon wagon is the "retro" next step. Wait, They did that with the Magnum. They just didn't make it utilitarian enough. Market share in this segment has shrunk, but there will always be buyers for some of these. It just won't be me.
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Michael Karesh 12:49PM (1/03/2007)
Underpowering a heavy vehicle can actually harm fuel economy. And the 4.0/six-speed combo is STRONG. I was surprised how large a difference it made with the Pacifica, as the official specs show only another five horsepower.
My review of the Pacifica:
http://www.epinions.com/content_262400806532
Where Chrysler really needs the 4.0 is in the 300, Charger, and Magnum. The 3.5 is just adequate, while the Hemi is overkill for most people. The 4.0 would strike a good balance.
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DarkKnight67 12:50PM (1/03/2007)
I don't see what everyone's complaining about. It looks no worse (or better) than the boxes from Kia/Hyundai, Honda or Toyota.
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Thomas Lynn 12:51PM (1/03/2007)
There is clearly no middle ground where styling is concerned at DCX. Their products are either way over the top or far too conservative. These minivans look fine, but there is nothing special about them. At least "Team Sebring" didn't get tapped for the job!
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Mo 12:52PM (1/03/2007)
2008 Chevrolet Venture.
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jgp 12:55PM (1/03/2007)
It's...clean. The design is pretty simple, without complex details, and I like that. I was afraid it would be an overstyled mess, and it actually looks quite nice.
I also like the chunkier look--I'm rather sick of the overly-rounded, bulbous look most minivans today have, so this is a welcome change of pace.
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Alex Nunez 12:59PM (1/03/2007)
The styling is clean and inoffensive -- which is what the minivan buyer probably wants anyway. The story isn't the outside, though. The flexibility of the interior is what'll sell vans to families. That's the stuff we really want to see.
It's not as if any other currently available minivan's a style leader. They're all big boxes out of necessity.
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rohman 1:00PM (1/03/2007)
It makes you wonder if DCX thought, with GM and Ford abandoning the mini-van market, they could capture their market share by being conservative. The interior had better be awesome because the exterior is pitiful.
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Ryan 1:01PM (1/03/2007)
Ugly, Looks like a mish-mash of the last three Years at DCX.
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starlightmica 1:01PM (1/03/2007)
For minivans, it's the interior that really matters. Let's see what 2nd gen Stow N Go can do, I'm expecting an impressive upgrade.
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thatjerryguy 1:03PM (1/03/2007)
Note to the critics: These are minivans. They are more about utility than anything else. Wait and see what kind of nifty toys Chrysler's new minivans offer. In the meantime, name one minivan, just one, who's striking style is setting the automotive field on fire. They're all boxes.
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TIMOTHY 1:08PM (1/03/2007)
I'm sure the 4.0 V-6 is an enlarged 3.8 pushrod engine that they've had around since the late eighty's. While Honda and Toyota ofcourse use technlogy from this century, not the last one.
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Michael Karesh 1:13PM (1/03/2007)
This is the Internet. It's easy to find the facts before typing.
Fast is, the 4.0 is an SOHC 24-valve V6. It's perfectly suited for minivan duty. It'd probably also do well in the new Wrangler, but the new Jeep got stuck with the old minivan mill. Which is an over-the-hill pushrod unit.
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Mike Homeniuk 1:13PM (1/03/2007)
I guess these say "soccer dad" now a little more than "soccer mom". Not bad but kinda bland. The rear 'styling' on all of DCX's 2-box vehicles (including Jeep) is all starting to look the same....
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Spud 1:14PM (1/03/2007)
These should appeal to those who deliver bread, sell vacuums door-to-door or are in the witness protection program. The styling in completely uninspired and anonymous. Happy days for Honda, Toyota and Kia (as if they had to worry...).
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