Volkswagen has announced that it will unveils its version of the Chrysler LLC minivan at the Chicago Auto Show in early February, and that its name will be Routan. As with most of the names that VW chooses for its vehicles, we had to look up the meaning of the word. We didn't find anything because VW made up the word "Routan" by combining the words "route" and "an". The German automaker adds an "an" at the end of all its vans in Europe. The Routan is good news for Chrysler, which will use up some excess production capacity at its Windsor, Ontario plant by building VW's minivan alongside the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country. We're very eager to see the VW aesthetic applied to the exterior of the Chrysler minivans, which, despite incorporating a number of innovative features not offered by their competition, is often panned for its bread-box styling.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Joe K. @ Jan 16th 2008 9:56AM
Whats the over/under on the number of days before the panning commenter refers to it as 'Rotund'?
Mal Fuller @ Jan 16th 2008 10:06AM
Routan? Is that Rotten with a German accent?
garlinski @ Jan 16th 2008 10:15AM
Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Y?????
psarhjinian @ Jan 16th 2008 10:40AM
Because powertrain certification is expensive. It's cheaper to reskin and existing North American domestic vehicle then to, say, import the Sharan or Touran. This also means there's exactly zero chance of this car getting a VW powerplant at all, let alone a diesel.
Which sucks, but VW is a mass-market brand and does need a mass-market people mover, and the Touareg doesn't cut it. As cool as one of their European MPVs would be, they're probably percieved as too small (well, by a VWoA marketing exec) and would suffer the kind of sales that the Mazda5 and Rondo see. VW wants Oddyssey/Sienna sales numbers.
It's a smart move--it'll keep customers in VW who would otherwise be trading their Jetta/Passat/Golf for a Sienna when the kids start appearing--but I agree that it's kind of sad.
blogged to death @ Jan 16th 2008 11:20AM
I do not agree this will keep VW buyers in the fold, b/c it's not a VW but a rebadged Chrsyler minivan (that will cost the VW premium ~ $2-4k more). That means it will not accelerate as well, handle as well, have as high of quality especially in the interior as VW typically brings yet will cost more than a normal Chrysler minivan. Only thing I'd suspect would be better are the electronics and reliability (VW's have dropped a long way). From a historical perspective, how many times has Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler rebadged a car in another brand and succeeded? I can see the new owners speaking. I really wanted a Caravan but wanted to spend more just to have the VW emblem on it.
When this facade ends VW will lose some customers and gain nothing for this short term error.
tankd0g @ Jan 16th 2008 11:29AM
VW buyers will be familiar with it's reliability...
Mike @ Jan 16th 2008 11:54AM
@ psarhjinian: Chrysler uses VW deisels in all of its Canadian and european models. Chances of a deisel are good, and chances of it being VW's deisel are better.
@ blogged to death: Chevy/Geo Prism and Tracker, Pontiac Vibe, other subcompacts from the 80's, Eagle Premiere, and many more. It may have VW spec interior and materials, and a differentiating body... Chrysler has pretty darn advanced flex line capabilities.
psarhjinian @ Jan 16th 2008 12:53PM
Chrysler uses VW diesels in Canada? Really? The only products I can think of are (were) the CRD Liberty, the Ram and the Sprinter. The Ram is Cummins and the Sprinter is Mercedes; I think the Liberty's engine is an Italian make. Chryslers European diesels are all Mercedes.
That leaves no VW diesels in Canada. Unless VW can shoehorn the upcoming VW TDI, that's it. I highly doubt they'll spend the money to adapt the TDI to a car that's never supported it, or any engine similar to it.
This car will have the Chrysler engine and transmission.
Mike @ Jan 16th 2008 3:15PM
psarhjinian: Caliber, Compass, Patriot, Avenger, Sebring
garlinski @ Jan 16th 2008 3:45PM
All valid points... But why does VW NEED a minivan????
Here's a situation for you; I was at my VW dealer having work done and decided to look at a Passat wagon. I want all wheel drive. Because VW deems it that Americans don't need choice, the only way to get 4motion is with the 3.6L V6. I want a 2.0T. Can't get it. VW thinks we Americans are idiots and can't handle choices. What happens when they have their hands on a extremely flexible platform of the Caravan/Town&Country? I want all wheel drive, oh, then VW will say ok, but it'll be in the most expensive version fo the van. Who wants to pay $46,000 (the price of the 4motion Passat Wagon I looked at optioned out the ass) for basically a remanufactured Chrysler minivan? Not Me. That's why I said "WHY".
Guenther @ Jan 16th 2008 8:11PM
Mike- they get to buy Chrysler diesels in Canada? I'm slightly jealous.
psarhjinian @ Jan 17th 2008 11:31AM
@Mike:
The models you mentioned are European market only. The powerplants they use aren't approved for use in North America yet, and none of these VW-powered Chyslers are the minivans in question. I don't think that any of the models you note even share a gas engine with the minivans in North America.
Chrysler has two North American diesels, what with the Liberty going away: the Sprinter and the Ram. Those aren't VW engines.
Benfolio @ Jan 16th 2008 10:29AM
With declining minivan sales and rising CUV sales, why is this even being CONSIDERED??
Many car companies are axing thier slow selling minivans and selling replacement CUV's by the truckload.
Stupid VW. It's not gonna sell.
No one's going to want a rebadged Chrysler anyways, even if they stick thier own drivetrain in it.
Peter L. @ Jan 16th 2008 10:32AM
I dunno, if they put a decent TDI drivetrain in it, it could be interesting.
psarhjinian @ Jan 16th 2008 11:06AM
Well, it was either this, or a rebadged Durango. Take your pick.
VW buyers (you know, green-voting, latte sipping, turtleneck-and-fashion-eyewear, Mac using, condo owning yuppies*) are slightly more likely to be minivan people than your average suburban soccer mom who just can't be seen in anything other than an SUV because someone else on the street has one, but needs a seven-seat monster to carry the brood and their feed.
Of course, they're also more likely to just buy a Passat wagon, Mazda5 or Rondo, too, so VW really needs to be careful here. I don't disagree that they need an economical seven-seater, I just don't think that the Chrysler vans are quite right for their demographic. I understand why they're doing it, but I think it might have been smarter to have talked to Kia about the Rondo (or eat the cost and bring over their own MPV). Chrysler probably offered them the lowest dollar figure, though.
* (note: I personally meet all of those save for one)
Dr. Woo @ Jan 16th 2008 10:37AM
Such a horrible, horrible, horrible idea.
gotsmart @ Jan 16th 2008 10:45AM
Is this like a Touran for dyslexics?
potatoeMAN @ Jan 16th 2008 3:13PM
yea, I was gonna say just switch the R and the T in Touran and you have Routan
LMBVette @ Jan 16th 2008 10:49AM
The should have called it the VW maxi-bus! They should put round headlights on it too...for that retro look.
Rick @ Jan 16th 2008 7:05PM
Scary, I meet most of your requirements (except turtleneck and condo), who traded in my VW Jetta for a Mazda5. I too don't see the need for anymore vans. I wish the new MPV would make it over here but Mazda says the 5 or the cx-7 will cover that spot. VW needs to work on it's reliabilty and pricing if they want to succeed in the states. And they don't need to rebrand a crappy Chrysler which would further their 'overpriced and unreliable' reputation.