http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/ Autoblog Comments for http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 8:32PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 8:35PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/]]>May 8th 2008 8:56PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 8:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 11:53PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/My friend had a 75 Dodge van with a 3 speed colum shifter. It later broke off, and he had to replace it with a floor shifter.]]>May 9th 2008 12:08AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/
Ford and GM are not the only full size van Producer

VW Bus T5
Mercedes Vito
]]>May 9th 2008 12:31AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 8:51PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 9th 2008 10:24AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 8:54PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/The interior however, is really quite nice.

I'd take this over an Econoline or a full size GM van (just because of the dash in that case) any day.]]>May 8th 2008 9:02PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/
To sell in the US though, at least in any significant numbers, it would need a real engine.]]>May 8th 2008 9:04PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 9:15PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 9:31PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/
i bet if one company took the risk and brought a decent sized, RWD, roomy minvan like the Nissan El Grande and the Toyota Alphard, it would sell pretty good in the US. ]]>May 8th 2008 9:52PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/
The reason people went to front-drive fans is pretty easy:
* Packaging: No drivetrain components intrude into the floor. This allows foldaway seats and a very low load floor and step height.
* Fuel economy: Less drivetrain loss and overall mass. Plus, because of the aforementioned packaging advantage, a front-driver can be physically smaller, but contain more useful space.
* Handing: Odd, isn't it? A rear-drive van tends to have a pretty high centre of gravity and, when things go bad with rear-drive, they go bad very quickly and don't recover well. Front-drive just gently understeers at the nose, and the natural reaction of an untrained driver (slow down) is exactly the right behaviour to bring the car back in-line.

Yes, stability control and a modern rear-drive platform can help this, but neither of those things were an option on any rear driver from that period. Heck, in vans today, I can't think of anything rear-drive with that kind of feature set outside of the R-Class.

Front-drive works very well in situations where packaging efficiency is paramount. Much as a Previa with a five speed was cool, the Sienna is a much better choice for the average family, and a lot of that has to do with the advantages of front-drive.]]>May 9th 2008 10:23AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 10:37PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 10:39PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 11:12PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/hyundai-launches-i800-full-size-van-in-europe/May 8th 2008 11:28PM