Chrysler Town & Country Minivan
Chrysler was practically done in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The enormous losses, poor sales, and lack of new models pushed the brand to the point of no return. When famous ex-Ford executive Lee Iacocca came to Chrysler in the late ’70s, everyone thought there wasn’t anything he could do to save the fallen giant. However, Iacocca proved them wrong and returned Chrysler to the top position in the industry in a few short years. The primary weapon was a new line of minivan models under Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth names. Today, minivans are a common sight on the streets of America, but in the early ’80s, the concept of the minivan was nonexistent (via AutoEvolution).
Iacocca strongly insisted that Chrysler invested in the production of front-wheel drive people carriers with as much space and comfort inside but with compact dimensions overall. The first such model was Chrysler Town & Country, the right car for the times and the world’s first mass-produced minivan. The model established the minivan class and became the first Chrysler sales hit in decades. It was a perfect car for suburban America, replacing big, thirsty station wagons and preceding the SUV craze of today. The Town & Country proved very influential and revolutionary and stayed in production until today.