1993 should be another
record-breaking year
for sales of mini-vans

THE BEST-SELLING car
in 1993 may not be a car.

During the first half of this
year, sales of the Dodge Caravan
were just marginally behind
Canada’s traditional top-seller,
the Chevrolet Cavalier. But the
Caravan’s sales momentum is in-
creasing at a faster rate.

From January to June, 21,971
Caravans were sold compared to
23,153 Cavaliers.

However, combined sales of all
Chrysler’s minivans — the Dodge
Caravan, Plymouth Voyager and
Chrysler Town & Country — were
slightly ahead of the combined
sales of the Chevrolet Cavalier |
and Pontiac Sunbird twins. -

Last year, sales of Chrysler
minivans reached an all-time high
of 60,029, 12.3% ahead of 1991’s

record sales of 53,437. This year is
expected to be another record year
with 45,590 minivans already sold
as of July 31.

The increasing popularity of
Chrysler’s minivans comes despite
the fact the Magic-wagons were
introduced almost 10 years ago.

Though refined and updated in
1991, the basic vehicle size and
concept remained the same. In
1992, the Chrysler Cara-
van/Voyager Town & Country

"held an amazing 45.3% of the

Canadian minivan market.

And that’s not for lack of com-
petitors, most of whom are newer
enitries to the market:

’ Competitors include the front-
wheel-drive Mercury Villager,
Nissan Quest, Chevrolet Lumina
APV, Pontiac Trans Sport,
Volkswagen EuroVan; and the
rear-wheel-drive Mazda MPV,
Toyota Previa, Chevrolet Astro,
Pontiac Safari, and Ford
Aerostar.

New competition will come next
spring when Ford drops the
Aerostar and introduces an all-
new, front-wheel-drive minivan
called the Windstar.

The Windstar is larger than a
tegular wheelbase Magic-wagon
and is expected to compete with
Chrysler’s extended-length
minivans.

Chrysler offers both regular-
wheelbase and extended-wheelbase
versions of the Caravan and
Voyager. Standard-wheelbase
models are built in Windsor, On-
tario, while extended versions are
built in St. Louis, Missouri.

l asked Chrysler Canada’s man-
ager of public affairs, Walt Mc-
Call, why the Magic-wagons are
still so popular in the face of in-
creasing competition.

Bepartofthesolution!ifyouthinka & Greater | | |)... INDEPENDENT SPECIALISTS WORKING FOR YOU:

‘ of Chrysler’s minivans is a broad

EVER MGRICLE |
BIGGEST. EVEE
oA

‘*We invented the species, as it
were, and I think we got the for-
mula right the first time out,"’ he
said. ‘‘It was a small, front-
wheel-drive transverse-engine
vehicle, with maximum interior
space and minimum exterior
dimensions. In the beginning, the
project was simply known as the
garageable van. It had to fit ina
residentia! or apartment garage."’

Another reason for the success

iY “th
1990 CHEVROLET CAVALIER ¥
4 tt, sedan, AWFM cass, FALL PRICE
eat shape, Ste. #9-53230 $8,495

price range.

“We cover the whole spectrum
from the entry-level buyer who
doesn’t have much money to
spend, right on up to the juxury
end of it,’’ said McCall.

“Most other manufacturers are
only at the high end of the mar-
ket. We have a base (four-
cylinder) vehicle, an SE, an LE,
and a luxury version, as well as

1989 PONTIAG SUNBIRD

09

S.E., 2d. coupe,towkm. —- FALL, PRICE

1990 MERCURY TOPAZ
Gt model, 4 door, excellent! FALL PRE

economical, Stk. #X-31012 $3,885

LOCATED ONLY
5 MINUTES
FROM THE 2ND
NARROWS,
SAVING MONCY
COULDNT BE
MORE
CONVENIENT.

1993 PONTIAC GRAND AM A CALL CARTER

the upper-end ‘Town & Country.”” | asrnew, ony 20,000 im, loaded, St. €5:54030 H BEFORE YOU {1989 CHEVROLET BERETTA GT.

Chrysler’s wide range of
minivans has enabled them to ap-
peal to a broad assortment of
customers.

Said McCall: ‘‘It cuts right
across the entire market. We know
that it’s very popular with young
families. Women drivers really like
the vehicle; it was designed with

- women drivers in mind. It’s much

more car-like than truck-like.
And a lot of retirees have them;
ii’s an ideal vehicle for retirement

* travel.””

In addition, Chrysler minivans
are perceived as good value for
the money. Chrysler plans on
keeping prices low for 1994.

Despite the addition of a stand- ifeveryone took transit to work once a week, —

Powor windows, locks, tilt, cruise, etc,

Greater
fancouver
Regional

ard passenger airbag and side- thered be 20% fewer cars on the road during rush hour. aaa istrict

door beams in 1994 models, Cara-
vans and Voyagers will start at
$16,860, compared to a ’93 base
price of $16,035,
Magic-wagons have a reputa-
tion for reliability despite a highiy
publicized recall of some !ate-
1980s minivans for automatic
transmission f2,ilures.
The continued success of the
minivan has surprised even
Chrysler.
“‘Nobody knows how big the
market is, except that it's huge
and it’s still growing,’’ said Mc-
Call. ‘“This year, it’s likely the .
North American minivan market i H 1 rf ,
will cross the million-vehicle mark  § Since opening in 1989,

forthe first time,” | Custom Lease has enjoyed

e success of the magic- : .

wagons is also a boon tothe Ca. | Unprecedented growth through-
di . if . . ,

mGver 300,000 stand- |} out B.C. Quite simply, our no

ard-wheelbase Caravans and i 4
Voyagers were built in Chrysler’s q honsense, straight forward

Windsor, Ontario plant in 1992, . sav peor
most of them exported to the app’ roach es ple money.
United States.

A third-generation Chrysler
minivan will be introduced in
mid-1995 as a 1996 model. The
new minivan will use some of the
styling cues seen on the Epic show
vehicle displayed at last year’s
Detroit Auto Show.

“But we’re being careful not to
go to extrernes like some other
manufacturers have done,’’ Mc- ; : ee
Call stated. ‘‘It (the new minivan) § L an - -
will be dramatically different but 7 = You've probably seen our ads and driven by
it won’t lose any of the virtues 4 our showroom many times, Isn't it firme you
that have made it the success itis. ¥
We don’t want to scare ourowner =f stopped by to find out what sets us apart.
body.”” ; i

‘We feel that the new minivan
will take us into the next cen-
tury,’’ he added.

business is violating our air quality rules ancouver
phone 436-6777 and reportittotheGVRD. & istrict

193 a Ud.

leather interior,

'93 Buick Regal Custom 2 aT

air conditioning, p.locks, p. windows sia. ‘4

'93 Pontiac Grand Am.
4 door; SE model, air conditioning, .
pl Jock s, p mirrors, V6

ZERO BOW. QOH

'93 Pontiac Transport
power windows, locks,
air conditioning & lols more

AON. THURS. SAM-7PM