2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
While Ford and GM abandon the minivan segments, Chrysler will do no such thing in the segment it created and still dominates. Arriving in fall, the fifth generation van carries an all new design and 35 new and improved features. A key feature is the Swivel 'n Go seating system which features second row seats capable of swiveling 180-degrees to face the third row and a removable table that is installed between the two rows. The feature also offers an available industry-first second row integrated child booster. Powertrain offerings include a new 4.0-liter 240-hp V6, 3.8-liter 198-hp V6 and 3.3-liter flex-fuel 170-hp V6

Chrysler Group is dropping the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and introducing a new Chrysler compact car as part of a wider effort to make the brands more distinct.

The company revealed its future product plans Tuesday at an all-day event at Chrysler’s headquarters.

Chrysler and Dodge have long suffered from an internal rivalry, with minivans and sedans competing for the same customers.

Chrysler brand chief Al Gardner says the company wants to change that by making Chrysler its mainstream brand and Dodge its sporty, performance brand.

Chrysler will keep the Town and Country minivan, and will add a plug-in hybrid version in 2016. Chrysler will also get a new full-size crossover.

Dodge is dropping the Avenger sedan, which competes too closely with the Chrysler 200.

We’ve known for a while that the Chrysler Voyager would replace the Dodge Grand Caravan, but until now, it was unclear when that would happen. Yesterday, the Italian-American automaker announced that it is ending production of its iconic people mover by the end of May and cutting 1500 jobs at the factory where it is produced in Windsor, Ontario. The Chrysler Pacifica will continue in production there.

About a month after the Dodge minivan ends production, June 29, 1500 employees will be out of their jobs at the Ontario factory where it has been built. This year marks the 35thyear of production for the Caravan, which got its start in 1985. The Grand Caravan is FCA's best-selling minivan, selling more than 122,000 models in the U.S. in 2019; sales peaked in 1996 at just over 300,000.

"Now we will ensure that our members receive the support that they need in this process as we continue to fight like hell for new product for Windsor Assembly to get everyone back to work that will be affected by the shift elimination," read a post on the Facebook page of Local 444 Unifor, the labor union that represents the workers in the Windsor plant.

This adjustment cements Chrysler's status as as the FCA people-mover brand, while Dodge focuses on being the muscle-car brand with its recognizable names such as the Challenger and Charger.

Minivan sales have been steadily falling as SUVs continue their surge in popularity. From 2018 to 2019, sales dropped 15 percent, making up only 2.4 percent of new-vehicle sales last year. In 2000, the minivan's market share was 7.2 percent.