More power to the upcoming R/T version:
DaimlerChrysler AG has set the benchmark in minivans for more than a decade,
and the fourth-generation family hauler continues the tradition.
Although the exteriors of the 2001 Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Voyager and
Chrysler Town & Country are only slightly more muscled than the current
versions, the interiors are full of changes. The new minivans, on sale this
fall, feature many firsts: a power up-and-down rear lift gate; removable
center console with power outlets; three-zone temperature controls, and the
most advanced, power sliding-door obstacle-detection system. Adjustable
pedals will make driving more comfortable for short people.
People who have been in the new minivans say the most startling feature is
that their interior is dead (spin off from MB division) quiet: Third-row
passengers can talk to the driver. Engineers achieved the quiet cabin with
molded foam gaskets between the outside mirrors and the body, which prevent
wind noise, and molded gaskets inside and outside door handles, which block
wind from entering. Acoustic materials absorb noise in the headliner, on the
dash panel, under the carpet and over the rear wheelhouses.
The biggest distinction: The new Dodges and Chryslers will boast the most
powerful engines among minivans, including an optional 3.5-liter V6 that
gets 230 horsepower. The 3.3- and 3.8-liter V6 engines also are more
powerful than their predecessors.
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Steven St.Laurent
2000 Dodge Dakota 4.7 (V-8) SLT 4x2
2000 Ford Roush Mustang Stage 1
1999 Astro LS 4.3 HO V-6
1993 Chevy Tracker 1.6 (gutless)
mailto:stlaurents@mctssa.usmc.mil (work)
mailto:Saint1958@home.com (home)
Office: (760) 725-2296
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