<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Minivan]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Minivan]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/minivan http://jalopnik.com/tag/minivan <![CDATA[Six-wheeled minivan-pickup needs a new shelter]]> The General Motors composite-body minivans of the early 1990s earned their "dustbuster" nicknames for the resemblance to other home appliances that suck. One example was transformed into a six-wheel pickup that's apparently for sale. Silhouette-amino? Words, unlike plastic, fail. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5816173&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA["You never expect to be hit by an airplane"]]> A family in a Toyota Sienna minivan were driving down a New Orleans street this weekend when a single-engined plane suddenly appeared in front of them. Unable to dodge the low-flying Piper's wings the two collided. Quick, someone call the Farmer's insurance university professor guy. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5793064&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[In this van, calling shotgun means you get dad's recliner]]> You've heard of vans with captain's chairs? This guy's pampered passengers get a La-Z-Boy knockoff. Who cares that it's not even bolted in? Ottawa cops did, and they cited him for operating an unsafe vehicle on a highway. Unsafe, yet so very comfortable. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5792001&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Husband drives family van 40 miles with wife on hood]]> A woman from Manteca, California's claiming her husband drove 40 miles at high speeds while she desperately clung to the hood of their minivan. When he slowed down she jumped from the vehicle. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5774432&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Yes, A Minivan Needs A Jet Engine]]> You have an extra jet engine. You have a minivan. Ding! You now have an idea. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5677368&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Minivan Video Your Kids Shouldn't See. Ever.]]> Take one minivan mom, one slightly evil kid, add in a police officer and shake well. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5677256&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Mini Minivan?!]]> Auto Motor und Sport's joining others claiming BMW will bring a five-seater Mini Minivan to market in 2013. OK Mini, that's enough. Please step back from the sketch pad, put down the brand bastardization crack pipe and slowly walk away. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5656941&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Motorcycle Tries To Slice Van In Half]]> A 22-year-old from Silver Springs, Florida was riding his motorcycle so fast he planted it between the captain's chairs of a minivan. He's in critical condition, the couple sitting in the chairs are just freaked out. (H/T Parabellum2000) [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala.com] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5646910&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[What's Your Problem With Minivans, Anyway?]]> I've always been a bit puzzled by the utter loathing so many car freaks harbor for the very idea of the minivan. Sure, they lack even a vestige of cool (unless they run 12s), but they do their job well. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5567765&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Josh Saviano: The '90 Olds Dustbuster Is Cool. No, Really!]]> Did any kid back in the reign of Bush I actually believe the Oldsmobile Silhouette was cool? For that matter, would any parent buy a minivan the kid liked? Minivans are all about punishing kids! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5538800&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Understatement of the Day]]> You never know what you'll find when you wander the Island That Rust Forgot! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5523852&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Driver Launches Toyota Minivan Off Houston Parking Garage, Dies]]> A 62-year-old man died when his Toyota Sienna smashed through a barrier and landed wheels up on the ground below a Houston, Texas parking garage this morning. No word yet on whether unintended acceleration or being old is to blame. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5518157&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Georgia Parents Trade Sex With Daughter For Used-Car Payments]]> You read that right: A central Georgia couple bought a minivan, couldn't make the payments, and kept the car by making their daughter perform sex acts on the dealer. The worst part? The girl was only 14. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5485817&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2011 Honda Odyssey Concept, Is That You?]]> Are you hiding in plain sight on the Chicago Auto Show's website? Did someone goof and drop you a bit early? UPDATE: Judging by the cloaked vehicle on Honda's stage, the answer is no. [ChicagoAutoShow] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5468503&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Convenient Hand Signals For The Minivan]]> We have no idea why off-road spotter hand signals are necessary for minivans, but now you know they exist. What? What? Come on, there's no way this could be some type of filthy innuendo. [via Reddit] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5437300&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[2011 Toyota Sienna: Like A Venza, But With Interior Space]]> The 2011 Toyota Sienna gets its chiseled looks and Gillette-like front end from the Toyota Venza, but makes room inside for eight people and now comes equipped with optional all-wheel drive for families that live in snowy climes. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5417264&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Really, Offisher, The 12-Year-Old Was Driving!]]> So you've knocked back numerous Goldschlägers (drink of choice for severed-finger-in-Wendy's-chili associates) at the local watering hole and it's time to pilot the ol' minivan back to the pad. Suddenly, red-and-blue lights in the rearview! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5322430&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Effluency Rises To Unprecedented Levels For Reno 24 Hours Of LeMons!]]> It seemed impossible to improve on the outstanding field of Index Of Effluency contenders that clanked onto the track at the Arse Freeze-A-Palooza LeMons last December. We were seriously mistaken! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5214810&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Nice Price Or Crack Pipe: 500-Horsepower 2007 Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG For $48,991?]]> A landslide 92% of voters thought that $15,000 was a truly Nice Price for the 1967 Fiat Dino, and we can't argue with that. Today we're going to look at the wondrous effects of depreciation. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5137611&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[PCH, Maximum Minivan Edition: Toyota 4x4 Or Turbo Caravan?]]> Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! Last time we had another PCH Superpower upset, with Germany beating Britain in the Glas Versus Lotus challenge. Britain will come back strong, of course, but for now Germany can enjoy the pool of oil gathering beneath the Project Car Hell trophy. Fast forward to today; since it's Maximum Minivan Day, we're going to have Maximum Project Minivan Hell.
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5083918&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mystery Nissan Minivan-ish Wagon Down On The Austin Street]]> This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out interesting street-parked cars located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. Since it's Maximum Minivan Day, we need a Maximum Minivan Down On The Street Bonus Edition. This mysterious Nissan vannish wagon (or wagonish van) was spotted in Austin by Schnog; his theory is that we're looking at a Mexican-market Tsuru wagon. Make the jump for the rest of the story. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5083856&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Maximum Minivan Day: All Hail The 25th Anniversary Of The Minivan!]]> It's not often an automaker has the opportunity to create an entirely new segment. Chrysler did it 25 years ago when they launched the Dodge Caravan. The engineers at Chrysler created a FWD-platformed vehicle offering wagon-like space, van-like utility and car-like fuel economy in a package fitting in the standard garage. Though the original designs go back as far as the 1970s, the leadership of design chief Hal Sperlich and the courage of CEO Lee Iacocca provided the energy to bring the final product to market. Though there are earlier models with similar characteristics, the minivan is, like Jazz, a uniquely American creation eventually co-opted by Europeans (and the Japanese, but our analogy fails us here). In order to celebrate 25th anniversary of the minivan, today shall be known as Maximum Minivan Day. Sound the alarm, take the kids out of school and hold on to your swiveling captain's chairs! Let the maximuming begin... [For more history of the minivan check out the Allpar history] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5084157&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[1990 Dodge Caravan LE]]> Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. Since it's Maximum Minivan Day, I knew I had to prowl the streets of Alameda and find a first-generation Chrysler minivan for this series. Easy, right? It turned out to be the hardest DOTS search I've ever done, because I've tuned out minivans from my personal Cool Vehicle Detectors the way treasure hunters adjust their metal detectors to tune out bottlecaps; I just don't see them. Not that I'm anti-minivan, mind you- if every SUV owner whose lifestyle would be better served by a minivan… well, no need to go there, eh? Anyway, I figured I needed to find a Mopar minivan with some character, and that means we're looking at an example of the very last year of the first-gen Dodge Caravan today.
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5082776&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chevy Orlando Concept Officially Revealed]]> We've already seen the Tron-tastic lights of the Chevy Orlando, but now GM has officially released details for the Paris Motor Show. These official photos are new too, though admittedly kind of boring since they don't play up just how cool all the glowing blue parts of the car look. The Orlando does seem to be just the kind of practical European-style MPV that American families in need of a fuel-efficient seven-seater would greatly appreciate. Of course, we haven't even seen it in the flesh and metal quite yet, so make sure to check back for more updates from Paris. Press release after the jump.
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]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5057661&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jackie Chan Shows Us The Joy Of Minivan Hoonage: Volkswagen Caddy]]> The sequence is pretty straightforward: A China-market VW Caddy Panel Van rolls off its carrier and- driverless- drives away going against the flow of traffc, sowing chaos and death in its wake. Jackie Chan leaps from another VW onto a truck, commandeers a motorcycle, and... well, you just need to watch the ad. Our only disappointment is the lack of the traditional Chan outtakes at the end. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=398783&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[1988 Mitsubishi L300]]> You still see a few of the mid-engined 80s Toyota vans around, but when was the last time you saw a Mitsubishi van of that era? Very few of these things were sold in North America back in the day; in fact, I can't even figure out what Mitsubishi called this vehicle here; was it marketed as the plain ol' Mitsubishi Van? Van Wagon? In any case, the 1988 Mitsubishi van is one seriously rare machine, and so it has earned its place in DOTS Truck Monday. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=396729&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Honda Freed, A Fit Mini-Minivan]]> Sure, they're not only not cool, but we really can't stand them, but some of the most efficient vehicles on the market are five-door subcompacts and eight-passenger minivans. So what happens what you combine the two? Well, if you're Honda, you start with a Jazz, or as it's known in America, the Honda Fit, and then make it just a touch bigger to fit a third row of seats. Then, swap in some rear sliding doors, and you've got yourself a compact minivan that can seat up to eight people. But just how mini is it? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=394218&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Wheelchair Uses Lasers To Automatically Dock In Van]]> Researchers at Lehigh University are developing a way to make it easier for wheelchair-bound individuals to dock a wheelchair in the back of a minivan. The system utilizes lasers and radio frequency technology to automatically guide a wheelchair onto the forklift-style platform that is in the rear of the van. This is similar to how the spacecraft Jules Verne docked with the International Space Station or how my Roomba robotic vacuum will automatically dock with its charging cradle. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387610&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[1991 Oldsmobile Silhouette: Julie Nimoy's Space Vehicle]]> Remember the "Dustbuster" GM minivans? The Trans Sport? The Lumina APV? The Silhouette? Sure, it's only been a little over a decade since they stopped making the things, but just about every last one has disappeared. They can't all have been crushed by now, so where did they go? Into space, of course! Let's let the daughter of famous poet Leonard Nimoy 'splain how UFOs are really time machines! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=377101&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Opel Meriva Concept Revealed, Hooray For Suicide...Doors]]> Some of us hold suicide doors closer to heart than others, and Opel seems to be becoming a brand seeking to embrace us in all sorts of suicidally sound door configurations. The Opel Meriva Concept is a heavy hint at the next generation of the mini-minivan offering from Opel and among many features, it's replete with some mighty well-crafted suicide portals. Oh sure, that's not what they are going to call them. We're sure they'll use some kind of excuse like "a negative connotation" or "could cause protests from family groups," but whatever, that's just what everybody is going to call them. It's the way of the world. You don't see a GM car with a truck-bed and think immediately "it's a truck-car." No, you think "Hey, it's an El Camino." We don't care if does happen to be a GMC, the instinctual thought is "El Camino." Where were we? Oh right, the Meriva. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=364082&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Realistic Car Toys Teach Kids About Harsh Urban Reality]]> Kids get these shiny, indestructible car toys and they start thinking the whole grown-up vehicle thing is a walk in the freakin' park! That's when you give 'em some toys that more accurately reflect the catastrophes that are likely to befall the city-driven vehicle. The Urban Collectible series includes the Insurance Scam Minivan, the Petrol Bombed Jeep, and the Joyridden Hatchback, each of which shows a grim "after" automotive picture that's sure to enlighten the younguns. [Chinnychinchin.net] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=362207&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Toyota Alphard Scans Show Minivan Pre-Dekotora'd For The Masses]]> Possibly reaching out to the dekotora crowd, Toyota seems to be taking the next generation of its most awkwardly named MPV in a distinct direction with a gigantic and protruding front fascia. The Toyota Alphard, which is named for a star but sounds like the first mentally challenged person or a movie about Alf in prison, is what our vans would look like if we hadn't abandoned the Previa. In Japan, the current gen includes a hybrid version and the Royal Lounge Alphard, which has only four seats. If you look closely at the scans from this random Japanese magazine, you'll see airline-like captain's chairs with a possible full recline feature. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=361054&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Tina Turner Wants To Put You In a Plymouth Voyager!]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=340997&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[1936 Stout Scarab: The First Minivan?]]> Dull as minivans may seem (well, unless they run 12-second quarter miles, of course), they're pretty useful transportation appliances that do the job asked of them. Lots of folks give VW credit for making the first one, but the Gray Lady would like to point out that the Stout Scarab, a Ford V8-powered machine equipped with comfy furniture and aluminum bodywork, came first. Its builder, William Stout, also designed the aircraft that evolved into the Ford Trimotor... which is cool and all, but can't measure up to the achievement of Bill Lear, who is responsible for both the 8-track tape and the Learjet. <[New York Times] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=341241&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ford S-Max Spotted on the Mean Steets of Detroit]]> After being berated for the crappy quality of my pictures here, and here, and many other times, I've decided to upgrade to a Lumix FZ18 from the three year old Exilim that had horrible fading, limited dynamic range, and no optical zoom. The ironic part is that though this new piece of kit takes gorgeous pictures, the first you'll be seeing from it are full 18x zoom at speed looking through a mirror. So, in a word, crap. Nonetheless, look what we found running up and down Detroit's Woodward corridor this weekend, a Ford S-Max, fully kitted with chassis data collection equipment. We caught it sprinting through the the bougie neighborhood of Palmer Woods on it's way to making one of the many loops north to south we witnessed this weekend. We haven't heard anything yet about a true minivan replacement for the ill fated WindFreestar, but given the direction of GM's Saturn strategy lately, one wonders if the Blue Oval is thinking of taking a cue from the General and importing Euro product. Far be it for the progenitor of automotive standardization to do so again 90 years after it was considered de rigeur, that would just be madness. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=328893&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Clarkson on the Dodge Grand Caravan]]> Some of you may remember Dan Neil's rather glowing review of the new Chrysler Town & Country Limited. You know, the one where he proclaims that a smart, sensible baby haulin' minivan makes him a total DILF. Well, Jeremy Clarkson is having none of it. Clarkson hauls his wife and three daughters to the great city of Ottawa where he rents a Dodge Grand Caravan. We should pause right here and explain that Jezza may very well have borrowed a 2004 Grand Caravan. We doubt he knows the difference. Truth is, we don't really care about Jeremy's take on a minivan. No, we're posting this because of his take on Canada:
But by the same token no one in Canada ever wins on the horses, or escapes from a knife fight with their life, or has an orgasm. It is Switzerland with wheat.
Damn skippy. [Times Online] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=326913&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Chevy To Get New Michigan-Made Minivan Based On Opel Zafira]]> Wait, we thought Saturn was the new Opel. Apparently, according to Automotive News sources, Chevy's going to be getting a seven-seater minivan in 2009 based on the Opel Zafira. Apparently this new vehicle, alluded to in the UAW contract leakage of a couple months ago, will be built at GM's Hamtramck plant. This new automotive venture will replace the death of Chevy's last minivan, the Venture. But there's more: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=321420&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Holy Cow! Flying Cow Crushes Minivan]]> It's been a while since we've taken a physics course, so we can't be sure what the total force of 600 pounds of live beef falling 200 feet is, but we're fairly certain that we don't want it falling on us. A Spokane, Washington couple had this exact experience while driving their minivan near the popular Lake Chelan tourist area yesterday. Apparently, the cow had wandered away from home (possibly distraught) a few days earlier and made it five miles before the jump. The vehicle's passengers weren't injured, but the cow had to be euthanized. Dinner that night in the Chelan County Sheriff's Department mess was somber but delicious. [Reuters] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=319834&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Nissan Forum Concept to Debut in Detroit]]> We sauntered over to the Las Vegas Hilton pavilion last night for a no-photos event. It was Nissan, showing off its latest design concept, the Forum, which uses trippy, organic shapes to unhook some minivan clichés from our forebrain. It's the Forum concept, a vannish prototype that's ostensibly a forebear of the next Quest. Despite the curvilinearity of the front, the Forum sports a chopped, right angle at the rear, which gives it a familial connection with the Japan-only Cube, which we hear will also find its way to the US in some form. The Forum also has a cryptic button on the steering wheel that reads "Mommy Pause." Perhaps the driving equivalent of a bath in Calgon bubbles? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=317293&view=rss&microfeed=true