You can get rid of Chrysler, inventor of the mini-vans,

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau - 19 days

The company that invented sees a place for "MPVs" of the modern minivan in its line-up, but only one will be the classic "Soccer Mom"-Mobile, according to Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.

The manufacturer has currently two models, the Chrysler Town & country and Dodge Grand Caravan, which continues, but it has been in production until at least 2014, which sends mixed signals, whether they are both in the line up going forward, as sales tumble further, shoppers who are looking for hipper alternatives. Now, it appears that only one that another brand that remain always an alternative approach.

"People are out of vans," closed Marchionne at a meeting with journalists at the North American International Auto show. The challenge is to find an alternative that can keep its charm - something Chrysler thinks what can let it fall with a.

Although there were earlier attempts a large minivan, in particular by Volkswagen, was Chrysler, which profitably delivered the first real modern model 1984 a new segment, which soon rose to approximately 1.4 million annual sales of kick-off.

But just as quickly became the minivan of derision, the "soccer mom-mobile," for many families as a phase of life vehicle demonstrated, most owners would older quickly directly on alternatives as their children. And victims, the minivan would other potential buyers to see convenience and flexibility in hipper SUVs and crossovers.

Led both Chrysler Detroit rivals give up segment along with all, but Threeforeign brands, Toyota, Nissan and Honda.

Although sales in the segment slightly in 2012 to about 500,000, recovered is not the minivan market with the total double-digit increase in the U.S. keep up auto sales. Chrysler produced in turn about half of these vans, the Dodge models 141.000 and 111,000 of more expensive town & country.

At the moment that is close enough to the only remaining minivan plant in Windsor, Ontario to run full speed. But Marchionne its planning team questions, how much more - and were looking for ways to increase demand or switch to an alternative.

The manufacturer tried some buzz at the Detroit Auto Show 2012 with the 700 C-concept to generate, but got little traction from the prototype.

"We spend much time studying scenarios designs that might work in any scenario, so we are prepared depending on, how it goes, try", Ralph Gilles, Chrysler said Design Director, suggested recently in an interview.

It seems that in one of the two current vans converted more crossover vehicle lead the scenario generated the most positive feedback within the company as well as in consumer clinics.

"We go with two brands exist in the minibuses business." (But) we just you get one with a series of sliding doors, said Marchionne during his Media Roundtable.

The new models will share the same, advanced platform for maximum flexibility and economies of scale, and will continue to roll the Windsor assembly plant out of. Now, the goal is, offer a variety of options, including both short and long wheelbase versions, though the shorter model, Marchionne suggested, may not be available at the launch of the new products - probably come into the year 2015 model year.

"It was important," he said, "to this flexibility into the architecture have integrated" to maximize the potential market.

No one is saying what kind of volume aspirations Chrysler has, although at least it certainly would fill the Canadian plant, which could hit straight times maximum 300,000 or more cars per year. The manufacturers of other plants have a flexible manufacturing system has been shifted, but potentially could add and alternative people carrier should connect with buyers production approach.

And buyers around the world, a key reason why Chrysler developed both long and short wheelbase versions of the new models contains. The US manufacturer provides a growing range of products for its Italian Alliance partner Fiat and its various brands. Actually be to fight in the future of Chrysler models almost exclusively in Europe to the brand Lancia did. The smaller van or people mover would probably have more appeal in this market than the current, long wheelbase model.

Chrysler is the only manufacturer of an alternative to the minivan not slandered desperately; Ford, for example, has introduced some had modest success with the large Flex "People-Mover", and only a smaller model, the C-Max, on the American market. The van-like model a Ford in Europe, developed as part of the globalization strategy. This makes it easier, only a small number of the C-Max models in the United States to sell and even money on it.

Copyright 2013 the Detroit Bureau