Is Sporty Minivan Possible?
Maybe BMW isn't committing the ultimate sin by considering building a minivan. Of course, if the ultimate sin happens to the ultimate driving machine, will it be the end? Probably not, BMW has pulled it off in the past with the X5 and X3 and is about to really test the fast spinning propeller badge with the upcoming 1-Series. But rather than getting into the whole angry fray with the BMW faithful, I'd like to talk about the future of the much maligned minivan.
I confess that I like minivans. I like the cargo capacity, the dual sliding doors, cool folding and disappearing seats, lots of storage bins, etc. I seriously considered the new generation Toyota Sienna and the Nissan Quest before I bought my Murano. The big sticking point for me was the "not quite cool enough" styling of the Sienna and the "just a bit too big" feel of the Quest. I really like the new fold flat system in the redesigned Chrysler minivan. It's amazing to see all rows of seats fold flat into the floor.
Minivan sales are hurt by the "Soccer Mom" image. The stylish mom in LA would never be caught dead in a minivan. She gets stuck with a very "in" mammoth SUV/truck with the turning radius of a battle ship, terrible gas mileage and an uncomfortable ride. There is still a huge market for minivans, but it has been shrinking in the last 10 years with the rise of the SUV. The manufacturers have, so far, failed to make a "cool" minivan. The manufacturer that does finally hit the spot will be able to rename the minivan forever and create a new niche market.
The morons at GM had a chance this year when it introduced its "all new" crossover sport van. If you buy the Buick version, it gets the word "premium" slapped in front of that new name and no one is buying into GM's marketing hype. It's a basic box minivan. I've seen the Buick Terraza and the Saturn Relay. These new minivans are an embarrassing attempt at catching up to the competition. The plastic on the Relay was so sticky I had to go wash my hands after touching it.
Ford brought us a refrigerator with its new Freestar minivan. It's been barely noticed in the LA market, except, of course for rental duty. I doubt the Mercury Monterey (the rebadged cousin) will be a big seller either. In the first two months of 2004, Ford could only push 14,527 Freestars and 2,180 Montereys. I'd love to know how many Freestars went to rental fleets.
By contrast, for the same period, Chrysler sold 38,016 Caravans and 17,334 Town & Countrys. Of course, the 2005 minivans will be out very soon to do battle with Toyota and Nissan. Chrysler's new "Stow 'n Go" seats are really cool and should give Chrysler an edge. I also like the overhead rail system that can be used for removable overhead storage, rear HVAC controls and your personal DVD system. GM has a similar system, but it's like a "me too" item.
Toyota hit a home run with the new Sienna last year. The all new Sienna is a great design. I love the second row captain seats that can sit far apart to give the occupants personal space or be squished together and pushed forward so it's easy to reach back to smack junior who is strapped into the kiddie seat. I really like the dual power sliding doors that also close from inside with the push of a button. Those big sliding doors are even better when you know that those huge windows actually roll down so you're not trapped in the back seat without a window. You can even get 3-zone climate control so all three rows of passengers can fine tune their own zone. There are huge cup holders everywhere. Toyota sold 26,421 Sienna minivans so far and I'm sure its sights are on Chrysler for volume and Honda for quality.
The Nissan Quest is a great new entry to the market. It's much more stylish than any other minivan. The second row seats are very comfortable and dive forward to almost make the floor flat. The interior colors are more tasteful and the materials feel good. Nissan advertising is smart to show the women using the minivan as a surfer, an artist or a musician -- all mothers who have lives besides hauling kids. Nissan sold 8,052 Quest minivans so far this year. That's a good showing considering Nissan was not in the market for a year and it's not selling to fleets.
When Honda introduced its all new Odyssey minivan 5 years ago, it was an instant hit. The Japanese engineers spent countless hours stalking housewives in minivans in parking lots all over the US videotaping how people used them. The result was a runaway success. Although Honda will replace the Odyssey shortly, it still gets close to sticker price for every Odyssey it sells. I'm not a big fan of the Odyssey because I think it's soul-less like just about every Honda. Honda pioneered the third-row fold flat seat that everyone has copied. With Honda's past record, I bet the new Odyssey will give Toyota a run for its money. Honda sold 21,227 units so far and that is with 5-year old product!
When I was considering the Quest and the Sienna, I kept thinking that I would love a minivan like this but it's just too feminine. These days, masculine-appearing cars and trucks are what sell. The one exception may be the Lexus RX330, but that is an SUV, not a minivan. Nissan started to hit on the problem with the Quest, but it just didn't get there. The whole "minivan" image has to be radically changed, and maybe BMW can do that. I'd love to see what a rear drive minivan would look like! Chrysler lost its chance with the 2005 redesign that focused only on the interior. It's good, but not enough.
I would love a low, sleek, high roofline, sliding rear doors, sports van for guys going to Las Vegas for the weekend, up to Big Bear to ski or the beach. Add to that all the trick storage features, DVD theater system, wide spaces, luxury, comfort and a truly new design that forever breaks the minivan stigma. Ironically, GM's first minivans in the 1980s, dubbed "dust busters" for their striking resemblance to the vacuum of the same name, were sort of cool and sleek. The problem was, of course, that it was engineered and manufactured by GM during its worst period for quality. All GM was doing was playing catch up to Chrysler. The result was a bad minivan. The style, however, as odd as it was then, may foreshadow a future sports van.
Maybe Chris Bangle can do it? I'm willing to give him a chance to do what no manufacturer has been able or willing to do. We are in the age of platform sharing and low volume niche cars. I think that the manufacture that steps up to the plate and makes something completely different but with all the great minivan features will have another home run like Chrysler had in 1984 when it introduced the world's first minivan.
