New Design Makes 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan Pop

-- New athletic stance with contemporary flair



AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 6  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan sports an all-new exterior and interior design that updates the classic minivan, giving it a contemporary athletic profile with a thoughtful, tailored interior.

A more contemporary style with sheer, clean lines and an athletic stance is evident for 2008, along with distinctive design cues that make the Dodge Grand Caravan unmistakably a Dodge.

"The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan offers upscale design cues without compromising the Dodge brand values of a bold, powerful, exciting and durable vehicle," said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President - Chrysler Group Design. "The Dodge Grand Caravan has a grown up style that reflects today's active lifestyles."

The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan's sportier exterior features the distinctive crosshair grille on its chiseled front end. Design cues are more contemporary in nature and include clean, sheer lines; streamlined, leaner pillars; aerodynamic mirrors; wheel forms that go all the way to the bottom of the bodyside; a new body-to-glass proportion similar to the Dodge Charger and a more settled appearance on the road.

To achieve more interior roominess, the Dodge Grand Caravan designers widened the roof by six inches, lowered the Daylight Opening (DLO) drip line, gave the beltline more rake and lowered and pulled out the sill to create a better relationship with the tires. The tire size also was increased an inch, and designers gave the wheels a five-spoke design for an athletic feel. The wider roof adds interior head and shoulder room, and the wider, lowered DLO helps achieve the new Charger-like glass-to-body proportion. These design cues result in a Dodge minivan that trades the familiar elliptical shape for one that is contemporary and sheer, with a protective look and athletic stance not previously seen in a Dodge Grand Caravan.

"The original minivan formula dictated that the minivan be a garageable van designed from the inside out," said Creed. "And the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan follows the formula while offering an updated contemporary style inside, as well as outside."

A modern look is created with a clean interior execution that adds more functionality. Sleeker pillars, clean interior lines and satin silver accents add to the feeling of spaciousness that was created by increasing the vehicle's head and shoulder room.

Available ambient lighting emits a soft, greenish-blue glow that radiates from the new Dodge Grand Caravan's overhead console, while movable, pinpoint LED reading lamps allow passengers to read, play games or work at night without interfering with the driver. Even the new minivan's full-length map pockets are illuminated with ambient light.

The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan also includes standard features such as a functional front console with removable, dishwasher-safe cup holders, dual glove boxes with the largest amount of glove-box storage in the segment, three distinct seating and storage systems and 13 cup or bottle holders for a place for everything.

The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan is available in eight exterior colors: Bright Silver Metallic, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat, Light Sandstone Metallic, Marathon Blue Pearl Coat, Modern Blue Pearl Coat, Stone White and Sunburst Orange Pearl Coat.

Available Interior colors are Medium Slate Gray and Dark Slate Gray with Light Shale. 

DATASOURCE: Chrysler LLC



CONTACT:  Kathy Graham, [phone], cell, [phone],

, or Beth Ann Bayus, [phone], cell, [phone],

, both of Chrysler LLC



Web site:  http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/ 

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