15 Car Designs That Changed The Industry

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14. Chrysler’s Minivan – 1984

What design could change the industry more than a station wagon? The minivan! Chrysler introduced the minivan in 1984 and revolutionized the family car market in the United States. Within one short year, the minivan replaced the station wagon and became the car of choice; so much so that the manufacturer could not build enough minivans (Caravans and Voyagers) to meet the demand. It was the “people-hauler” of choice, and competitors quickly came up with their own versions of the minivan. Chevrolet came out with the Astro and Ford produced the Aerostar. These two used a traditional front-engine, RWD design, while the Chrysler utilized the transverse-mounted engine and FWD. This made the Chrysler better by offering better traction and it also had better driving characteristics, along with a better construction of a one-box design.