Chrysler Group Surpasses 11,000,000 Minivan Mark - Lot's of "Least Most Liklies"

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 1 -- Twenty-one years ago, Chrysler Group invented the modern minivan, known then as "the Magic Wagon." Eleven million sales later, the minivan has forever changed family transportation and the automotive landscape of America's highways and driveways. It replaced the old-fashioned station wagon, revolutionized the cup holder industry and put America's family rooms on wheels.

Today, with Stow 'n Go(TM) seating and storage system, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan have revolutionized the market again. Offering easy, fold-in-the-floor second- and third-row seating and an available 12 cu. ft. of storage space when all the seats are in the upright position, Stow 'n Go has "floored" the competition.

In March 2005, Chrysler Group surpassed the 11 million minivans sold mark. Chrysler Group sells the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan and Chrysler Voyager minivans in over 70 countries worldwide.

"Chrysler Group is proud to be the inventor of the modern minivan, and prouder still to be the segment leader for 21 years," said Darryl Jackson, Vice President - Dodge Marketing. "We are thrilled that 11 million Chrysler and Dodge minivan customers choose our vehicles by more than a 2-to-1 margin versus our nearest competitor."

Time and again speculation surfaces that minivans as a vehicle segment would drive into the sunset. Fact is, minivan sales remain vibrant in a tough automotive marketplace, averaging roughly 1.2 million annual sales for the past 10 years. Currently, industry-wide minivan sales account for about 1 of every 15 new vehicles sold in the United States. Chrysler Group minivans accounted for 34 percent of the U.S. minivan market segment in 2004.

"The minivan fills a niche that no other vehicle can. For flexibility, utility, safety, comfort and convenience, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravans can't be beat," said Larry Lyons, Vice President Front- wheel Drive Product Team - Chrysler Group. "In order to stay the leader in a very competitive segment, it's critical we continue to refine and improve the original minivan formula. With innovative Stow 'n Go seating and storage offered on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Group has once again set a new standard in the minivan market segment."

In the last 21 years, Chrysler Group has introduced more than 50 minivan- first features, won more than 150 industry-wide minivan accolades and sold 11 million minivans in over 70 countries worldwide.

Chrysler Group minivans are built at DaimlerChrysler's Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, St. Louis South Assembly Plant in Fenton, Mo. and Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria.

                       11,000,000 Facts and Figures

  Did you know?
  *  Eleven million minivans lined up front to back around the equator would
     circle the earth almost 1 1/2 times.
  *  It would take 18,182 football fields to hold the 11,000,000 minivans
     that Chrysler Group has sold.
  *  If you gave minivans to every man, woman and child in
     "M"aine, "I"owa, "N"ebraska, "I"daho, "V"ermont, "A"laska and "N"evada,
     the total would equal about the number of minivans Chrysler Group has
     sold since 1984 (based on July 1, 2004 U.S. Census data estimates).
  *  Eleven million minivans could transport:
     *  7,700,000 basketball teams of 10 players per team
     *  7,000,000 baseball teams of 11 players per team
     *  6,416,667 hockey teams of 12 players per team
     *  5,923,077 soccer teams of 13 players per team
     *  3,850,000 football teams of 20 players per team
  *  The total towing capacity of 11 million minivans is 38.5 billion
     pounds, which is enough to haul:
     *  44,000 fully loaded Boeing 747 jumbo aircraft at maximum takeoff
        weight
     *  51.3 million motorcycles
  *  Eleven million minivans could transport every Chicago Cubs fan who
      attended a home game at Wrigley field for the past 24 years.
  *  If almost every person who has attended a Detroit Tigers baseball game
     at Comerica Park owned a Chrysler Group minivan, it would equal the
     amount of Dodge and Chrysler minivans sold.