|
Chrysler Town & Country Limited becomes the ultimate minivan
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
|
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- An unconventional limousine stopped at the curb of a Manhattan hotel and a passenger climbed through the right-side sliding door and slipped laterally into one of two back-seat buckets on the second of three rows.
Settling in for a traffic-bound trek to the airport, this rider immediately noted a profusion of plush interior elements in the vehicle's expansive cabin.
Perforated leather, chamois soft and shaded in a subtle taupe tone with decorative suede inserts, draped every seat.
Armrests on either side of the high-back buckets folded down for additional comfort, and individual controls for overhead lighting as well as vents of the climate system were located within easy reach.
Seats rose to chair height, allowing erect posture unlike the slinky sofa of a conventional limo. Because of the elevated position, I had a commanding view along the avenue through multiple tall tinted windows.
The passing street scene seemed like a silent movie, though, because all of the grating noise of Manhattan's urban congestion -- a blaring taxi horn, the mufflerless delivery truck revving up, rap-rap-rap of a sidewalk jackhammer -- faded behind layers of sound-deadening insulation, door metal and window glass.
And New York's finest potholes failed to upset the smooth ride quality, as front suspension elements dampened each jolt and prevented it from jiggling seat occupants.
Climbing a ramp from East 57th Street to the Queensboro Bridge, the driver accelerated and I felt shoulders pushed into my seat from the force of this power play.
Several lane-changing maneuvers on the bridge then demonstrated that this was no point-'er-straight land yacht. Instead, it responded with a nimble hip-flicking hula which indicated that curves won't trick it.
Then, after a quick zip to speed on the Queens-Brooklyn Expressway, we reached LaGuardia's air terminal and the end of a nice ride.
In retrospect, what struck me as unusual about the cushy trip was that my run in limousine luxury defied the stereotypical image of a big conventional sedan and instead substituted that box-on-wheels icon of suburbia carpoolers, the minivan.
Give credit to Chrysler's stretched Town & Country minivan with a new ultimate leather-lined luxury edition called Limited.
What a superior luxury car this minivan makes: Refined with fancy comforts, obviously liberated with exacting handling mechanisms and clearly enthused with power.
It was Chrysler, of course, that coined the idea of a minivan -- three rows of seats for seven riders in a boxy package which resembles a van but emulates the driving manners of a conventional family sedan. A dramatic remake of Chrysler's minivan for the 1996 model year produced stunning improvements with new people-pleasing features including dual sliding side doors, and in 1997 a version appeared with optional all-wheel-drive traction capacity.
The same essential minivan concept shows up under Dodge and Plymouth labels by different names, but it is with Chrysler's Town & Country badge that the minivan peaks in all aspects of performance, paraphernalia and power.
This top-of-the-line Limited edition for the 1999 Town & Country series caps a string of three trims and in effect transforms the all-too-common minivan into a fancy people-hauler whose appointments and ride quality beat a limo.
It functions like a big car but measures small enough to park in a home garage. It also looks smallish, although the stretched-wheelbase Town & Country seats up to seven, with space left in the rear bay for luggage or sports gear.
Smoothly shaped exterior elements flow together in streamlined fashion so the package doesn't seem bulky.
The most striking exterior feature concerns the expanse of glass that rings the cabin. A front cowling dips to enhance driver's forward vision, and side glass sheets extend vertically to bring panoramic views for riders.
Inside, a low platform affords minimal step-up height which compares to a sedan so it's easy to climb aboard.
A sliding slab door on each side immediately behind front hinged doors allows easy entry for back-seat riders.
Second and third tiers of seats can be removed for additional storage space. Following the flick of a switch, seats roll on floor tracks for quick removal.
Best of all, Town & Country is easy to drive, thanks to responsive systems like power-assisted rack and pinion steering and a malleable suspension which produces the living-room smooth ride quality.
A wide front track sets up a turning circle that's significantly short. This subsequently enables Chrysler's minivan to navigate paths as tight and narrow as those in a shopping center's parking lot.
For power, the Limited edition draws from a 3.8-liter 180-hp high-output V6 that's optionally available with LX trim. As the largest V6 offered for Chrysler's minivan fleet, this plant feels gutsy in all gears of the 4-speed automatic shifter, and it links to a standard traction control system.
Standard engine for issues below Limited is a 3.3-liter V6, rated at 158 hp.
An all-wheel-drive device is also available for Town & Country Limited, with an inter-axle viscous coupling to automatically channel engine torque to front and rear axles.
Under normal driving conditions, the smart linkage distributes about 90 percent of the power to front wheels, so the minivan behaves similarly to a front-wheel-drive version. However, when on-board sensors detect wheel slippage at front wheels the coupling instantly transfers some of the power -- up to 100 percent, depending on amount of slippage detected -- to rear wheels to boost tire grip.
Added safety gear ranges from twin frontal air bags to steel door braces and anti-lock brakes.
Ultimately, Town & Country Limited scores as the minivan with utmost appointments, but it also ranks on top of the price charts, beginning around $36,000.
Standard equipment includes the leather-trimmed cabin with front heated seats and 8-way power movements, second-row bucket seats and rear bench, plus a leather-wrapped steering wheel, security system and power for everything.
1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVAN
|
| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED Specs |
| Description: |
Compact luxury minivan |
| Model Options: |
Compact luxury minivan |
| Wheelbase: |
113.3 inches
119.3 inches |
| Overall Length: |
186.4 inches
199.7 inches
|
| Engine Size: |
OHV 3.3-L V6
OHV 3.8-L V6
|
| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front, AWD |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
3.3: 18/24 mpg
3.8: 17/24 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 27,865 to $ 36,620 |
|
|
