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#31082 of 32000 Re: "dealer enthusiasm is very, very strong" [ateixeira] by scwmcan

Jan 22, 2013 (7:14 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 22, 2013 11:47 am)
I know they say they expect it to compete with the x1, but really we know it doesn't and so do they, there is a reason it starts at under $25,000, it is really a competitor to the x1 which starts out much higher priced ( and quickly goes up from there). This isn't to say the encore may not be a good trucklet but it is sort of in a classic its own, not big or powerful enough to compete with the luxury crossovers and too luxurious ( maybe) to compete with the mainstream minutes, it may actually work for them, time will tell.

#31083 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [fintail] by scwmcan

Jan 22, 2013 (7:25 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 22, 2013 7:07 pm)
And don't forget that Mitsubishi was supposed to be their Aisian brand to get them into the mass market there, I think Dailmer just didn't know what to do to try and grow their business at that time.

#31084 of 32000 Re: "dealer enthusiasm is very, very strong" [scwmcan] by ateixeira

Jan 22, 2013 (8:06 pm)

Replying to: scwmcan (Jan 22, 2013 7:14 pm)
Yeah, X1 is $6500 more and options packages a bunch more. Most are high $30s cars.
 
I don't see them competing.
 
Could help Buick, to be the bargain upscale mini-ute.

#31085 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [xrunner2] by tlong

Jan 22, 2013 (10:25 pm)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Jan 22, 2013 8:02 am)
Chrysler invented the minivan concept just as Ford invented the pony car concept with their Mustang.
 
I never could understand the minivan claim. VW had the van first.
 
Smaller than a regular van - check
Sliding side door - check
Hactch in back - check
Three rows of seats, middle row narrower for rear seat access - check
 
The only thing Chrysler did with that concept is put a front water cooled engine in it which made the rear floor lower and flat.

#31086 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [tlong] by andre1969

Jan 23, 2013 (4:36 am)

Replying to: tlong (Jan 22, 2013 10:25 pm)
The main thing that Chrysler brought to the table was making it more comfortable and car-like. And unlike the VW, your legs didn't double as the crumple-zone!
 
The Voyager/Caravan were probably closer in concept to those raised Toyota, Nissan, and Honda Civic wagons, just built on a larger scale and with sliding side doors.
 
In a way, the Voyager/Caravan did to minivans what the 1964 GTO did for musclecars. Or the Corvair Monza did for the pony car market. None were truly the first their kind on the market. But they all opened up their respective markets, made them popular, and got everyone to jump on the bandwagon.

#31087 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [andre1969] by fintail

Jan 23, 2013 (8:06 am)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 23, 2013 4:36 am)
I think the "car like" part is what makes the Chrysler vans important. None before were as easy to drive or as normal to ride in.

#31088 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [fintail] by dieselone

Jan 23, 2013 (8:11 am)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 23, 2013 8:06 am)
I think the "car like" part is what makes the Chrysler vans important. None before were as easy to drive or as normal to ride in.
 
Definitely, plus they got better fuel economy than a full-size wagon. Though those early 4 cylinder vans had to be painfully underpowered with the a/c on and a full load.

#31089 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [dieselone] by andre1969

Jan 23, 2013 (8:30 am)

Replying to: dieselone (Jan 23, 2013 8:11 am)
Though those early 4 cylinder vans had to be painfully underpowered with the a/c on and a full load.
 
With the right (or wrong) person behind the wheel, they still had enough power to scare you. Back in the early 90's, a co-worker had one, with the 4-cyl and a stick shift. Dunno if it had a/c or not. Anyway, one day I rode with him down to DC to get a Powerball ticket, when the jackpot got up real high. I'd guess this was oh, early 1993?
 
Anyway, that fool scared the hell out of me! Now, I'm sure a lot of what passed for "power" in that minivan was all the jerking around it did when he shifted gears, but it felt a lot quicker than you'd think it would be.
 
Then again, I think those early models only weighed about 3100 lb. I remember one of the early selling points was that overall length was about the same as a K-car wagon, yet they could hold a lot more cargo, and have a third row seat.
 
I'd imagine loading one up to the max would be a recipe for disaster, though.

#31090 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [dieselone] by fintail

Jan 23, 2013 (9:03 am)

Replying to: dieselone (Jan 23, 2013 8:11 am)
IIRC they didn't get a V6 until 1987 - and I don't know how reliable that unit was either - but I know they eventually started eating transmissions. I recall there was also a turbo variant.

#31091 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [fintail] by andre1969

Jan 23, 2013 (9:07 am)

Replying to: fintail (Jan 23, 2013 9:03 am)
I think the V-6 was the Mitsubishi 3.0. From what I've heard, it wasn't a horrible engine, although it would often start burning oil and puffing blue smoke, usually before 90,000 miles.
 
Also, for a few years, to get a little extra power, the Mitsubishi 2.6 "Silent Shaft" "Hemi" was offered. It only had a few more hp than the 2.2, but it had more torque, and a broader torque curve.
 
I wonder how the old, early 4-cyl Aerostars and Astro/Safaris compared? They had similar power to the Mopar 2.2, but I'm sure were considerably heavier.

Messages Page 3110 of 3201

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