Chrysler, Bankrupcy, and the Minivan

Chrysler in the late 1970s was in a seriously bad way, effectively needing a root and branch reform by the newly brought in Lee Iacocca as CEO to try and stave off the millions in ongoing losses they were suffering. Large scale firings, cancellations of models, selling off foreign and defence divisions, and even having to turn to the government for $1.5 billion in loan guarantees were needed to survive. The one bright spot was a 'Mini-Maxi' project brought over from Ford along with another transplant Hal Sperlich to build a competitor for the Japanese vans then being sold but which Henry Ford II had turned his nose up at, this became Chrysler's line of minivans. Introduced in 1984 they were wildly successful and Chrysler absolutely dominated the market segment to an insane degree.

Would Chrysler have been able to survive without the success of the minivan? Renault released the Espace in Europe in the same year, AMC apparently wanted to license produce it but talks fell through, and IIRC there were potential Japanese competitors so it wasn't a wholly unique idea. How do people think Chrysler would have faired if they'd either not developed their minivan, or had to of shared the market right off the bat or after the first year? Would the Big Three have become the Big Two?
 
Chrysler would have at least survived, but not thrived to the point where I would buy AMC and develop the Viper.
But the mini-van concept? That might have died down or been delayed a few model years...and perhaps would have delayed the development of the SUV segment as a whole.
 
IIRC, the success of the K-Car allowed Chrysler to repay the loans given to them by the government in 1983, before the introduction of the minivans.
 
Chrysler would have at least survived, but not thrived to the point where I would buy AMC and develop the Viper.
But the mini-van concept? That might have died down or been delayed a few model years...and perhaps would have delayed the development of the SUV segment as a whole.

Yeah, pretty much this. The minivan was a revolution in transportation for families. Before it were the station wagons of the 1960s and 1970s and a few niche products like the VW Bus. Conventional vans before that drove like the trucks that they were and were often too large for normal garages. The minivan was, frankly, something so obvious, that someone would have come up with it eventually, but Chrysler did and it saved the company.
 
IIRC, the success of the K-Car allowed Chrysler to repay the loans given to them by the government in 1983, before the introduction of the minivans.
Ah, well this is good news as it means I won't feel guilty when I have AMC introduce the Espace under license or their own model and take half the minivan market then. :)


Chrysler would have at least survived, but not thrived to the point where I would buy AMC and develop the Viper.
This is for a more successful, Chicago based, AMC timeline I'm considering. Thanks to the K-car platform it means that they likely won't be buying Chrysler but Chrysler certainly won't be buying AMC.
 
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But the mini-van concept? That might have died down or been delayed a few model years...and perhaps would have delayed the development of the SUV segment as a whole.
The 1973 Ford Carousel would have taken the market.

http://vehiclevoice.com/tag/ford-carrousel/

18x44b9q2j4jxjpg.jpg
Carrousel%20Drama.jpg


Carrousel%20Door%20Open.jpg
prototype-ford-carousel-1972-11009546hieul_2084.jpg


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Carousel
 
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