The Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan has been Canada's best-selling minivan since its introduction in 1984. For a good part of that time it was the country's best-selling vehicle of any kind, before ultimately being surpassed by the Ford F-Series pickup.
But its days are numbered. As part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA's) new five-year plan, Dodge will become the corporation's sporty performance brand, dumping the minivan and regaining the Viper and SRT nameplates, while Chrysler is refocused as the mass-market competitor for mainstream consumers.
Accordingly, there will still be a Chrysler minivan. Whether or not it retains the Town & Country label of the current model remains to be seen.
Almost certainly, it will have to expand its lineup downmarket from its present premium position, at least in Canada, to retain the company's current Grand Caravan customer base.
In the U.S. sales of the two are almost equal but here in the Great White North – where the minivans will continue to be built – Grand Caravan buyers outnumber T&C buyers by five to one.
It's a big gamble, but Chrysler has a long history of gambling... and it's still here.