An auto analyst out of Pennsylvania has some insight with a huge impact in Windsor.
Auto Forecast Solutions is predicting the Dodge Grand Caravan will be replaced by 2020 with a crossover vehicle.
“When the product comes to its end at the end of the 19 calendar year, FCA will replace it with a large crossover,” says Sam Fiorani, VP of global manufacturing for Auto Forecast Solutions.
Fiorani is based out of Pennsylvania and says these details come from "good intelligence" they have from within FCA. Details that include a new name.
“We've been calling it the Dodge Atlantis,” says Fiorani.
FCA officials won't comment, calling this a rumour. Spokesperson Lou Ann Gosselin tells CTV News “we are continuing to build the Dodge Grand Caravan. There is no end of production announced.”
Unifor Local 444 president James Stewart too calls it a rumour, saying it’s the first he's heard of the name and the idea of a crossover.
Stewart also tells CTV News the company hasn't said anything about phasing out the Grand Caravan.
At the last auto show in Detroit, FCA boss Sergio Marchionne was asked about two minivans possibly being built in the same factory under different nameplates.
“I keep telling them to focus on Pacificas, that’s the real issue, the problem is there’s price difference between the two vehicles which is relatively large,” said Marchionne in January.
Fiorani believes FCA will offer a lower-end Pacifica more similar in price to the caravan.
“The minivan market has been shrinking but the crossover has been growing by leaps and bounds,” says Fiorani.
A fact supported by Desrosiers Automotive Consultants. Analyst Dennis Desrosiers says in 2000, more than 244,000 vans were sold in Canada. Last year, only 90,000 minivans were sold.
By comparison, more than 194,000 crossover vehicles were sold in 2000, but by 2016 the number jumps to more than 779,000.
“We don't expect them to talk about it this year, but possibly late 18, probably early in 19,” says Fiorani.
