Minivans offer the cargo capacity of a small van or truck with the comfort, luxury, and driving ease of a car. Since their introduction in 1983, minivans have become an icon (symbol) of suburbia. The vehicles are identified with the responsibilities of parenthood—especially with the chauffeuring duties of the "soccer mom" who transports kids to after-school activities. The creation of the minivan goes back to the late 1970s, when Chrysler engineer Harold Sperlich (1929–) proposed a vehicle that had large interior space, a sliding side door, a flat floor, and removable seats. The vehicle had to be easy to drive and comfortable, like the family car, but with the utility of a van. The idea was to persuade station-wagon customers to buy an entirely new kind of vehicle.

When the new "minivan" made its debut in 1983, it was an immediate hit. Chrysler had the new market all to itself...