GM to End Production of Astro and Safari Rear-Drive Mid-Vans

End of the Line for Vans Means Baltimore Plant Closure is Eminent

On Tuesday, November 16, 2004, General Motors officially ended speculation and announced that it's Chevy Astro and GMC Safari

General Motors has officially ended speculation and announced that it's Chevy Astro (shown) and GMC Safari rear-drive mid-vans will be discontinued in 2005. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

rear-drive mid-vans will be discontinued in 2005. As a direct consequence, the automaker's Baltimore, Md. assembly plant, which exclusively builds the two vans, will also close next year.

The Astro and Safari were among the first group of minivans to become available, following Chrysler Group's now legendary original 1984 Magic Wagons to market in 1984 as 1985 models. While the Chrysler vans have gone through many significant upgrades, and still dominate the

GM's Astro and Safari (shown) have soldiered on mostly unchanged for the past 20 years. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

market, GM's Astro and Safari have soldiered on mostly unchanged for the past 20 years, showing resilience to market trends that few other vehicles could have hoped to survive through.

What allowed the Astro and Safari to last so long? While not as large as full-size vans, the twin mid-vans offered more interior space than any competitors, seating for up to eight occupants, and a body-on-frame, rear-drive layout that was ideal for hauling heavy loads or towing large trailers, jobs their front-drive rivals couldn't manage to the same level. This made the Chevy and GMC mid-vans extremely popular with trades people, delivery companies, and the like, and kept the Baltimore plant humming for years.