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

The timing of the plant closure and Astro/Safari production end coincides with the most significant mid-van market offensive in the

Over the years GM has offered front-drive minivans, such as the odd and poor selling Space Wagons, consisting of the Chevy Lumina APV (shown), Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac TranSport that ran from 1990 to 1996. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

automaker's storied history. Over the years, GM has offered front-drive minivans, such as the odd and poor selling Space Wagons, consisting of the Chevy Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac TranSport that ran from 1990 to 1996, and the much more conventional 1997 through 2004 Chevy Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Montana, which have been so popular that the Detroit-based automaker has managed to climb into second place in the mid-van segment behind Chrysler Group at over 31 percent market share.

While the Silhouette will now go out of production, along with the entire Oldsmobile brand, for 2005 GM hopes to increase its mid-van presence by countering with new Buick and Saturn entries. The Buick Terraza and Saturn Relay, the first Saturn to feature a metal out skin being that all other Saturns are clothed with dent resistant polymer panels, join the new Chevy Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6.

While carrying over approximately 40 percent of the previous Venture/Silhouette/Montana chassis architecture, as well as their V6, 4-speed automatic drivetrains, the transformation from driving dynamics to interior quality is now black and

For 2005 GM hopes to increase its mid-van presence by countering Oldsmobile's demise with new Buick and Saturn entries. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

white. The new vans not only seem capable of hanging on to the significant market share attained by their predecessors, but quite possibly encroaching on Chrysler Group's once unattainable market share stronghold, now reduced to 35 percent.

With regards to the Astro and Safari, GM hasn't made a specific build-out date known, but will fulfill current orders and make them available for the entire 2005 model year. Traditionally plants experience model year changeovers during the summer months, in preparation for the following model year introductions in the fall. While this would be the ideal time for production of the Astro and Safari to end, it is possible that last minute interest in the unique vans could cause output to be extended beyond this period.