Now that there is virtually no doubt what consumers want in their minivans, every car company in the world is rushing to deliver the goods, and General Motors is no exception.
That's why the Oshawa-based firm will revise its Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Montana and Oldsmobile Silhouette lines for 2001 with "innovative features that extend its industry leadership in entertainment systems, interior versatility, and safety and security features."
All three models will also get a minor facelift for 2001, and a year later, for the 2002 model year, they'll also get the Versatrak all-wheel-drive system as an option.
According to Fred Schaafsma, GM's vehicle line executive for minivans, "We do this by focusing on understanding and anticipating the diverse needs of our customers." He says that, "Chevy Venture provides a superior level of versatility enabling families to do more; the Pontiac Montana provides a rugged sporty look and performance that is perfect for families that may be hesitant to buy a minivan, and the Oldsmobile Silhouette provides an upscale minivan for families and empty-nesters."
In specific terms, the 2001 models will have a stowable third-row seat option which folds flat. "This makes it even easier to adapt to changing passenger or cargo needs on the fly," says Schaafsma. "No need to remove the third row seat to provide maximum cargo space behind the second row. Just fold the third row seat flat to floor and load." But if you do decide to remove the third row seat, he says, "it's lightweight and very easy for one person to operate since it does not have to be inserted/removed from a recessed location below the floor."