---

All-New 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Earns AAA 'Top Car' Award

21 December 2000

All-New 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Earns AAA 'Top Car' Award

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 20 All minivans aren't created
equal.
    The Automobile Association of America (AAA) revealed its 2001 Top Car
Awards list this morning at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C., and
the all-new 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan drove home with top honors in the minivan
category, finishing ahead of numerous competitors including Honda Odyssey,
Ford Windstar, Toyota Sienna, Pontiac Montana, Oldsmobile Silhouette and
Chevrolet Venture.
    "Our AAA Top Car Awards were established to help consumers make wise
decisions when shopping for a new vehicle," said David Van Sickle, AAA
Director of Automotive and Consumer Information and Editor of AAA's 2001 New
Car & Truck Buying Guide.  "Our selections hinge on which vehicles offer the
greatest combination of performance, safety, design, quality and value.  For
the minivan category, the 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan finished first in its
class."
    Testing for AAA's New Car & Truck Buying Guide is comprehensive.  AAA
experts test vehicles under everyday driving conditions.  For each review,
vehicles are evaluated in 20 different categories including safety, features,
comfort and convenience, acceleration and braking, and ride and handling.
    "Dodge Caravan is the world's best-selling minivan and has been since we
introduced the minivan 17 years ago," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge
Global Brand Center.  "We are extremely honored that AAA, one of the country's
most trusted and prestigious motorist organizations, has recognized our all-
new 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan as a Top Car.  This marks the second year in a
row that AAA has given the nod to Dodge Caravan."
    The all-new 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan offers numerous industry and minivan
first features including a power up and down liftgate, removable power center
console, pop-up rear cargo organizer, three zone automatic temperature control
system, split 50/50 Easy-Out(R) Roller seats, power dual-sliding doors
allowing for manual override and obstacle detection system for opening and
closing.  Other features offered include side air bags and Rear Seat Video(R)
entertainment systems.  Dodge Grand Caravan also offers the 215 hp 3.8-liter
engine, making it the most powerful minivan engine in the segment.
    DaimlerChrysler sells approximately 600,000 Dodge and Chrysler minivans
worldwide every year and is closing in on the sale of its nine millionth
minivan.  Dodge sells nearly 350,000 Caravans a year and commands nearly 24
percent of the minivan segment -- the highest of any nameplate.  Dodge Caravan
and Dodge Grand Caravan are manufactured in St. Louis, Missouri and Windsor,
Ontario.
    AAA is a non-profit federation of 89 clubs with 1,100 offices located
throughout North America that provide travel, insurance, financial and
automotive services to 42 million members.