NASREC, Johannesburg – The all-new Chrysler Grand Voyager raises the bar once again in the competitive MPV segment with an all-new interior and exterior design and more than 30 new or improved features. Debuting for the first time is the six-speed automatic transmission that will be available with both the 3.8l V6 petrol and the 2.8l turbo diesel engines.
The newest exclusive seating system also makes its debut in the new Grand Voyager – Swivel ’n Go™ (late arrival) offers second-row seats that swivel 180 degrees to face the third row and a removable table that installs between the two rows, covered storage bins in the floor of the second row, third-row uncovered storage and fold-in-the-floor third-row seating.
Standard equipment in the Grand Voyager is the industry-exclusive Stow ’n Go™ seating and storage system, the only minivan seat system to offer both second- and third-row seats that fold into the floor. With both Swivel ’n Go and Stow ’n Go seating systems, Grand Voyager offers a minivan-first: a one-touch power folding third-row seat.
Comfort and convenience features include heated first and second-row leather or cloth seats; rear-view interior conversation mirror; YES Essentials stain-resistant, odour-resistant, anti-static cloth fabric (on LX versions); a removable flashlight in the rear quarter panel; first and second-row power windows; second and third-row retractable sun shades; power sliding doors; power liftgate with power button on the key fob and rear pillar; ambient halo lighting; movable, pinpoint LED reading lamps; map lights and a tri-zone heating and cooling system.
Chrysler Grand Voyager is available locally in LX and Limited models.
Fresh exterior design
The new Grand Voyager exterior design starts with clean, tailored lines that create better aerodynamics and a solid stance on the road. It shares many design cues with the Chrysler 300C such as a similar body-to-glass proportion, simple wheel flares, sleek pillars, chrome accents and detailed ornamentation.
Designers created a roomier feel for the new Grand Voyager by widening the roof 152mm, giving the beltline more rake and lowering and pulling out the sill to create a better relationship with the tyres. These new design elements result in a contemporary, tailored appearance for a stable, solid stance on the road.
Chrysler brand exterior design elements include a distinctive front end with the “face of Chrysler” grille featuring the Chrysler “winged” badge, quad headlamps and clean, tailored lines. Chrome accents that include the belt moulding, mirror cap and door handles make the Grand Voyager a recognisable member of the Chrysler family.
As with the previous generation, the feature-rich new Grand Voyager Limited also retains the power sliding doors as well as a power tailgate. All of these doors can easily be operated from the vehicle’s remote key fob, control buttons on the dashboard in close proximity to the driver and front passenger, as well as near the doors themselves.
Quieter ride
Aerodynamic improvements have reduced wind noise, while improved structural body stiffness have reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Additional acoustic treatments have also improved interior quietness. The new twist-beam rear axle with coil springs and new front-wheel-drive suspension architecture provide improved stability and ride comfort, and prevent road noise and transmission harshness from entering the passenger compartment.
A number of the features in the new Grand Voyager were designed to minimise wind noise. The roof rack crossbars have a more aerodynamic shape, the front doors have a rolled frame design to improve sealing, and wiper blades are positioned below the air stream to minimise wind noise. The Grand Voyager also features larger, aerodynamically shaped mirrors for better viewing and wind flow, as well as thicker side door glass to reduce wind noise.
Overall interior quietness on the minivans was improved with acoustic treatments such as additional seals and body fillers, under-bonnet engine box treatments including a silencer, shock tower silencers, more dash panel coverage and an upgraded inner dash silencer to further reduce engine noise. A thicker carpet underlay was added to reduce road and interior noise levels, while integrated seals with sill cladding also help reduce road noise.
Functional and modern interior design
Detail is driven into every facet of the Chrysler Grand Voyager, from the analogue clock in the dash to the detail along the D-pillar offering a family-friendly interior full of innovation.
The comfort of a well-appointed home is incorporated into the interior design of the vehicle to ensure traveling is time well-spent. A contemporary interior is created with a combination of satin finishes, wood and leather trim.
The lower trim colour on the instrument panel and door trim is Light Shale, while the upper section can be either Medium or Dark Slate. Seating surface choices for the LX version includes Light Shale, Medium Slate and Dark Slate, all with YES Essentials® materials as standard. Unique Royale Leather augmented with Suede is standard in Grand Voyager Limited with a choice of Light Shale or Dark Slate.
Trends in home lighting were also incorporated into the new Chrysler Grand Voyager. An ambient halo light package emits a soft greenish-blue glow along the overhead console but doesn’t interfere with the driver’s vision. Movable pinpoint LED lights are available for all rows of seats, while convenience lights illuminate areas such as the map pockets and door sills.
Chrysler engineers developed two distinct seating systems for the new Chrysler Grand Voyager minivan. The industry-exclusive Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system is available on both the LX and Limited variants and the new Swivel ‘n Go seat system with a minivan-first, one-touch power folding third-row seat will become available on the Limited. Handy second-row tray tables are also available, built into the front seatbacks. Swivel ‘n Go will be available from the fourth quarter 2008.
The Swivel ’n Go seat system features second-row quad seats that rotate 180 degrees to face backwards for conversational seating. A removable table fits between the second and third rows. Second-row covered storage bins and a third-row 60/40 bench seat that folds into the floor are included in the Swivel ‘n Go system. The swivel feature also allows easy ingress and egress for children who need to be buckled into child seats or adults who just want easier entry and exit from the second row of the vehicle.
The Chrysler Grand Voyager continues to offer the industry-exclusive Stow ’n Go seating and storage system that revolutionised the minivan segment when it was introduced in 2004. With the industry’s only fold-into- the-floor second- and third-row seats, the Grand Voyager can go from seven-passenger minivan to a two-person cargo van in less than 30 seconds.
Infotainment and entertainment
Entertainment options in the Grand Voyager are unmatched by competitors: a minivan-first dual DVD system that can play different media at the same time; MyGIG™ Multimedia Infotainment System that includes navigation, a USB port and a 20-gigabyte hard drive. Music and photos can be stored on the hard drive and a jukebox that supports Gracenote music-file management allows the song, artist and album information to be added to the music files automatically and offers a customisable play list. Space is reserved on the hard drive for approximately 1 600 songs – more than 100 hours of music. The system also includes a voice-memo recorder feature.
MyGIG additionally allows customers to use touch screen or voice commands to control features. The voice dialogue system recognises more than 100 000 words. The navigation system features both two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) bird’s-eye views of roads and multiple route calculation alternatives. Maps and guidance are displayed on a motorised, flip-down 6.5-inch thin-film-transistor (TFT) colour display. The TFT screen uses an active matrix for viewing from angles up to 180 degrees – perfect for the centre of an instrument panel.
Dual audio/visual jacks and 12-volt power outlet in the C-pillar allow gaming systems to be plugged directly into the vehicle. Passengers can play a game system in the second row and watch a movie in the third row. Or passengers can listen to their favourite radio programme through the wireless headphones in one row and watch and listen to a movie with the other set of headphones in another row. The system comes with two wireless, infrared headphones that allow passengers to listen to the same or individual audio sources. Also included are an eight-inch LCD DVD screen in the second and third rows, a single-disc DVD player and a battery-powered infrared two-channel remote control.
The DVD-based navigation system includes maps that can be displayed in a 2-D or 3-D bird’s-eye view, hard-drive maps, hard-drive storage of Points of Interest (POI) such as petrol stations and restaurants and multiple route calculations.
The new premium surround sound system with a subwoofer and 506 watt amplifier is available on the new Grand Voyager. The amplifier offers 11 channels with 46 watts per channel. The system also includes three instrument panel speakers, two front-door-mounted speakers, two speakers in the rear quarter, two speakers in the D-pillar and an eight-inch, two-channel, dual voice coil subwoofer. The system also offers Digital Signal Processing (DSP) 7.1 surround sound, and is capable of simulating two-channel media into a multi-channel format. The premium sound system offers proper sound imaging and excellent frequency response with smooth delivery. The surround sound provides an enhanced listening and viewing experience of CDs, DVDs, games and other media sources, since the sound output is channelled through the various speakers.
An interactive digital display located in the instrument cluster conveniently displays information. The system allows the driver to select from a menu of useful information. Owners can personalise their settings, such as having the lights flash and horn sound when locking and unlocking the vehicle using Remote Keyless Entry. This Electronic Vehicle Information Centre also gives owners the ability to scroll through the compass/outside temperature, average fuel economy, distance to empty, trip elapsed time and tyre-pressure monitoring displays.
UConnect Hands-free Communication System uses Bluetooth® technology to provide voice-activated wireless communication between the occupant’s compatible mobile phone and the vehicle’s onboard receiver. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility.
More than 30 new features
There are more than 30 new features in the new Grand Voyager ranging from cutting edge multimedia systems to the exclusive Swivel ‘n Go seating system.
Safety and security
Chrysler Grand Voyager has a longer list of standard and optional safety and security features than any Chrysler minivan in the past. The equipment includes:
- Advanced, multi-stage driver air bag
- Low-risk deployment front passenger air bag
- Seat-mounted supplemental air bags
- Supplemental all-row Side Air Bag Integrated Curtains (SABIC)
- Knee blocker, driver and front passenger
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Brake Assist
- Brake/Park interlock
- BeltAlert
- Door Alert
- Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS)
- ISOFIX (two in the intermediate row and two in the third-row seat)
- Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seating positions with automatic locking retractors
- Pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for front-seat driver and passenger
- Occupant restraint controller with rollover sensor (will deploy SABIC in the event of a rollover)
- ParkSense® rear back-up system
- ParkView™ rear back-up camera
- Patented energy-absorbing steering column
- Power liftgate – new switch added at the rear inside of the vehicle
- Power sliding passenger doors
- Power, heated mirrors
- Power folding mirrors
- Turn signal indicators on exterior mirrors
- Remote keyless illuminated entry with Sentry Key® engine immobiliser theft-deterrent system
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
- UConnect® Hands-free Communication System with Bluetooth® compatibility
Powertrains
The new Grand Voyager offers a choice of two modern engines: a 3.8l V6 engine producing 147 kW at 5 200 r/min and 312 Nm of torque at 4 000 r/min and a 2.8l turbo diesel engine producing 120 kW at 3 800 r/min and 360 Nm of torque at 1800 r/min.
The new 2.8l CRD engine provides a weight saving of approximately 6%, achieves increased cam belt life (durability now of 140 000 km) and features Piezo fuel injectors and a 2 000-bar common-rail fuel system to improve fuel-system speed and control.
A forged steel crankshaft now features eight counterweights compared to the four in the previous version. A structural oil pan assists in reducing noise, vibration and harshness on the new engine.
The Variable Geometry Turbocharger now has an electronically controlled actuator as opposed to a pneumatic actuator on the previous engine. This provides improved cold start performance, and it also allows the turbocharger to spool up faster from idle, minimising turbo lag and providing good low-end and high-end torque.
The 3.8l petrol engine is a 60 degree V6 featuring sequential, multi-port fuel injection and an iron block with aluminium cylinder heads. This engine has seen continuous improvement and refinement throughout its use as the core minivan petrol V6 engine.
The engines in the new Grand Voyager are, for the first time, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed transmission’s higher numerical first gear launches the new minivan more briskly and also provides smaller steps between ratios, meaning the engine speed changes less with each shift and makes the shifts feel smoother, engaging a more appropriate ratio for any driving situation.
Pricing
The new Chrysler Grand Voyager arrives on South African shores with the following models:
- Chrysler Grand Voyager 3.8l LX Auto R329 900
- Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8l LX Auto R369 900
- Chrysler Grand Voyager 3.8l LTD Auto R399 900
- Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8l LTD Auto R439 900
Optional extras include:
- Metallic Paint R2 000
- Power Sunroof R10 000
- MyGIG™ Navigation radio (LX) R14 900
- MyGIG™ Navigation radio (LTD) R9 900
- Rear DVD entertainment system R14 900
- Power Sliding Doors (LX Only) R 9 900
- Swivel ‘n Go R9 900
All Chrysler Group products come standard with a three year / 100 000 km warranty and maintenance plan.
