Modest Sales Success
The design of these minivans was controversial. At the time that the Chevrolet Lumina APV and its siblings were conceived, no one had tried to market a stylish or sporty minivan, and GM felt that that represented a potentially large market segment. They styled these minivans to be lower and sleeker than any of the competing brands on the market. The extremely large, long and sloped windshield and the resultant long distance to the base of the windshield when sitting in the drivers seat made for a disconcerting driving experience until a person could adjust to the "different" proportions. Automotive magazines christened the new minivans "dustbusters" after a household vacuum cleaning appliance that shared a similar side profile.
The first engine in these vans was a meager 3.1 L V6, that produced only 120 hp (89 kW), which was not up to the task of hauling these fairly heavy vehicles around with any authority.
In 1992, the Lumina APV and its siblings received the 170 hp 3.8 L 3800 Series I V6 as an option. The 3.8 L provided much better torque and acceleration for the vans, making them the most powerful minivans in production at the time, until Ford's 1996 Windstar 3.8 L debuted with 200 hp (150 kW).
In response to criticism (and relatively modest sales) attributable to the vehicles' avantgarde styling, feedback from potential customers, automotive publications, and even chiding in Chrysler Corporation's advertising, in 1994, the Trans Sport and Lumina APV received a facelift, shortening the nose by 3 inches (76 mm) and elimination of the black painted roof and a-pillar "canopy effect" to impart a more conventional look. Additionally a ridge was added to the interior dashboard to lessen the perceived distance to the base of the windshield.
Production of this generation of minivans ceased in 1996, at which time the Tarrytown plant which produced them and which had been in operation since 1900, was shuttered and scheduled for demolition.
The Lumina APV was replaced by the Chevrolet Venture which was a completely new vehicle, with conventional steel unibody construction and extremely conventional styling which purposely aped the class-leading Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager.
Read more about this topic: Chevrolet Lumina APV
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