Technology and Innovative Features
Assembled in the now defunct North Tarrytown Assembly, these U-body vans consisted of a galvanized steel spaceframe wrapped in composite plastic body panels that were impervious to rust and minor dents and dings, a manufacturing technique developed on the Pontiac Fiero and used extensively on General Motors' Saturn line of vehicles.
The Lumina APV was available with seating for seven, with the five lightweight (34 lb/15 kg) rear seats being individually reconfigurable and removable. In 1994, built-in child seats were added to the option list, which provided the ability to switch two of the rear seats between adult and child seating with the pull of a seat-mounted tab.
The Lumina APV was the only version of the trio to offer a commercial vehicle model that featured a rubber-matted floor in lieu of carpeting, deletion of rear seating and painted plastic panels in place of the side rear glass. Though sharing an identical body, this version was simply known as "APV", with no "Lumina" badging on the exterior of the vehicle.
Included with the optional level ride package, which utilized a compressor and air-pressurized rear shock absorbers to maintain vehicle height regardless of load, was a control panel and air hose kit that allowed the vehicle to be used to inflate tires, air mattresses, sporting equipment and the like.
In 1995, a remote-controlled power sliding door feature was added, a General Motors innovation, which is now available in almost every other minivan today.
For the 1994 and 1995 model years, traction control was available with the 3.8 L V6.
Read more about this topic: Chevrolet Lumina APV
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