Project Description
Dodge Off-Road Minivan Design
One of the best parts about being in a studio that designs the best-selling vehicle a company makes is that there is always interest from upper management in spin-offs and line extensions. This was the case in my studio at Chrysler for their ubiquitous minivans. Due to the internal success of my minivan taxi design, these requests fell on my drawing board. From high-performance autobahn stormers to roof-less California surf vans, many ideas were explored. Eventually, a chord was struck with the idea of an off-road minivan for Dodge. This was a vehicle the world had yet to see. The challenge was to try and find a way to radically change the minivan’s appearance without spending any money! Like with my taxi program, you have tape, paint, wheels, and some off-the-shelf or newly designed accessories to work with.
To toughen up the aesthetics, a B-pillar blackout treatment was implemented. New front and rear grill bars and side steps were designed. I designed a light bar that integrated into my roof rack design. For the second time in a row, upper management loved the idea so much, they had a full-size, prototype built. The vehicle was shown to Dodge dealers who also loved it. Everyone loved it… except the Jeep dealers who felt it would cannibalize sales. The prototype was a step away from premiering at the Chicago Auto when the plug was pulled at the last moment. In the time since this idea was created, a van-life culture has sprung up. In 2021, a writer found this page and wrote a story about this project that went viral. A variety of car, off-road and van-life sites ran with the story breathing new life into a 32 year old idea.
One of the best parts about being in a studio that designs the best-selling vehicle a company makes is that there is always interest from upper management in spin-offs and line extensions. This was the case in my studio at Chrysler for their ubiquitous minivans. Due to the internal success of my minivan taxi design, these requests fell on my drawing board. From high-performance autobahn stormers to roof-less California surf vans, many ideas were explored. Eventually, a chord was struck with the idea of an off-road minivan for Dodge. This was a vehicle the world had yet to see. The challenge was to try and find a way to radically change the minivan’s appearance without spending any money! Like with my taxi program, you have tape, paint, wheels, and some off-the-shelf or newly designed accessories to work with.
To toughen up the aesthetics, a B-pillar blackout treatment was implemented. New front and rear grill bars and side steps were designed. I designed a light bar that integrated into my roof rack design. For the second time in a row, upper management loved the idea so much, they had a full-size, prototype built. The vehicle was shown to Dodge dealers who also loved it. Everyone loved it… except the Jeep dealers who felt it would cannibalize sales. The prototype was a step away from premiering at the Chicago Auto when the plug was pulled at the last moment. In the time since this idea was created, a van-life culture has sprung up. In 2021, a writer found this page and wrote a story about this project that went viral. A variety of car, off-road and van-life sites ran with the story breathing new life into a 32 year old idea.
