Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV to be launched in China

Chrysler Group recently said it plans to officially introduce the latest generation Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV into the Chinese market as of next year. The model has received five stars in NHTSA's safety ratings, a performance unmatched by Japan-made MPVs.

Earlier this year Chrysler Group announced that it would start to produce Dodge Grand Caravan MPV in China at Fujian-based Southeast Motor toward the end of this year.

The launch of the two models signified the great importance Chrysler has attached to MPV models. In addition, Grand Voyager and Grand Caravan share many parts and feature almost similar appearance, giving Chrysler a strong force in the MPV segment in China to compete with Toyota Previa and Nissan Quest.

In the first half year 107,000 MPVs were sold in China and the number is forecasted to reach 1 million in the near future.

Last month, PSA Peugeot-Citroën and Chinese carmaker Hafei signed a memorandum of understanding to start a 50-50 joint venture that may launch high-end MPV products very soon. Guangzhou Toyota, a venture between Guangzhou Automobile, and Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) are also reported to produce the Previa MPV as early as next year. With the launch of these models, the MPV market is expected to experience fierce competition on the forecast horizon.