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The 2020 Chrysler Voyager is a cheap Pacifica minivan

The Voyager is back, baby. Yep, you read that right. FCA is leaning hard on the nostalgia button right now, and the age-old minivan nameplate has rowed its way back from its long voyage (sorry) out to sea. We'll be seeing the Voyager name on a familiar vehicle, though, not a totally new minivan. You're looking at photos of a Pacifica with a Voyager badge on it, because that's essentially what the new Voyager is. Chrysler took the lower trim levels of the Pacifica and decided those would now be Voyagers. Higher trim levels of the Pacifica are still the Pacifica. To quell confusion, just consider the Voyager a budget-conscious Pacifica with a different name. Specifically, both the L and LX trims of Pacifica will be Voyagers, and Chrysler is introducing a fleet-only LXi model with a leatherette (vinyl) interior for mass appeal to rental car companies and businesses with similar needs. Pricing for the 2020 Voyager hasn't been announced yet, but the non-fleet version will probably start right around where the Pacifica L starts now at $28,730. That makes this more of a marketing play than an actual reduction in price. The Voyager is the cheap one, while the Pacifica is the expensive one. Simple as that. Interestingly, FCA still sells significantly more Dodge Grand Caravans than they do Pacificas every month, and it's all down to price. Despite the Pacifica being leagues better than the old Dodge, the average transaction price for the Pacifica in 2019 is over $13,000 more than a Grand Caravan — $38,540 for the Pacifica, versus $24,972 for the Grand Caravan. That makes the Dodge much cheaper than any comparably sized vehicle it competes with and results in the Dodge doubling the Pacifica up on sales regularly. Maybe the introduction of the Voyager could sway some folks in the direction of the new car, rather than being turned off by the high prices of the Pacifica. The feature set for the Voyager is similar to that of the Pacifica-badged models it's replacing. You'll only be able to tell it's a Voyager on the outside from the badge on the liftgate. Chrysler added satellite radio, second-row quad seats and in-floor storage bins to the interior. You'll still get the same Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 and nine-speed automatic transmission in the Voyager, but no plug-in hybrid model will be available. We'll be interested to see how this ultimately affects sales of the excellent Chrysler minivan.

Hundreds of Detroit residents line up to ride in autonomous cars

DETROIT — Members of the public got the chance Friday to take a free ride in a self-driving vehicle as part of an effort to clear up confusion about the technology. Hundreds signed up for the 6-minute journey that led riders through a course set up inside a Detroit convention center. Mary Van Der Maas heard about the opportunity on the radio and decided to give it a shot. The 73-year-old retiree from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, hopped into an autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan, and off she went. "I think that it's just ignorance that keeps us from wanting to do this. And once you experience it, it's marvelous," she said afterward. Daniel Schroeder, 17, said he "thought it was interesting how the car knew its route." "And then it could identify things in the road," said the high school junior from Troy, Michigan, who spent one of the days of his spring break at the demo inside Cobo Hall downtown. Rep. Debbie Dingell also rode in the driverless Pacifica, asking more than a few questions of organizers along the way. "Public confidence in autonomous vehicles has decreased, not increased, over the last year for a variety of reasons," the Democratic congresswoman said. "And people need to get to know it. They need to be hands-on. They need to see that it works." Dingell said she had asked her husband, the late John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in the institution's history, to serve as an advocate for driverless cars, citing the technology's potential to benefit older Americans. "He just quite frankly didn't trust it," Debbie Dingell said. Technological hurdles and apprehension have limited attempts to deploy fully autonomous vehicles on public roadways. Uber pulled its self-driving cars out of Arizona last year after one of the ride-hailing service's autonomous cars struck and killed a woman as she crossed the street. Mary Moore of SAE International, an association of mobility engineers, said the idea behind the Detroit event is to "use the facts, use what's on the market today to explain what the capabilities are today and then also give a glimpse into what can happen in the future." The event was sponsored by SAE International as well as Partners for Automated Vehicle Education, a coalition of industry, nonprofit and academic institutions whose goal is to inform and educate the public and policymakers about automated vehicles. It runs through Sunday and is free to attend.

Mopar's 80 years told through vintage ads

It's more than just car parts. Mopar started in 1937 an antifreeze brand, and 80 years later Fiat Chrysler's now-iconic aftermarket division is known for everything from muscle cars to smart phone apps. This is reflected in its advertisements over the years, which show off the brand's capabilities at different moments. Rediscovered from deep in Mopar's archives as it kicks off a year-long celebration of its history, the ads are snapshots of the former Chrysler Corp. and the mood of America at those times. A colorful, free-spirited 1972 ad hawks T-shirts. A plainer 1964 spot shows off Mopar's expansive portfolio with the tagline, "sorry, we ran out of space!" There were too many parts to show them all. Another 1960s ad explains Mopar's new wire and cable products in what was likely a magazine spread or multi-column newspaper entry. Going back farther, an ad from the 1940s touts radios through wind-in-your-hair exuberance, while a later placement shows a Ward Cleaver-type waxing his hardtop. Slightly more recently in 1989, Mopar used its muscle-car heritage to encourage restoration and customization just as nostalgia for that era was growing. "The Mopar brand holds an unparalleled place in the automotive world, possessing name recognition, scope of service, and passionate enthusiasts unmatched by any other service and parts organization in the industry," Pietro Gorlier, Mopar's global chief, said in a statement. While those advertisements highlight its earlier days, Mopar is using its 80th year to look forward, noting its modern service offerings, competition in motorsports, and special edition models, like a custom Ram Rebel. These ventures have advanced the Mopar's scope and elevated its awareness with consumers, who often don't know what brand of aftermarket products their car uses. Yes, Mopar still wants to sell as many car parts as possible, but as these ads show, it's always been more than that. Related Video: Featured Gallery Vintage Mopar Ads Marketing/Advertising Chrysler Fiat Automotive History