Chrysler 700C Concept Preview

Introduction

Chrysler used the 2012 North American International Auto Show to test the 700C Concept minivan design study and to find out what consumers think about the direction the automaker could potentially take with the next-generation Town & Country.

Exterior Features

Flowing, muscular design cues are draped atop large 7-spoke aluminum wheels, and the Chrysler 700C Concept features plenty of chrome detailing, turn signal repeater lights embedded into the mirror housings, and LED running lights. Soft trapezoidal and quadrilateral side window glass shapes give the Chrysler 700C a distinctive appearance, and the gloss black hood matches the dark-tinted panoramic glass roof and rear privacy glass. The side doors slide open, but the exterior track is not visible.

Interior Features

The Chrysler 700C Concept appears to include Stow 'N Go seating, second- and third-row seats that fold into the floor to provide maximum cargo capacity without removing any seats from the vehicle. A thin display screen serves as a gauge cluster, while a center-mounted strip at the top of the stitched leather dashboard likely delivers secondary information. The center stack offers two layers of controls, and the 700C is equipped with triple-zone automatic climate control and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system.

Under the Hood

The Chrysler 700C Concept is a design study, so it is missing a drivetrain. If it were able to move under its own power, it would likely have a 3.6-liter V-6 engine making close to 300 horsepower. Chrysler could pair all-wheel drive with Stow 'N Go by installing an electric assist motor and rechargeable battery pack at the rear of the vehicle, with improved performance or better gas mileage being the byproducts of hybridization.