The XG was a curious last wheeze for the Plymouth division, which officially closed its doors in 2001 after a 91-year run. Its curious mix of a production body and a European-market powertrain provided some glimpse into the dartboard-style product planning going on at DaimlerChrysler after the German company best known for its swanky Mercedes-Benz models initiated a so-called merger of equals with Detroit's smallest car brand.
By 1998, the third-generation Chrysler vans were about halfway through their product cycle. Even as buyers flocked toward SUVs, the automaker's Jeep Grand Cherokee and its new Dodge Durango, Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth minivans remained popular with consumers. The vans were available in short and long (or Grand) wheelbases, and most were powered by one of three V6 engines. A 2.4-liter inline-four was standard on short-wheelbase models, though it was not a popular option.
For the Voyager XG, Chrysler looked to Europe — specifically, Graz, Austria, where Magna Steyr assembled under contract Jeeps and Chrysler Voyagers with big "Made in Austria" stickers on their tailgates. The Chrysler assembly line was in the same complex where Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens had been built for decades. However, Chrysler's relationship with Magna Steyr predated Daimler Chrysler by several years.
The Voyager XG made use of a 2.5-liter turbodiesel inline-four rated at 115 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, which wasn't much of an improvement over the production van's 150 hp and 167 lb-ft. However, instead of a 3-speed automatic transmission, the XG courted enthusiasts with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Chrysler quoted 33 mpg on the highway, a big improvement over the American gas van's 26 mpg hwy.
A gigantic power-retractable cloth roof was fitted. It worked as a case study for the production roof that would eventually be offered (and leak profusely) on the Jeep Liberty. The 17-in alloy wheels, cribbed from the Prowler, were finished in silver with anodized blue caps that matched the blue-toned rear window tint and the taupe and blue captain's chairs fitted upfront and in row two.
In its press release announcing the Voyager XG, Chrysler envisioned active, athletic types forgoing rugged SUVs for a tricked-out minivan. The cargo area held a removable bin on wheels with an integrated ice chest and storage drawer, predating the drawers that seemed to be installed in every 1990s Toyota Land Cruiser. Here's a snippet:
"We built the Plymouth Voyager XG concept minivan for the adventure-seeking, mountain-biking, trail-riding, ocean-surfing individual who has a lot of equipment and is always on the go," Ralph Sarotte. The general product manager of the Chrysler Corporation's minivan platform said before spouting off some marketing nonsense in the press release. "The vehicle would expand the minivan market segment by attracting a new generation of minivan buyers."
Image Source: Chrysler Corporation
