General Motors will likely bow out of the minivan business once production of its existing models ends, according to a report by the Detroit News. Rival Ford has already decided to scrap its minivan offerings early next year, with a new van/crossover based on the Ford Fairlane concept set to replace the Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey in early 2008.
According to the newspaper, GM confirmed it had scrapped plans to build new minivan models that would have debuted as early as 2009. The company stopped short of saying it was ready to exit the segment entirely, but company insiders told the News there were no plans for new models after GM closes its last minivan-producing plant in Doraville, Ga.
It’s unclear if GM plans to build a competitor to the van-like Ford Fairlane, or if its GMC Acadia , theSaturn Outlook, and Buick Enclave will be used to fill the gap. GM’s Bob Lutz wouldn’t comment on future product plans, but he admitted minivans represented a “declining segment,” while crossovers with three rows of seating “can meet the same customer needs.”
