1997 General Motors Min-van Test Drive

The departed Lumina APV was not missed since it was replaced by a new minivan designed with input from Opel. The 1997 minivans looked decidedly unlike a vacuum cleaner, and its front wheels are powered by a 3.4liter V-6 that made 180 hp coupled to GM’s refined 4T60E 4-speed automatic transmission. The Venture/Silhouette/TransSport used steal body panels, unlike the plastic panels of the Dustbuster vans. Nifty features on the Venture/Silhouette/TransSport included Sungate, a metallic coated windshield that blocked the suns rays and acted as a radio antenna, the Venture/Silhouette/TransSport had an optional driver’s side sliding passenger door like that on Chrysler’s minivans, and it came only in a long wheelbase model. The long Venture/Silhouette/TransSport would hold a 4×8 foot sheet of plywood with the rear hatch closed. Venture/Silhouette/TransSport was five inches shorter than the previous model in its shortest version and nine inches longer in long wheelbase guise.