At a time when some minivans are dialing up their appeal to families, we hear that Dodge may be planning a variant of the Grand Caravan that bumps up the testosterone level.

In a recent meeting with dealers, Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles discussed plans for a “man van” that would shake off stereotypes of a mom-mobile. According to The Wall Street Journal, production of such a minivan variant would help give the brand a more masculine image, hearkening back to ad campaigns of recent years.

According to the Journal, one dealer said, “A man van won’t generate huge sales, but it’s one of those vehicles that gets people talking and heads turning.”

Similar to the Dodge Grand Caravan R/T concept from the 2008 SEMA show, interior and exterior enhancements would help to differentiate dad’s van from mom’s. Sources hint that the interior would feature bespoke stitching on the seats and steering wheel, while body trim is still to be decided.

This news comes on the heels of two recently introduced minivans which have highlighted family-friendliness as major selling points. Honda’s recently introduced 2011 Odyssey features 15 cupholders and an integrated trash bag among its amenities for families, and Toyota is marketing its new 2011 Sienna with a series of “Mommy Like” commercials.

If the “man van” gets the green light, we can expect them in dealerships within a few months.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

We’ve already reported that Volkswagen has plans to become the world’s largest automaker by 2018. To help it achieve that goal, the German giant is revamping its U.S. lineup. We hear that the Phaeton will be making a comeback and there will be a new midsize sedan specifically for the U.S., but it’s uncertain if the Routan minivan will remain.

“No decisions have been made regarding the Routan,” VW spokesperson Jill Bratina told Dow Jones Newswire. She said the minivan segment had been “significantly impacted by the economic downturn and has not fully recovered.”

Despite uncertainty and slow sales, there is hope for fans of quasi-German minivans. Bratina said the Routan’s market share has remained a steady 4 percent during the downturn. She added that the company sees potential to increase the Routan’s market share as awareness of the vehicle increases.

Although it wears a VW badge, the Routan is produced by Chrysler alongside the Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. The Routan was one of the final projects of former CEO Wolfgang Bernhard, who also pulled the plug on North American sales of the VW Phaeton. Current CEO Martin Winterkorn is trying to bring the luxury car back, arguing the decision to remove the Phaeton from the U.S. lineup was “short-winded,” and that “to establish a newcomer in the luxury segment you need more patience.”

What do you think? Is it a good decision let the Routan wither and revive the Phaeton? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Wall Street Journal