1990-1996 GM Minivans: "Dustbuster Look"

A 1994-1996 Pontiac Trans Sport SE.

In late 1983, Chrysler launched the first minivan, and it found runaway success. It had the same fuel economy as a station wagon and was priced competitively, but was a new design with improved ergonomics and versatility. Competitors rushed to introduce their minivan designs; GM, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi had all thrown their hats into the ring by 1986, yet the Chrysler remained the most car-based, the van that stuck closest to the formula we now know as "minivans."

GM's initial offering, introduced in 1984, was the Chevy Astro and GMC Safari, which were effectively full-size vans shrunken to a more compact size, and they found a niche as a half-step between minivans and full size vans. 

In 1986, GM showed off a concept van called the "Pontiac Trans Sport", which featured a full glass canopy, seats with built in stereo speakers, a built in personal computer that could access traffic information, and a built in Nintendo NES video game system. Targeted for production in 1987, the radically styled van was never released in its concept form. 

The real Pontiac Trans Sport, launched in December 1989, maintained the radical styling. The design earned the nickname "Dustbuster".There were more unusual features in the van; the frame was a galvanized steel space frame design with dent resistant body panels, much like the later Saturn. The "modular" seats were removable and weighed only 35 pounds each. The van also featured one of the largest dashboards in a vehicle, and some drivers complained that the distance between the eyes and the windshield was too long. Other versions of the van were also launched: the Chevy Lumina APV was the value priced version, and the Oldsmobile Silhouette the premium version.

Sales were mediocre, and in 1994, the van was facelifted. Finally, in 1997, the vans were totally redesigned into a much more conventional style.