LA Auto Show: 2013 Chrysler Town & Country Gets the S Treatment

In the never-ending quest to add some “cool” to one of the least-loved segments in America, one company is about to break new ground with the industry’s first murdered-out minivan: The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country S will join its siblings—the Chrysler 200 S and Chrysler 300 S—in dealerships with the full blackout treatment, a segment-first entertainment option and, yes, a sport-tuned suspension that “adds a new level of handling dynamics to the driving experience, yet still provides a comfortable ride that’s expected in a luxury minivan.”

Chrysler has yet to reveal pricing or availability information about the 2013 Chrysler Town & Country S model yet, although that should be rectified after the vehicle makes its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 30. Bear in mind, however, that the current top trim level of the Town & Country lineup opens at $39,995, and with the Honda Odyssey Touring Elite currently setting the segment's MSRP ceiling at $43,925, the new S model could be well into the mid $40’s.

"We tailored the new Town & Country S for the active and style minded consumers. It's the downtown style for the Town & Country’s uptown looks,” said Saad Chehab, president and CEO of the Chrysler Brand. "It's more than fitting that we unveil this vehicle in Los Angeles, given Town & Country S represents yet another modern take of ‘313’ in the ‘310.’”

2013 Chrysler Town & Country S: Dialing up that Downtown Style

The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country S does happen to be available in four different exterior colors—Brilliant Black, Deep Cherry Red, Stone White and Billet Silver—but you really get the full effect by matching the first one with the package’s other noir niceties, including the requisite black chrome grille, here set off by a matching black background to the brand’s signature “wings” logo as a further grille accent; a similarly styled Chrysler badge is mounted out back, too, with a complementary black rear fascia step pad. And although they won’t be available at the launch of the 2013 Chrysler Town & Country S, blacked-out headlights bezels also are on the menu.

The midnight minivan rides on highly stylized 17-inch aluminum wheels—with black-painted pockets—for a surprisingly mod look, and then also gets an all-black interior. The cabin environment boasts Black Torino leather seats with black “Ballistic” cloth inserts, accented by a grey stitching that also can be found on the door-mounted armrests. Both the instrument panel and the spokes of the steering wheel—itself wrapped in black leather—are decorated with glossy Piano Black appliques.

Overall, the 2014 Chrysler Town & Country S really does look sharp, with a subtly modern exterior and a cabin that, thanks to a healthy application of black leather, delivers a shot of traditionally premium automotive style.

The fitting crown jewel for the new king of the minivans? A rear-seat entertainment system that introduces the wonders of dual-screen Blu-Ray/DVD technology to the minivan segment, while also incorporating HDMI input, two USB recharging ports, a 12-volt outlet and a 115-volt two-prong outlet. Naturally, said screens provide a higher-definition picture for both Blu-Ray and conventional DVDs, as well as videogame output, and can be used for both simultaneously.

Throw in that sport-tuned suspension, and the 2013 Chrysler Town & Country S just may out-swagger the Toyota Sienna.