At 07:27 AM 3/10/2005, you wrote:
>The American Plymouth Voyager and
>Dodge Caravan were also introduced in 1983, as 1984
>models."
>
>The article seems to ignore the existence of VW
>Vanagons on American streets as early as 1980(!), and
>if the earlier Busses/Transporters weren't "mini
>vans", I don't know what is.

I think they don't count the Vanagon as a "mini-van" because it's too
capable!  Apparently to them a mini-van is a small economy car fitted with
a vertically stretched body and the front seats are crammed up front with
the engine between them. A mini-van should look like a van, but not be able
to carry as much as a real station wagon, much less a real full size van.
So what they're really saying is that they created the first IMPRACTICALLY
SMALL van.