While the all-new Chrysler Aspen is correctly defined as a full-size sport-utility vehicle, it traces its lineage to a long line of large, tastefully appointed Chrysler vehicles that combined passenger comfort with cargo-carrying capacity, beginning with a series of handsome station wagons in the mid-1930s.

In contrast to other manufacturers who produced early rear-tailgate station wagons (typically using wooden bodies built by independent manufacturers mounted atop standard production chassis), Chrysler soon gained a reputation as a builder of high-quality wagons that emphasized passenger comfort over sheer cargo capacity. The company’s 1938 Westchester model, offered in both Dodge and Plymouth versions, was among the first cargo-carrying vehicles to be marketed specifically to consumers.

The celebrated 1941 Chrysler Town & Country would become the first “luxury” station wagon, appealing to affluent buyers with attractive design and interior fittings coupled to a larger and more refined cargo area than that found on competitor’s vehicles. Significantly, it was the industry’s first steel-roofed wagon. But to many this first Town & Country wasn’t a wagon at all, but rather a “fastback sedan,” a glamorous and soon-popular new type of car whose production run would sadly be limited to just 17 months by world events.

After World War II, the Chrysler Town & Country name graced a line of elegant convertibles, sedans and hardtops – but no wagons (Plymouth was the only Chrysler division to produce station wagons in the immediate postwar period, again featuring wood bodies supplied by an outside vendor).

In 1949, Chrysler became the first American automaker to build all-metal wagons in quantity, beginning with the aptly named Plymouth Suburban. Eagerly purchased by those flocking to freshly built suburbs, the success of these cars soon prompted Chrysler to also add steel-bodied station wagons to its Chrysler, Dodge and DeSoto product lines, making it the first American automaker to build all-metal wagons in quantity.

In 1951, the Town & Country nameplate was again properly applied to a station wagon, coinciding with the debut of the famous HEMI® V-8 engine and rekindling the association of Chrysler and luxurious, high-performance station wagons. The company enhanced this reputation through the creation of numerous station wagon engineering firsts, including roll-down rear windows for tailgates in 1951 and rear-facing third row seats in 1957. Tailgates, in fact, were a major focus of Chrysler innovation: window washers came in 1968, integral air deflectors in 1969 and, in 1971, ignition interlock  to prevent children from opening the gate while the car was running. Cruise Control, introduced by Chrysler just as the interstate highway era dawned in 1958, was another popular addition to the company’s smooth-riding wagons, which were often called upon for long, out-of-town family outings.

One of the best examples of Chrysler’s leadership in the category was the 1959 Town & Country station wagon. With 95 cubic feet of cargo space, it offered more carrying capacity than any other North American wagon. The third-row Seat folded flat into the floor – the “Stow ‘n Go®” seating of its day. To customize the interior of their new Town & Country, buyers could choose from among 22 combinations of fabric and vinyl, as well as such high-end options as Airtemp air conditioning, electronic speed control, automatic dimming headlights and “captive air tires,” which permitted the driver to reach a service station after suffering a flat and obviated the need for a spare-tire compartment in the cargo area.

Town & Country drivers and passengers in this era traveled with authority as well as comfort, thanks to the under-the-hood performance of a 413 cid, 350-horsepower V-8. In addition to Chrysler-created power steering and power window lifts, power brakes, power seats and a power radio antenna were available. Nor surprisingly, this most luxurious of American station wagons was also the most expensive, with factory suggested retail pricing in the $5,000 range, depending upon options selected by the customer. A striking example of the 1959 Town & Country station wagon is now exhibited at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Today’s Chrysler Aspen builds handsomely upon the reputation for luxurious travel and capable cargo-hauling initiated by the 1941 Chrysler Town & Country and progressively refined by its successors. But, beyond its striking design and abundant amenities, Aspen will soon offer an advantage unknown to any other vehicle in this category – a combination of excellent performance and significantly improved fuel economy, made possible by the new 5.7-liter HEMI hybrid power plant with Chrysler’s multi-displacement system. Luxurious travel in an elegant vehicle with great carrying capacity, long a Chrysler standard, is about to be taken to yet another level of imaginative innovation.

Then and Now:
	1959  Town & Country	2007 Aspen
Wheelbase:	126 in. (320 cm)	119.2 in. (303 cm)
Weight:	4,300 lbs. (1,950 kg)	4,850 lbs. (2,200 kg)
Engine (as equipped):	Overhead valve V-8	Overhead valve V-8
Horsepower:	350 hp (261 kw)	235 hp (172 kw)
Displacement:	413 cu. in. (6.8 L)	287 cu. in. (4.7 L)
Bore/Stroke:	4.188 in. x 3.75 in.	3.66 in. x 3.41 in.
	(10.6 cm x 9.5 cm)	(9.3 cm x 8.7 cm)
Compression ratio:	10:0:1	9.0:1
Transmission:	Torqueflite three-speed automatic, pushbutton	Five-speed automatic, electronically controlled
Suspension:	Front: torsion bar	Front: independent torsion bars
	Rear: longitudinal leaf springs	Rear: link coil springs
Brakes:	Front and rear drum, power assist	Front and rear: disc brakes, anti-lock (ABS)