(January 11, 2013) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler rang in the new year taking the sales lead in the segment it created back in 1983. Dodge Grand Caravan was the best-selling minivan in the United States in 2012 with 141,648 units sold, a 28 percent increase from 2011. America's most awarded minivan, the Chrysler Town & Country, also saw a significant 18 percent increase in sales to 111,744 units.

The Chrysler Group sold a combined total of 253,392 minivans, which accounts for almost half of the entire minivan segment's sales in the United States in 2012.

"We created the minivan segment in 1983, and have been listening to our customers and innovating ever since," said Joe Veltri, vice president --Product Planning. "With more than 78 minivan firsts, like our class-exclusive Super Stow 'n Go seating and new Blu-ray rear seat entertainment systems, we intend to stay at the top of the segment."

The 253,392 combined minivan sales is a 23 percent increase from the previous year, well above the 13 percent increase for the entire minivan segment in 2012.

New on the Dodge and Chrysler minivans for the 2013 model year is a Blu-ray video system featuring segment-exclusive second- and third-row screens capable of playing two different DVDs at the same time. Nine-inch screens in the second and third rows feature four-times better resolution when compared with previous models and allow customers to watch their movies on Blu-ray or standard DVDs or play their High-Definition Media Interface (HDMI) gaming systems.

This HD system also includes two USB ports, one HDMI port and 115-volt power inverter so that customers can charge their cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, tablets and gaming systems. The system also features a standard RCA input and 12-volt outlet. Two wireless headsets and a wireless remote allow the rear-seat passengers to enjoy their favorite video or gaming systems in the minivans' second and third rows without disrupting mom or dad in the front seats.

The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans are built at Chrysler Group LLC's Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.