Chrysler Shows 2-Engine Van That Splits in 2

Chrysler Corp. demonstrated today a futuristic vehicle that it claims may solve some pressing transportation issues of the 1990s and beyond--a dual-engine van that splits in two.

Although the nation’s third-largest car maker said it may never be produced, the Voyager III is what one company designer called “an open-handed look into the future” to explore such issues as traffic congestion, fuel economy and environmental concerns.

The Voyager III, under development for about a year, was part of a preview held at Chrysler’s design center in Highland Park for Detroit’s second annual North American International Auto Show that begins Saturday.

“Before we go too far into the next century . . . we’re going to have to look at solutions that are not conventional solutions,” said Neil Walling, director of Advanced International Design for Chrysler, adding that the Voyager III “is one of the things the mini-van might develop into.”

After a set of center wheels are electrically lowered, the Voyager III’s front module--a three-passenger mini-car driven by a small propane-powered engine--can be separated from the five-passenger rear compartment and used as a small commuter vehicle.

When the added passenger capacity is needed, the “urban module” is “re-docked” with the rear compartment using an electric winch. The rear section also contains a slightly larger gasoline-powered engine electronically linked to run in tandem with the front engine when the entire vehicle is used.

The Voyager III could also offer solutions in the commercial vehicle market by being designed with a pickup bed or cargo compartment for the rear section, Chrysler designers said.

Chrysler designers said that while the concept of a modular van holds great promise, there is much work to be done in areas of how the two sections attach, as well as the overall crashworthiness of the vehicle.