Americans love their minivans. Families, soccer moms, car pool dads, there is practically a whole sub-culture revolving around the minivan, and according to a new book, the mini-van helped “define the lifestyle of a generation.”

Pulitzer-prize winner Paul Ingrassia’s new book “Engines of Change” highlights fifteen influential vehicles in American history, and amongst the Ford Motel T and the Chevrolet Corvette is the Chrysler minivan. It might seem like a less sexy choice, and auto enthusiasts rarely drool over a minivan. Still, Ingrassia points out that there were 210,000 minivans sold in the first full year of production, and their popularity would “signal a shift in America’s love affair with the automobile from sleek cars to tall and burly trucks.” Ingrassia also argues that the minivan both represented and even encouraged a lifestyle shift from “painting the town” to “painting the nursery.”

We couldn’t agree more with the Chrysler minivan’s inclusion in Ingrassia’s book, and we hope that the success of “Engines of Change” will bring attention to this sometimes under-appreciated vehicle. You can check out Chrysler’s full line-up as well as new and used Chrysler Town & Country minivans online here. To get the latest news and deals from Chrysler, you can like Bayside on Facebook and follow Bayside on Twitter.