You know you've made it as a car company when a newspaper refers to your minivan as a limousine.

That's what has happened to Chrysler with its all-new 2008 Town & Country minivan.

A writer for the Wall Street Journal, taking in the luxurious appointments and elegant profile, called the new minivan the most impressive car in the company's fleet, and compared it to a limousine.

Yes, the Town & Country is that beautiful, and that classy -- especially in black or some other dark color. The styling of the car resembles the Chrysler 300, itself a magnificent, elegant piece of work, so it should come as no surprise that the minivan is pretty tasteful too. There's just enough chrome and bright work to show off all of its features to advantage.

And on top of that, this year's Town & Country models cost less than the previous versions, and offer more standard equipment, too.

Let's take a look at the top-of-the-line Limited model, for instance.

While every Town & Country minivan gets more standard equipment than last year, including electronic stability program, side curtain air bags, six-speed automatic transaxle, overhead console, and other items, the Limited also gets HID headlamps, a MYGIG multimedia system, LED interior lighting that adds ambiance at night, a four-liter V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transaxle.

Prices start at $23,190 for the Chrysler minivans, and in most cases, prices are anywhere from $835 to $3,585 less than 2007 models.

There are a number of interesting options for the Town & Country. They include an option package with an entertainment system with voice-activated capability, navigation system, Sirius satellite radio and Sirius TV with three channels of family programming. The vehicle also includes a jukebox feature for personalized playlists and the ability to rip an MP3 or WMV file directly to the hard drive.

People who sit in the second and third rows won't be at each other's mercy, either, when it comes to in-car entertainment. Each row can select its own entertainment.

Another interesting feature is Chrysler's new "Swivel n' Go" option. With this feature, the second-row seats can be swiveled 180-degrees to face the third-row sets, thus creating a conversation area or cove. A table comes with the set up, which can be installed between the seats.

Among other conveniences are dishwasher-safe cup holders -- a godsend to any parent who knows all too well about the dirt and goo that can accumulate in these things -- and lighting that illuminates door pockets, the overhead console and even the cup holders.

Driving the new Town & Country is a pleasure. It feels very much like the typical standard-size passenger car, and visibility is excellent in all directions, thanks to picture-window-size glass.

Handling is stable -- almost energetic -- with well-balanced steering and strong brakes. Safety equipment is generous including all-row supplemental side-curtain air bags with rollover protection, an electronic stability program with traction control and brake assist, and driver and passenger seat belts that have automatic locking retractors and height adjustable turning loops.

There's a new 4.0-liter, 240-horsepower V-6 available, mated to a new six-speed transaxle, along with a 3.8-liter, 197-horsepower V-6 with the same transaxle. A third engine is a 175-horsepower, 3.3-liter, flex fuel-capable V-6 with a four-speed transaxle.

Other Chrysler news includes a new all-wheel-drive model for the 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible line, (about $20,000 to about $33,000), new colors and seat mounted side air bags and a tire pressure monitoring system for the PT Cruiser ($15,580 to $23,300).