An amateur artist has digitally rendered their interpretation of what a modern-day Chevy Astro van might look like.
The artist responsible for this rather odd-looking render appears to have pulled inspiration from the current-day Chevy Silverado 1500, grafting the front fascia from Chevy’s full-size pickup onto his fictional utility van. It doesn’t pull much inspiration from the original Chevy Astro (if at all) but it stays somewhat true to the nameplate with its stubby hood, boxy silhouette, sliding rear passenger doors and a body-on-frame platform.
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The artist even created a fictional billboard ad for his Chevy Astro van design, which features the original Chevy Astro script logo and the tagline ‘The Van That Can.’ This tagline was actually used to market the Chevy Astro back in the mid-1980s when the nameplate was first introduced, as some of our older readers might recall. This rhyming tagline was easy to remember and also properly communicated the Astro’s utilitarian nature.
We recently featured a modern, fan-made GMC Safari design, which took the idea in a much different direction with futuristic exterior styling and an electric powertrain. We prefer the look of the battery-electric Safari van rendering, to be honest, but we can appreciate the Chevy Silverado-inspired angle this rendering has taken. Either way, it’s interesting to see artists on Instagram and other social media sites expressing interest in the Safari and Astro vans, which went out of production way back in 2005.
We’re no experts in automotive product planning, but with off-grid camping in vans (sometimes referred to as “van life”) becoming more popular, we could genuinely see younger buyers responding well to a modern-day Chevy Astro or GMC Safari. GM has no plans that we know of to put either of these boxy vans back into production, though, so for now we’ll just have to live with these digital renderings.
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Comments
Wow, this might actually work.
Looks even better than the Escalade-inspired van rendering from last year.
What would also be interesting is a modern take on a Futurliner with Yukon styling bits.
That’s more than modern art ..and creative geniouse that van looks more comfortable for a family .
Nice work . Of modern vehicle construction and versatility for a family and wknd trips.
Nice to see a chevy ..with these quality’s instead of dodge toyota or ford. Tha k you god bless you for trying thank yu thank you thank you
Wow, I’d buy 10 of these…………………… NOT!
How about a thread on more gm truck colors, those are exciting!
Yeah. Always amazes me how many fancy names they can come up with for black.
And grey/silver.
Have them build it with diesel and 4×4 for more usefulness. Looks awesome family is ready to go. No 4×4 vans
Have them build it with diesel and 4×4 for more usefulness. Looks awesome family is ready to go. No 4×4 vans anymore
It’s too bad they used the styling cues from the Silverado that is already going to be fixed for being unpopular.
That works! With an L3B all day, and of coarse an EV!
Look great
Great job to the artist but I can still smell the water leaks from here
Hopefully they put an LS motor
If it were to be scaled off the Astro that would be unlikely, but yeah! I’ll back that almost as much as an L̶S̶ “LT V8” in the twins!
I like it a lot if my dad had this he would slam it and tune it
I like it.
Yessah, I like it! I just bought an ’02 AWD with a 6 inch lift kit. She is immaculate. Having a new 4.3 Vortec installed now….then come the REAL customizations!! Finally at that stage in life where stuff like that is possible.
The artists’ rendering of the new Astro is bad to the bone…I’ll take one for sure!
I am still driving a 2000 GMC Safari because it is bigger than a mini van, towing capacity is 5500 lbs, fits inside my garage, has a flat floor for a twin size mattress plus space for a potty toilet and a shower tent, great for moving, truck like utility, and super reliable. No other van exits that meets these requirements.
The Mercedes Metris is basically the replacement, the thing the Post Office is driving around in. VW EuroVan, when that still was sold here.
Mercedes Metris is what they call “V-Klasse” or Vito in Europe.
They better quit playing
I NEED THAT THING!
Been a van master for yrs. Astro is a tank always got me home…. Easy to fix parts cheap owned like 20 of them 4 w Ls swaps 1 with a 5.7 vortec and a 02 awd w 500hp all tuned w trutrac diffs 4in body lift gen 4. they love the snow and turn n tow skis n 19ft. boats
v8 stro is way better than the v6 w hopped up tranny they bang n go fun to drive
I am still driving a 2002 Chevrolet Astro and I love it. I have been looking for another one because I have 200,000+ miles on it. I love the way the 2021 looks. Yes, I would buy it. Where is it being sold in around the Kentucky area?
Anxiously Awaiting
Robert E Sheffield, Sr.
There is no 2021 Astro. That is just an artists idea of how they would look if they were making them.
Keep your fingers crossed…who knows, maybe in a year or two they will be back in production!!
Yeah it looks perfect except for dummy GM about to get rid of that front facia which according to a recent poll it is the number reason the buyers choose this vehicle over competition.
Killing the ASTRO segment, with all wheel drive and a frame for pulling was another classic GM mistake-which forced me to another brand where I have stayed. Kinda like the Dustbuster vans of the 80s were an error…
The 4.3 was a great mid size motor and the thing got fairly decent MPG. I had both AWD and RWD models. The AWD would pull out a stump/literally and was great for NE winter driving. With rear seat and air the thing was comfortable in summer and winter. MY AWD was a conversion van with a roof topper and bed in the back… loved it.
unfortunately the bean counters probably prevailed. Sorta like trying to buy a real CAR from Ford these days, the market is homogenized into the same bland crap from everyone. Except the foreign offerings. GM actually makes more model variants available in CHINA than they do in the USA these days… So much for an AMERICAN company. no longer….
This is probably the best rendering GM Authority has ever posted. It would also work for a new Savanna.
I think you’re right–this looks more like a full-sized than a midsized van.
I had a Astro Van and just loved it. 147,000.0 miles when I traded it. Wish I still had it. This is really cool, love it.
Never owned a van, but this rendering would be a buy for me….Doesn’t GM take cues from the public?
It would be great if Chevy could just remake the 2004 AstroVan exactly like the old one body shape wise (cargo space), and make it Hybrid gas/electric … I’d buy one.
This just in everybody, 2022 Chevy Astro sales: 1. Buyers name is Gary.
It is about time the vans start looking better!
I think it looks good. I’ve owned 5 Astro’s and a 66 Dodge A100 van all customized. The first Astro was an 86 bought with 27k miles in 1988 that I lowered when none were even done back then. I made the front and rear lowering mods myself. Drove it 280k miles in my pinstriping biz. It was a good one. I’d take this new style Astro and do the same…make it a cargo van so I can letter up the sides, drop it about 7 inches, Billet wheels, toss the running boards, eliminate all the barbs and paint it crazy pastels with graphics. It sure would be making $$.
All that’s missing is the A-Team! I love it when a plan comes together.
Love my 96 LT. Purchased new and easy to repair. Still have it. This is the only vehicle that the entire family can go anywhere together when the kids visit with the grandkids over holidays and special days. Wish they still made them. What a workhorse.
Chevy needs a small Astro size van like yesterday. They also need to upgrade and modernize their existing van. Unfortunately I don’t see either one of those happening any time soon.
I wish GM could see these renderings they really are great to imagine what could have been and this one I really like
Would sell well in Japan, they love the Chevy Astro as they are3 very collectable over there. The Japanese love to customized them.
Send that picture to the gm Design Team, they could certainly use styling cues from this design in order to finally overhaul the Chevy Express Van if they don’t have no intent of resurrecting the Astro. Overall, this design looks good.
I would love to have one of those
I like it…reminds me of the 70s where the interior is plush and with the LT1 455 hp or even the 6.0 installed – that would be nice with dual exhaust, 20s and rear cameras and a tow package on air bags… Hell, the stripe even looks good…
I would by that kind of van…not a mini van tho… I must be getting old…lol
Too low. Like an ughlee Transit.
I love it. I’m an old astro freak for the last 20 yrs. I love the awd, 6 cyl and the room. Mine have been dog vans I’ve called em. I’d buy one if chevy every smarten up and make em again. I’m still driving an 03 astro.
Thinking about the “vanlife concept a raised roof line isnt part of the artistic concept but the appeal to campers and travelers is undeniable as seen with the recent hot market for older 1980,s conversion Van’s and 1970,s pop up roofs good luck finding anything decent, cheap and used
Please, please please! Someone from gm read that people want a new van! I have and express, an uplander, and 2 Astro’s in our fleet and they won’t last forever. I sure don’t want to have to replace them with euro vans. Something that looks like it was designed and made in North America. A full size and a down size version please!!! After 25 years I think the express/savana could use an update.
Agreed, it’s mind-blowing on how a 15+ year design still holds up successful sales especially within Fleet Sales, but a freshened (if not major) update is needed and from a recent gm Authority post, they plan on holding out from any major updates at least until 2023, they can continue to throw new engines underneath the hood, but it’s time for the design team to take it a step further throughout the entire vehicle.
One of the big reasons I’ve owned Astro for the last 20 yrs is that awd. If they ever bring it back hopefully the awd will too.
Needs a high output 6.0!!!
Yes l like it ,I wish they would come back out with one.
This is absolutely lovely. When is launch date?
Not going to happen. This is a fan, not GM (sorry, gm), who offered this.
2022 Chevy Astro
Ready to buy…went it will be a available…
looks great. like you said, should be on a shorter wheelbase. The LV3 4300 is perfect. Very spartan and utilitarian. Perfect canvas for personalisation.
Could be a great platform for EV. More affordable and accessible.
it can be designed to include a head ramp, a ladder and make it a 4×4 with long wheel base
Way ways way better looking and useful then the dumb looking style of the GMC futuristic Safari. I’d buy one tomorrow.
I would immediately order two of these to replace my excellent pair of 2000 Astro Vans. The new design would need 500+ HP, 500+ torque, tuned dual exhaust, rack and pinion steering, rear dutch doors, locking differential shifter, full time AWD, LT interior with cloth option, touch-screen controls, rear heat and AC, body on frame, floorboards access to the fuel pump, 10,000 lb towing cap. A complete redesign of those sticky rear door latches that freeze in the winters.
Love the design !!
I’d order one tomorrow if I could, but GM never does anything right anymore .