The minivan has joined the club of all-time best-selling vehicles with FCA announcing Wednesday it has surpassed the 15-million mark in sales of the vehicle.

The first minivan, a Plymouth Voyager, rolled off the Windsor Assembly Plant production line on Nov. 2, 1983 for the 1984 model year.

“Reaching 15 million minivans sold isn’t just about hitting a number, it’s about the memories families have made and the children who have grown up driven to school or practice or on a family road trip over the past three and a half decades,” said Tim Kuniskis, global head of Alfa Romeo and head of passenger cars — Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA — North America.

Dave Cassidy, Unifor Local 444 president said he remembers when the “Magic Wagon” first came off the assembly line — everyone was “up in arms” and doubting its future.

“People were very skeptical,” he said. “And here we are 36 years later still building a great product through the old innovation, the changing aerodynamically.

“It’s not the square box that it was with the wood panels on the sides — it’s a really sharp looking vehicle.”

Over the past 36 years, the minivan has evolved through six generations. Ironically the revived Voyager is the latest edition and is being launched this fall in the U.S.

“It has done so well for this economy,” Cassidy said. “In 1993, we negotiated the third shift and here we are 26 years later. We still have a three-shift operation building those minivans every single day all over North America — it’s a success story, it’s just been wonderful, not only for Windsor Essex County but for Canada.”

FCA has introduced 115 firsts in the minivan segment, including producing the only hybrid minivan in North America.

Other vehicles to surpass the 15-million mark in global sales are: Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Beetle, Lada Riva, Honda Civic, Ford Escort, Honda Accord, Ford Model T, Volkswagen Passat and the Ford Fiesta.

The Corolla is the all-time sales leader with more than 43-million vehicles sold.