It wasn’t your imagination; that minivan you saw the other day did have a Warner Bros. logo on it.  And it’s not one of those cheap badges you can get from the WB store, either.  No, this minivan is more than just mass transit for rugrats.  It comes with toys!  It also benefits from other improvements that Chevy has made to the Venture for 2001, with GM’s OnStar system, a parking assist system, and fold-flat captain’s chairs.

The Chevy Venture has always been one of those faceless minivans that sort of faded into the background next to the Toyota Siennas.  While Chrysler and Mazda have given their vans elegant style, and Ford’s vans have gone, well, in the opposite direction, the Venture doesn’t try to make much of an impression at all.  Its stablemates the Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Montana each have distinctive styling, and the Venture seems to be the blank template from which they began.

Inside is where the fun begins with the WB edition.  The standard Venture is a comfortable living room on wheels.  The removable second row captain’s chairs fold flat, and the rear bench tumbles down for a flat load floor.  An overhead console keeps information at the driver’s fingertips.  The dash is standard Chevrolet fare, with easy-to-read gauges and chunky ancillary controls, and there’s a handy net between the front seats for holding odd-shaped items.  A dual air conditioning system allows different temperature settings front and rear.  An optional driver’s side power sliding door eases entry and exit, although its operation is a lot fussier than that of other vans’ doors.  The Venture’s doors lock automatically when it’s put into gear, but don’t unlock until the ignition is shut off, which prevents the power door from opening and frustrates mom-taxi type duties to no end.  The cargo area is enhanced by a “convenience center,” a folding panel that lifts to reveal grocery bag hooks and handy partitions for holding small objects that would tumble around in other minivans (the Toyota Sienna pops to mind).  The center partition is watertight as well, for holding squishy, leaky objects.

Now for the exciting stuff.  The Warner Bros. Edition, introduced last year, has family road-tripping in mind.  A video player is installed in a console at the base of the dash, and a flip-down LCD video monitor entertains rear-seat passengers.  The screen measures 6.8″ diagonally, and is easily seen even from the third-row seats thanks to a raised floor at the rear.  Three-way audio controls allow parents up front to listen to something other than whatever cartoons are keeping the kids busy in back, or the sound can be piped through one of four included wireless headphone sets.  For bigger crowds, there are six more headphone jacks scattered through the cabin.  A handsome, unique cloth/leather interior also helps to set the Warner Bros. Venture apart from lesser minivans.  And although some other minivans are available with similar multimedia systems, buyers of Warner Bros. Edition Ventures are automatically enrolled in the “Venturetainment!” program.  A discount card can be used at Warner Bros. stores and while traveling.

An overhead information center houses a compass, trip computer, and the OnStar display.  GM’s OnStar system, available in most General Motors vehicles by now, offers emergency roadside assistance at the touch of a button.  The system will also automatically call for help if the airbags deploy, using a remote location system to direct emergency crews to the site of the accident.  Side airbags in the front seats and an integral child safety seat in the rear are standard equipment as well, to enhance the safety aspect.

Over the road, the Venture feels solid and stable.  It drives as unobtrusively as it looks.  The 185-horsepower V6 has some trouble keeping up with freeway speeds; acceleration is decent, but the four-speed transmission hunted for gears constantly on the highway.  Four-wheel antilock brakes are standard, and a traction control system is optional.

All of the entertainment equipment is standard in the Warner Bros. Edition, and not available on other Venture models.  As top-of-the-line, the Warner Bros. Venture also includes aluminum wheels, special badging, a luggage rack, a special cloth/leather interior, and a power driver’s seat as standard equipment.  In fact, the only options available are an in-dash CD changer, the power left-hand sliding door, and self-sealing tires.  Our test Venture Warner Bros. Edition stickered for $31,065.  Isn’t that a small price to pay for peace and quiet on a long road trip?

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Chevrolet Venture Warner Bros. Edition,  which we tested.
Length:     200.9 in.
Width:        72.0 in.
Height:        68.1 in.
Wheelbase:    120.0 in.
Curb weight:    3838 lb. (est.)
Cargo space:    119.8 cu.ft. max.
Base price:    $30,315
Price as tested: $31,065
Engine:     3.4 liter V6
Drivetrain:     four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:     185 @ 5200
Torque:     210 @ 4000
Fuel capacity:    20 gal.
Est. mileage:    19/26

6/2009 update:  GM pulled the plug on the Venture a few years after this model, and it was never particularly loved or impressive in comparison to, well, any other minivan on the market.  The WB package is cute, (and a reminder of the days before the WB stores followed the Venture into oblivion) but not long after Chevy’s innovation you could get DVD entertainment in just about any minivan, so this special edition isn’t all that special in retrospect.