PT Cruiser fans who were relieved to hear only the convertible version would no longer be built may, after all, have reason to mourn. The Wall Street Journal, quoting a Chrysler dealership owner, says the retro-styled wagon-like CUV is again on the company's hit list.
No word on why Chrysler brass changed their minds or when the final PT will be built, but if you want a new one, you should probably take advantage of the soon-to-be-announced rebates soon. So, is it just a coincidence that the final special edition PT Cruiser will be the Sunset Boulevard Edition?[Source: WSJ via All Cars All the Time]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John R @ Nov 18th 2007 8:27AM
Yes!
strongbadinator @ Nov 18th 2007 2:05PM
Agreed. Next time Chrysler wants to use this style, they better make it bigger so it doesn't look so girly, and throw a v8 into it. Or a boosted 4 or 6 banger. This car looked great in sketches, and in person it just turned into a senior citizen mobile, where old people would buy one and pretend to be cool to their grandkids. Until those grandkids realized that only old farts drive these things.
Kristovar @ Nov 18th 2007 6:36PM
Shortbadinator--
There already is a boosted I4 PT Cruiser- same engine as the Neon SRT-4. It's a fantastic drive, actually-- to the point that I'd trade in my own SRT-4 for one.
1337 @ Nov 19th 2007 12:55AM
Kristovar,
The fact that you already have a Dodge says it all. The rest of us think the PT is a hunk of trash and should have been shot long ago.
whofan @ Nov 18th 2007 8:27AM
Shame this car is getting the ax. I would think theres life left in the cruiser. Its a small effiecent utility vehicle now when fuel prices are going through the roof, the PT Cruiser looks better all the time.
YouFaceTheTick @ Nov 18th 2007 11:14AM
As others have stated, low 20s is common in a PT. That's not efficient. That's not even close to efficient. My Cooper S gets 30 mpg getting run really hard. My wife's A3 nets her 26-27 mpg. WTF are you driving that a PT's 21 mpg seems efficient?
adam @ Nov 18th 2007 11:38AM
The PT Cruiser's styling was dated from the first day it rolled off the line. The mild refreshing it had was simply not enough to sustain it.
Chrysler shouldn't have strayed so far from the Pronto concept:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Pronto
Z @ Nov 18th 2007 9:12AM
It's always sad to see an outdated, ugly, slow, geriatric economy vehicle take an axe to the face.
Wait. Nah, it's perfectly fine. Carry on.
LX builder @ Nov 18th 2007 9:29AM
Love it or hate it, the one thing the PT has going for it is a strong sense of identity, and a loyal following of customers. These are two things Chrysler should value and not turn their back on. As recently as spring time this was the Chrysler brands number two seller behind the 300.
Chase @ Nov 18th 2007 9:31AM
"...the retro-styled wagon-like CUV..."
--
It's called a hatchback, bud.
AlexP @ Nov 18th 2007 9:53AM
Not in the marketing world of today.
len simpson @ Nov 18th 2007 9:48AM
when GM corrected the pt cruzr mistakes,I quickly bought one.
33k smiles
Justin @ Nov 19th 2007 8:24AM
Wait...
you think GM makes the PT Cruiser?
HAHAHAHAHA
Scotty @ Nov 19th 2007 8:38AM
Justin, I believe he is talking about the HHR.
len simpson @ Nov 19th 2007 9:21AM
PT & HHR designed by the same person
summazooma @ Nov 18th 2007 10:05AM
Interesting that a product that was a bigger-than-anticipated success when launched is getting hacked, rather than replaced or substantially improved.
Personally, I thought the original execution (especially notable was the interior) to be one of the best from the domestics (perhaps only topped by full-size pick-up). Note, I didn't say "theme"; As for the retro theme, I was left feeling cold and always felt that, if they did a modern-themed 5-door off of the PTC platform for Dodge, with the same high level of execution, it would be a great replacement for Neon.
So, instead, there's a completely new (and exceedingly poorly executed) 5-door at Dodge, the Caliber... and the Minor Model Change for the PT Cruiser inexpicably changed hard tooling on the interior, resulting in an I/P that's got a square-edged alien-piece center stack in place of the cohesive look of the original... and I'm driving a Mazda3 5-door, instead...
PT Cruiser was a lost opportunity for Mopar (glad they didn't sell Mopar, BTW). If they aren't careful, they'll do the same with any/all of the product with which they've had some hits (LX, anyone?)... The execution is the key, with the themes actually part of the reason they had some success even with poorly-turned-out product like Caliber.
The Friendly Grizzly @ Nov 18th 2007 10:45AM
One commenter mentioned its efficiency. That is something I have never noticed in PTs at all. I have had several on rental over the years and have never eked out more than 21 mpg in any of them. For comparison, I regularly break 30 in Malibus (both 4 AND 6), and do better in my personal car with two more cylinders, 1 litre more displacement, and a lot more weight.
They are a nice little car with very good build quality. And it has the headroom I need; this is lacking in many other cars. But economical? Hardly.
Avinash machado @ Nov 18th 2007 10:52AM
So I guess the Chevy HHR will enjoy higher sales since it will have no competition. I will really miss the PT Cruiser.
icetraxx @ Nov 18th 2007 11:07AM
This can be a problem with any car maker (and the domestic mentality of old), leaving a car in production for a what seems like an eternity and watch the sales slowly decline to nothing as the car becomes completely outdated (ie. the last camaro).
geo.stewart @ Nov 18th 2007 7:02PM
the other major problem is that none of the manufacturers have figured out how to do a 2nd generation retro vehicle...
As the PT Cruiser is the first to suffer, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Mustang, HHR, and Beetle.
Beetle has long legs just because of its history of longevity though the charm is long gone.
Ford will have a tough time but it has a history of reinventing the Mustang's look so it can do several things.
The HHR will have a challenge as to how it handles a second generation.