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The 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 23:04:50 |
| Rating |
 168 ( -23 -13.69% ) |
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Description:
Sneak PeekThe 2001 Chrysler PT CruiserBy Paul A
Sneak Peek
The 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
By Paul A. Eisenstein
Too cool to categorize.
To some, it looks like an old woody station wagon. Or maybe a 1930s sedan. To others, it is a modern update of the classic London taxicab. Everyone, it seems, has a different take on Chrysler's new PT Cruiser. We tend to agree with DaimlerChrysler co-Chairman Bob Eaton, who declares the Cruiser "too cool to categorize."
If we had to fit it into a single niche, the Cruiser would cruise into the rapidly expanding list of hybrid car/sport-utilities. Its tall body offers the roominess of a minivan or sport-utility vehicle, but it is expected to deliver the ride and comfort of a sedan.
Expected to debut later this year, the Cruiser is built on a front-wheel-drive platform and shares many of its basic chassis and powertrain components with the new Neon. Its spacious interior is largely lifted from the Neon, which was completely redesigned for model year 2000.
The Cruiser's engine, however, is borrowed from the larger Dodge Cirrus. Displacing 2.4-liters, this 16-valve 4-cylinder engine is likely to provide a pleasant kick when you slam down the accelerator.
The Cruiser should be priced less than $20,000. Initially, Chrysler expected it would attract buyers in their 30s and 40s. But consumer research revealed an unexpectedly broad demand from almost every age and income bracket. There also appears to be strong demand overseas. Chrysler officials expect to sell the PT Cruiser in 40 countries, both in left-hand and right-hand steering configurations.
If the initial surge of praise translates into sales, Chrysler could be hard pressed to meet demand. The Cruiser will be built at the automaker's assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico, which may not have the capacity to produce enough of them.
If past is prologue to the future, Chrysler already is working on a second-generation Cruiser. At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January, the automaker unveiled a new concept vehicle it dubbed the Cruizer AWD. It is basically an all-wheel-drive version of the production Cruiser, which will be front-drive only. If built, the AWD model would likely appear a year or so after the first Cruiser hits dealer showrooms. |
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