Chrysler PT Cruiser

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a "retro"-styled wagon from DaimlerChrysler.

It was designed as a modern interpretation of the Chrysler Airflow with Dodge Neon components, but the final product used a separate platform.

The PT Cruiser bears a resemblance in size and shape to the 1997 Chrysler CCV prototype as well as the Plymouth Pronto concept from the same year. The styling of the latter elicited a better response from the auto show circuit, and would evolve into the styling of the PT Cruiser.

It is a front wheel drive 5-passenger vehicle, classified as a truck by the EPA for CAFE fuel economy calculations but as a car by most other metrics. A convertible was introduced in 2004. A turbocharged GT model was introduced in 2002.

The PT Cruiser was on Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 2001 and won the North American Car of the Year award that year.

Officially, the “PT” stands for “Personal Transportation”, but the initials also designate the car's platform. The Neon was based on the Chrysler PL platform, or “Platform Low”, while the Cruiser was based on the Chrysler PT platform, for “Platform Tall”. “PT” was also the production code for the PT Cruiser.

For American markets they are manufactured at Toluca Car Assembly in Toluca, Mexico. DaimlerChrysler announced on March 8, 2006 that it had built 1,000,000 PT Cruisers at the Toluca plant since 2001. The European plant is in Graz, Austria, where the model was built only in 2002, using the production code PG. European PT Cruisers built in 2001 or from 2003 onwards are built in Mexico under the PT production code. The American version features a 2.4 L four-cylinder gasoline engine. In addition to this standard model, a 2.2 L diesel version is also available in Europe.

A 4-seat convertible model was added for 2005. It is a 2-door car with an integrated "sport bar" for added rigidity and rollover protection. In was accidental discovered that the sport bar also caused air to flow over the rear passengers resulting in a less drafty ride for those in the rear seats.