Last Of Chrysler’s PT Cruisers Rolls Out Of The Factory

Today marks the end of the line for the Chrysler PT Cruiser, one of the most mocked and misunderstood vehicles of the past decade, but also one of the more successful. Its 1930s delivery-van looks have long seemed out of place among the more modern designs of recent years. But mostly it has been a strong, steady seller. Chrysler may wind up missing the PT.

I remember the hype that preceded the PT Cruiser’s release 10 years ago. What stands out most is the way Chrysler aimed the PT at younger drivers. Back then it seemed every carmaker claimed to have the automotive honey that would attract buyers in their 20s and 30s. Pontiac tried it with the Aztek, a clunky SUV that looked like a soft luggage on wheels and appealed to almost no one. The PT missed the mark in a different, more fortuitous way.

While youthful motorists never really took Chrysler’s bait, their parents and grandparents did. Older drivers, from aging baby boomers to octogenarians. My own parents debated at length about the car’s design. Did it look more like great Grandpa’s 1940 Plymouth or Uncle so-and-so’s 1937 Ford? While my friends made fun of the car, my parents’ friends bought them. They also loaded them with optional equipment and, in the first year or so, waited in line to get them. Many even paid premiums to dealers to get theirs sooner.

For many years Chrysler steadily sold more than 100,000 PT Cruisers annually, which is a strong number for what was considered a niche vehicle. Even 2008 saw more than 50,000 sold. This year just 4,917 found buyers through the end of June, down 43% from last year. One can argue Chrysler let a good design languish, largely failing to update it during a decade when other cars were redesigned every few years. But the company needs to make room in the PT’s Toluca, Mexico, factory for the coming Fiat 500, another promising retro design.

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/07/09/last-of-chryslers-pt-cruisers-rolls-out-of-the-factory-today/