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2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser and PT Cruiser Turbo Compact Hatchback Wagons
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Reaction to the Cruizer showcar from the public and media was so forceful that marketing wizards at Chrysler developed a case for a Cruizer market and in 2001 a production version rolled out of a Chrysler assembly plant in Mexico as a multi-purpose vehicle under the banner of PT Cruiser -- as in Personal Transportation Cruiser.
It was an immediate hit, so popular in fact that customers stood in lines to add their names to lengthy waiting lists at dealer stores.
The only criticism leveled at the original PT Cruiser came from automotive writers who mused that a more powerful engine option would be desirable to pit the Cruiser's wild body stance against some real get-up-and-go power.
Now, two years after the debut of the original Cruiser, Chrysler answers those power critics by expanding the series to add several styling variations plus a muscular version called PT Turbo.
It totes a turbo-charged 2.4-liter four-in-line engine scored for high output and rated to 215-hp at 5,000 rpm and 245 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. More than 90 percent of the peak torque is available between 2,300 to 5,000 rpm.
Also aboard is either a five-speed heavy-duty manual shifter by Getrag of Germany or an optional four-speed automatic with Chrysler's AutoStick, which brings shift-it-yourself choices like a manual.
Four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock brakes (ABS) and a traction control system (TCS) are standard on PT Turbo, along with a suspension tuned tightly for sporty action and a performance exhaust with large-diameter exhaust tip dipped in chrome.
Fire it up and PT Turbo growls in a throaty purr that sounds as cool as it looks. Punch the throttle and it pounces on pavement. Run it around a track and it surges on command in a clean rush to speed.
PT Turbo appears in a monochromatic scheme with body-color fascia and a larger and lower front air port.
It rolls on 17-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels painted in silver and capped by P205/50HR17 all-season tires.
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