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Filed under: Truck, Auctions, Chrysler, Dodge, Specialty
Chrysler PT Cruiser RT/10 custom pickup - Click above for image gallery
Over the years,
Chrysler has built some awesome cars, and some... less than awesome. In one corner sits the
Dodge Viper, that V10-powered beast of a car that arguably more aptly demonstrated the blue blood running through Auburn Hills' veins more than anything else in the company's history. In the other, the rather unfortunate
Chrysler PT Cruiser, a retro hatch that may have demonstrated some originality when it first came out, but by its demise had long since outworn whatever charm it may have had in the first place.
The solution? Why, a marriage of the two, of course! One of only two reportedly built, this PT Cruiser featured some rather extensive modifications. For one, it did away with the rear doors and hatch back in favor of an enclosed pickup bed to give it a similar profile to the
Chevrolet SSR. But as you might have guessed, that wasn't the end of it. Not by a longshot.
The builders also replaced the PT's four-banger with a V10 engine from a Dodge Viper. Now, the 500-horsepower 8.3-liter engine didn't come along until the 2003MY Viper, but given that this vehicle was said to have been built in 2000, we'll have to assume it's the original 8.0 tuned up a little. Although the notion that it was built more recently - say, after 2005 when the PT Cruiser convertible was introduced - seems a distinct possibility.
Along with the engine, the builders also transplanted the Viper's six-speed gearbox, rear suspension, steering rack and more. It's up for grabs now on
eBay Motors, with bids standing - reserve unmet - at $12,322 as we went to press.
eBay Find of the Day: Chrysler PT Cruiser RT/10 pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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June 7th, 2011
Filed under: Wagon, Hatchback, Chrysler, Design/Style
Rendering of a next-generation Chrysler PT Cruiser - Click above for high-res image gallery
The end of production of the
Chrysler PT Cruiser prompted a reader at the
Cheers and Gears forum to try his hand at rendering what could have been a next-generation edition of the retro hatchback. It's often been said that following up a retro design is particularly difficult, though admittedly,
BMW has managed to do so with the
Mini.
The artist, Andrew Currie, has taken his cue from Mini by retaining the original PT's basic shape, with the biggest changes applied to the nose. A larger grille with four round, exposed headlamps still retains the flavor of the outgoing model. If the design were applied to a more modern platform with an up-to-date powertrain and better handling, it's certainly possible it could have been successful. The problem is that such designs tend to be fashion statements, and you know what they say about "One day you're in ..." In part, Mini's success has come by expanding the concept to different body styles including the
Clubman,
Countryman and the upcoming coupe and roadster. It's not clear that a single PT variant could do the job.
What do you think, could a new PT Cruiser with modern running gear still succeed? Let us know in our poll
after the jump.
[Source: Sector 329 Graphics/Andrew Currie via
Cheers and Gears]
Continue reading Next-gen PT Cruiser imagined despite car's demise
Next-gen PT Cruiser imagined despite car's demise originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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July 17th, 2010
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Today is the final day of production for the
Chrysler PT Cruiser. Once the shining star and gotta-have Chrysler of the moment, the much-neglected PT has finally been put to rest. It serves as a perfect demonstration of Chrysler's failings.
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July 9th, 2010
Filed under: Wagon, Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Chrysler
Sha Na Na tribute to the Chrysler PT Cruiser - Click above to watch video after the jump
Hear that? It's the lid on the dustbin of history about to close on Chrysler's
PT Cruiser, which
ends production today. In case you don't remember how popular the retro hatch used to be, in 2006, none other than
Sha Na Na composed a song about "The Cat in the PT Cruiser," 'cause "he's where it's at."
That, and the fact that the final example being made today looks almost exactly like the ones featured in this video might just answer all of your questions about why the once maniacally popular PT Cruiser has a date with Charon this evening.
Follow the jump for a look at history.
Photos copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source:
YouTube via
USA Today]
Continue reading Video: Chrysler PT Cruiser production ends today, Sha Na Na sends it out with a song
Video: Chrysler PT Cruiser production ends today, Sha Na Na sends it out with a song originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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July 9th, 2010
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Filed under: Budget, Recalls, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Chrysler
Recalled Chrysler PT Cruiser after the fatal crash - Click above to watch video after the jump
We don't typically think of rental cars as the most well-loved vehicles on the planet, but we do expect them to be well maintained and reasonably safe. According to findings from a recent lawsuit against
Enterprise, that may not always be true. In a case involving the death of two California women who were killed after their rental
Chrysler PT Cruiser caught fire and struck an oncoming semi. Enterprise admitted that it routinely rents out vehicles that are under recall and haven't been repaired. The
PT Cruiser was one of those vehicles.
In September of 2004, Chrysler issued a recall for the car. In certain instances, the vehicle's power steering unit could leak, causing an engine fire. Enterprise continued to rent the vehicle for a full month after receiving the recall notice before Raechel Houck, 24, and her sister, Jacquie, 20 rented the vehicle for a trip to visit their parents.
In further testimony, it was revealed that Enterprise routinely rents out vehicles under recall, and that the company has no standing policy against doing so. ABC News also indicates that other major companies like Hertz and Avis conduct themselves similarly.
In the case of the PT Cruiser, a jury awarded the womens' parents a $15 million settlement. Click
past the jump to watch the ABC News video report.
[Source:
ABC News]
Continue reading Report: Rental car companies 'routinely' letting recalled vehicles on the streets [w/ video]
Report: Rental car companies 'routinely' letting recalled vehicles on the streets [w/ video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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July 7th, 2010
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Filed under: Budget, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Chrysler
2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser - Click above for high-res image gallery
Chrysler's long-lived
PT Cruiser will finally roll off into the sunset next month after a decade in production. According to the
Detroit Free Press, when the 2010 model year winds down at Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico plant on July 9, the final Cruisers will be produced. The retro-styled five door hatchback was a sensation when it debuted and inspired customers to pay a premium over the sticker price to get one. Over the years, the styling was tweaked only slightly its competitiveness declined significantly as DaimlerChrysler steadfastly refused to invest in it.
The Cruiser was originally earmarked for discontinuation a year ago, but when Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, it needed product, so the automaker
kept it alive for another 12 months. The Toluca factory will now be re-tooled for production of another retro-design small car, the
Fiat 500 which joins the Chrysler lineup later this year.
Photos copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source:
Detroit Free Press]
Report: Final PT Cruiser to roll off Chrysler assembly line on July 9 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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June 29th, 2010
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