Happy Days, Delirious Price
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday November 3, 2000
The retro PT Cruiser cleverly packages feel-good shapes from decades past and a modern, flexible interior. Besotted buyers, says Bill McKinnon, will ignore the premium and endure its shortcomings.
The 1930s-1960s was the golden age of American automobile design. In his fine book, Classic American Cars, Quentin Willson describes the period as "a massive metallic fantasy - engineered by a deliberate corporate policy of encouraging dreams".
Daimler-Chrysler's new PT Cruiser shows that the Americans can still pull a dream machine out of the box occasionally. During the week Drive had the PT Cruiser, it drew an equal number of oohhs, ahhs and wows to the previous slay-'em-in-the-streets titleholder, the New Beetle.
The PT Cruiser, though, doesn't rely on a single ancestor for its contrived retro look. What does it remind you of? Unless you're an American car nut, you probably can't name a particular model.
That's the really clever thing about the PT - it's not a new version of a legend, it's a collage of feel-good shapes and styling cues from mid-20th century (mainly the '30s)
auto-Americana.
And it works, at least in the short term. The waiting list here is currently three months; in the US it's 12. Chrysler initially planned to build 120,000 PTs a year in Mexico. It has expanded capacity to 180,000 and will be able to produce 230,000 annually when the Graz, Austria plant opens next year.
Retro mania has a habit of dying fast though - the Beetle has well and truly lost its flavour of the month status, both here and in other markets. It will be interesting to see the ultimate shelf life of the Beetle and the PT Cruiser when supply exceeds demand by a sizable margin.
The PT's retro look disguises a quite space efficient mid-size interior, with a variety of people- and load-carrying options.
On the road, it is surprisingly competent, but only to the level of an average $20,000-$25,000 hatch. The PT's extra $10,000-$15,000 asking price is the premium for pose value.
The PT Cruiser starts at $33,400 for the five-speed manual Classic, which includes dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, air-conditioning, six-speaker CD-radio-cassette audio (with better than average sound), power operation of driver's seat height adjustment, windows and mirrors plus remote central locking.
The Limited, at $39,900, adds leather and suede upholstery, 16-inch chrome wheels with 205/55 tyres, side airbags in the front seats, a leather-wrapped wheel and front foglights. A four-speed automatic adds $2,100.
Both PTs are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder shared with the Neon sedan but delivering more power and torque to the front wheels. A Neon-based platform underpins the PT; the steering gear, brakes and front suspension layout are also common. This is why it's a surprise to find the PT is a decent drive - the Neon is dreadful.
The 2.0 can struggle to pull the higher gears below 3,000 rpm, but from here on it's a zippy, willing device which makes enthusiastic noises and is acceptably smooth.
On the highway it's necessary to change down a gear or two for quick overtaking (the same applies to steep climbs), but there's no point in revving to the max - the mid-range is where it works best.
The five-speed manual gearbox is reasonably precise but quite notchy in action, while the clutch takes up late and sharply. The lever is located low - some drivers may find it a bit of a reach. The chromed stick is a nice touch spoiled by a cheap plastic knob.
Chrysler must have taken suspension tuning lessons from its Daimler partner. The PT Cruiser has a well-tuned ride-handling compromise, with a firmer, better controlled character than the usual US blancmange.
A long wheelbase and relatively wide track contribute to good open road stability and the PT is solid and secure on rough roads. It leans hard on the outside front wheel when turning into a tight corner or changing direction quickly - if you get too keen, the Goodyear Eagles will hang on to a point then let go with little warning.
On the credit side, the tyres generate very low road noise. The ABS is fine. Ride quality is firmish but comfortably compliant.
The steering is fairly quick and accurate. The only problem is that you have to hang on hard to the wheel to stop swaying from side to side whenever you encounter a few corners.
Chrysler may as well have maintained the theme and fitted the PT with a period bench seat - it would have provided the same non-existent support and, when feeling all nostalgic for those Happy Days times, you could drape an arm across the shoulders of the beloved.
At least there's plenty of travel and the cushion, though short, is generously padded.
The driving position is akin to a people-mover or small 4WD such as the RAV4. The seat is elevated so short drivers will have no problems with visibility over the PT Cruiser's high waistline.
The interior features retro touches everywhere and looks sensational - this emphasis on style doesn't compromise the control layout, which is efficient and simple. There's no covered centre console storage, but cup-holders and door pockets abound.
At the first service you'll probably disconnect the incredibly annoying door and seatbelt warning chimes. Other irritations include a difficult-to-remove ignition key, no remote fuel cap release (you have to use the key) or tailgate unlocking and the need to depress the clutch when starting the car.
The back seat, slab-shaped like the front, has good leg room, easy access plus three lap-sash belts and head restraints but is more suited to two adults. Passengers sit high and comfortably (swaying in unison with the driver). Three child restraint anchors are well located in the seat back.
The seat is split 60/40; each section can be double-folded or removed altogether. The load area is comparable with an Astra or Laser with all seats in use, but configuring the PT for a variety of people- and load-carrying requirements is as simple as it gets.
With the back seat double-folded, you have a 135 cm floor; take one or both sides out and you have 160-170 cm.
The PT's solid cargo cover is an ingenious device. It can be set to two heights, stowed on the floor or against the back seat or used as a table with the supporting strut wedged into the tailgate latch. The spare is under the car.
Build and finish quality on the test Limited was average. The driver's door often wouldn't shut properly, but the body felt tight and the interior was free of squeaks and rattles.
Viewed as a set of wheels, there's no way the PT Cruiser is worth $35,000-$40,000. Neither is the New Beetle. When the resurrected Mini arrives next year, it will probably be the same story. But these style statements are the most emotive purchases in the business - besotted buyers reckon their money is well spent. Can't argue with that.
Vital signs
Engine
2.0-litre 16-valve fuel-injected four-cylinder.
Power
104 kW at 5,600 rpm (average).
Performance
0-100 km/h in 11.2 seconds (average).
Brakes
Discs with ABS (average).
Economy
8.8 litres/100 km highway; 11.9 city (a bit thirsty).
Prices
Recommended retail $33,400;
Limited $39,900.
Street price
No deals and a three-month wait.
Main options
Sunroof $2,655; roof rack $460; "flame" kit $300 plus fitting.
Warranty
Three years/60,000 km (below average).
Residual value
Anybody's guess. There is a limited number of retro car buyers - but keep in mind that Chrysler plans to nearly double production, so there is the prospect of oversupply and new car discounting, eg, the New Beetle.
Safety rating
Acceptable
(US NCAP tests, left-hand drive).
Alternatives
No direct rivals.
In size, performance and interior packaging, the PT is closest to:
Toyota RAV4
$33,770
Audi A3
$38,700
Honda CR-V Sport
$33,650
The results
Rating out of 5
***
The Good
Inspires waves of nostalgia in people who weren't even there. Space efficient, with a versatile, practical interior.
Well tuned suspension with good ride-handling compromise. Strong mid-range performance.
The Bad
Complete lack of support in front and back seats. Can quickly turn to severe understeer when pushed in corners. Gearbox and clutch lack finesse. Weak bottom end. Higher than average fuel consumption. Engine sounds as if it is in the glovebox.
The verdict
An automotive eccentricity at a premium price.
© 2000 Sydney Morning Herald
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