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By
EWAN KENNEDY
14 August 2006
Chrysler's icon PT Cruiser is now in the showrooms in a new format, as a
great looking open-top special. One of the most interesting cabriolets
we have seen for a long time thanks to its retro looks and feel.
The shape is a real blast from the
past and grabbed attention wherever we took it during the week’s
road test we have, sadly, just completed. With the electrically
powered top down this is one of the most enjoyable vehicles we
have ever ridden in.
Getting the big soft-top top down
is pretty simple, though unusually in this day and age, there's
still a manual latch to be undone (in the top-centre of the
windscreen) before you can push a button and let the
computer-controlled electro-hydraulics tuck the roof away.
‘Away’ isn’t quite the right
way to describe the roof in its open position, because it’s
still pretty visible sitting over the back of the car. Which is
appealing enough in a retro manner so not really a drawback. You
can simply leave the roof as it is, or attach a cover over it by
slipping it into the areas at the rear and side, then fasten it
down with a pair of press-studs. It’s a bit slow and fiddly at
first but you soon learn its little idiosyncrasies and make it all
work your way.
With the roof down the car isn’t
completely topless as there's a targa bar over the area behind the
front seats. It not only provides strength in the case of a
rollover, but also stiffens up the complete body.
The PT Cruiser cabriolet is
virtually a full four-seater for adults. The folding roof
mechanism steals some width from the rear seat, hence it’s no
longer a five-seater. The rear legroom isn’t quite as good as in
the hatchback, but is more than acceptable for a car of this type.
Check on the view out as that in the rear seat is partly masked by
roof and targa bar.
There's plenty of headroom even
with the roof closed and infinite headroom with it open!
Luggage space is impressive for a
vehicle of this type. Obviously not as good as in the hatchback
variant, but you can get a couple of decent sized suitcases in
there. The biggest hassle is a strengthening bar that sits just
behind the backrests of the rear seats. Soft luggage is often the
best option in a vehicle of this nature and the PT Cruiser is
certainly much better than most in this class. To the extent that
it really could be used on a day-to-day basis as a family car, it’s
a lot more than simply a pretty convertible.
The phrase ‘blast from the past’
also refers to some less than ideal features of the PT Cruiser
cabriolet. The finish of the body panels is on the rough and ready
side, with huge gaps that aren't particularly even. There was a
fair bit of wind noise from one side of the roof on our test car,
but not the other. The interior also has some areas that could
have been finished better.
Yet somehow none of this mattered.
Indeed, in some ways the rough finish goes with the retro look of
the PT Cruiser, adding to the enjoyment not detracting from it. We’ve
only mentioned the finish because those youngsters brought up in
an era of near-immaculate car manufacturing might be taken by
surprise. Believe me, it used to be a lot worse in days gone by.
Ride comfort is good and the PT
Cruiser Cabriolet can handle typical Australian B-grade roads with
confidence. It’s no sports machine being somewhat soft in the
suspension and light in the steering in the way our American
friends prefer it.
Noise levels are generally subdued
thanks to the sophisticated roof design. Tyre noise under certain
circumstances can be irritating, but that isn’t unusual in
imported cars.
A 2.4-litre powerplant is used in
the PT Cruiser Cabriolet. Torque is good and the engine is willing
to rev when asked to do so. It’s not the most powerful unit
around though, and it’s necessary to use the gearbox to keep the
engine in its torque band. More so in the Cabrio than the hatch as
the open-top car weighs 55 kg more due to the need for extra
underbody stiffening.
The manual gearbox has a good
change for its class, though you wouldn’t call it a sporting
unit as it’s on the spongy side in its actions. You do get used
to it and, again, it can be regarded as part of the retro charm.
Fuel consumption was typically in
the nine to ten litres per hundred kilometres range in country
driving and 11 to 12 litres per hundred around town. Not great
figures in absolute terms, but acceptable for a largish soft-top
with all that means in the way of extra weight and doubtful
aerodynamics.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
PT Cruiser Cabrio Touring 2.4-litre two-door convertible -
$35,890
PT Cruiser Cabrio Limited 2.4-litre two-door convertible - $38,490
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in both models
Air Conditioning: Standard in both models
Automatic Transmission: $2000 in both models
CD Player: Standard in both models
Central Locking: Standard in both models
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Driver Airbag: Standard in both models
Passenger Airbag: Standard in both models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in both models
SPECIFICATIONS (Chrysler PT
Cruiser Cabrio Touring 2.4-litre two-door convertible)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.429 litres
Configuration: Transverse, four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
Bore/Stroke: 87.5 x 101.0mm
Maximum Power: 105kW @ 5200rpm
Maximum Torque: 214Nm @ 4000rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Five-speed
Automatic Transmission: Four-speed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.94:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND
CAPACITIES:
Length: 4286mm
Wheelbase: 2616mm
Width: 1748mm
Height: 1539mm
Turning Circle: 11.1 metres
Kerb Mass: 1605kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 57 litres
Towing Ability: 450kg
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, MacPherson struts, coil
springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Twist beam axle, trailing arms, coil springs,
anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.3 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 17.3 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Petrol 95RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 9.3 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000km
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Marque Publishing Company
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