Say goodbye to the PT Cruiser
Posted Jan 16 2009, 10:38 AM by Kim Peterson Rating: Filed under: GM, Kim Peterson
Chrysler is killing one of the most iconic and pioneering cars on the road. The company will stop building the PT Cruiser this summer, president Tom LaSorda said this week.

The Cruiser follows six other models to the Chrysler graveyard, all gone since Cerberus Capital bought the company in 2007. Now, all Chrysler has left are the Town & Country minivan and the Sebring and 300C sedans, according to Bloomberg.

I'll miss the PT Cruiser, but I can see the reasoning behind the move. After nabbing an enormous amount of buzz in its 2000 debut, Cruiser sales dropped nearly 50% last year to just 51,000 units in the U.S. One dealership gave them away like they were ballpoint pens.

 

unfortunately we may face the same demise.

 

i think the PT market just got too saturated and it wasn't unique anymore. Sad if that happens with us.

However, if they stop production on hrr's we'll be hanging on to ours while the chumps get rid of them, and then we end up with nice and sort of rare classics.

 

There are so many used "newer 06/07/08's" PT Cruiser's around here with less then 10000 miles for $11000/$12000 bucks. I myself though about picking one up before I bought my HHR for that price you couldn't go wrong

 

After a car has been on the market for nine years without any real physical changes, what do you expect! Why would anyone want to purchase a design that is that old when new models that are more exciting are on the market. Chrysler obviously had no plans to give the car a fresh look. It's better to let it die. This time next year we are more than likely not gonna see any Chrysler cars.

The HHR could have the same problems soon if Chevy does not give it a fresh look.

I personally miss the PT, but sorry to say it's time has come.

 

The HHR is enjoying very good sales, and has a very respectable "demand" in the markplace. GM will also need this vehicle to help maintain it's fuel economy average for the Chevrolet line. I wouldn't be surprised to see it morph into something more "contemporary", but doubt that it would be discontinued like the PT. I pass two Dodge/Chrysler dealers every day and it's been quite some time since I've seen a new PT on the lot. Says a lot. The Chevy dealer I bought mine from says they can sell every HHR they can get their hands on ... new and used.

 

Saddly both will be plentiful for a while with all of the rentals hitting the car lots and auctions. The rentals just don't have the options of even the base models.

I still think the PT is a great looking car.

 

Could mean extra sales for the HHR as well. Anyone wanting that Retro look will now only have 1 choice.

 

i think that gm may have gotten the idea for the hhr from the pt. i have never liked the pt , and it makes my teeth sweat when someone says " oh you have a pt " , it makes me cringe just to think and type it.

 

I'd say that's a pretty safe bet since they were designed by the same person; Brian Nesbit.