[strangelove]

GM's is a total rip off of the PT, and the problem the HHR has is bad fuel economy and less cargo space. Yet again GM and DC are missing the mark with their crossovers. For the American market the old, "Bigger is Better" attitude keeps vehicles from actually being better and the German habit of creating more deisel engines for their fuel efficiency standards. Both are flawed paths if you ask me. Sure car enthusiasts would love a beefier V6 in a PT, but like Robinjoe mentioned earlier that's why you would pick a PT GT, a four cylider vehicle that has more HP than many V6 vehicles on the road.

What they need to start doing is stop messing with the asthetics of the PT and start improving the the engineering and performance of the PT. Keep the size and form factor the same yet increase fuel effeciency. Add all wheel drive, add a hybrid to the lineup. Let the Caliber be the bigger beefier car and keep the PT the size it is. A good example of this is the VW Bettle which stayed in production for many many years. Engine modifications and driving characteristics improved while the exterior basically stayed the same. The styling of the PT is iconic and needs no improvement. A V6 engine is not needed since DC would need to redesign the engine compartment to accomodate the bigger engine, which would mean that the exterior would need to change, the whole vehicle would need to be bigger and who wants that. A bigger PT with a V6 would probably not increase the power to weight ratio that much anyways.

If you ask me DC is on pace to ruin the PT to make room for its more "Luxery" models like their Pacifica and 300M to condition consumers up to their Mercedes line. Personally I think the PT should be moved to the Dodge line so that it can exist in an appropriate demographic and DC can stop screwing up a good thing. How does a Dodge PT Cruiser sound to y'all. Then I think the PT could get the R&D that SRT has been churning out.