Chrysler unveils new PT Cruiser in time for the Dream Cruise

[TexasPriest]

Chrysler unveils new PT Cruiser in time for the Dream Cruise



Scott Burgess / The Detroit News

ROYAL OAK -- The newest member to the PT Cruiser family, a limited-edition, white-and-black, two-tone retro sedan, didn't stop traffic along Woodward Avenue Tuesday, but it did turn some heads.

For the past five years, Chrysler LLC has debuted a Dream Cruise edition model of its successful PT Cruiser during the week leading up to Saturday's Woodward Dream Cruise. Since the PT Cruiser arrived in 2000, Chrysler has created 14 factory-customized, limited--edition versions of the retro sedan.

"We couldn't think of a better way to kick off this week," Larry Lyons, Chrysler's vice president of cars and minivans, said during the new Cruiser's unveiling at Duggan's Irish Pub.

"There are 1.3 million PT Cruiser owners and the reason we do these cars is we have such a loyal following," said Michael Berube, senior manager, Chrysler brand marketing.

The Dream Cruiser 5 edition will be on sale this fall and will cost $22,700, including shipping.

It includes hand-milled and machined upper and lower cross-hatched aluminum grilles. It sparkles with chrome touches around the body, including a piece low across the doors, a special sill plate and the letters PT right below the mirror on the driver's door. The rear includes a special black hoop spoiler and the car sits on special 17-inch SRT, Chrysler's high performance division, designed wheels.

Chrysler designer John Sgalia said this PT includes a new black fabric for its seats and updates around the interior. From the limited edition sill plate to the chrome accents around the cup holders, this PT Cruiser has been overhauled.

The Dream PT will offer two powertrains, a standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway or a turbo charged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that will create 180 horsepower while reaching the same mileage numbers. The turbo charged model will have a starting price of $23,980, including shipping.

Berube said Chrysler intends to build 1,750 Dream Cruise editions this fall, but the company would leave the door open to building more if there was consumer demand.

Sales for the PT Cruiser have waned in recent years. Through July 2008, PT Cruiser sales have dropped 40 percent, according to Autodata Corp. Inc. In 2007, Chrysler sold 99,585 PT Cruisers, a drop of 28 percent over the previous year.

[bobs turbo pt]

i like it !!

[garpike]

Here is another article with better pics!!!

Jalopnik's 2009 PT Link

This thing is SWEEEET!
I might actually wanna trade my 01 LE for this one!

[digitalpinscruiser]

if the fitment is the same I want to order the front grill and the black colored seats also the black dash board pieces

[soonercruiser]

The black & "something else" would have been better.
More Color!!

[SeattleMike]

My wife likes it more than I do, but I am anxious to see the lower grill up close. If they are as shiny as they look, I'm going to order a set to replace the black ones on my '07.

[sifu_scott]

I dunno...I don't like the "cheese grater" look of the grill. I like the current PT grills better.

[PurplePTGirl]

OMG! The Ghetto Cruiser! Wow, this is just so wrong. The wheels are fugly. The grille looks like it belongs on an Escalade. Chrysler has really lost their way on this car, they are pasting bling on a car that was meant to reflect a 40s street rod, not something to roll down Crenshaw in.

[prettybluewoody]

I dunno.... seems like every change they make, they loose more of what drew me to the Cruiser in the first place.

I't's not just the stark black & white-ness of this DC; that first pic made it look black and & silver, which would've been a LITTLE better, but not much: color, Chrysler, give the poor thing some COLOR! (Can you picture this in, say, bright RED & black?!?) It's also the bumper lines and the whole look of the dash, which have changed so much they're about as boring as every other car out there. If this is where the Cruiser is going, they're not likely to get me to buy another one --- I'm just gonna have to hold on to my baby for as many years as I possibly can, I guess.

[pt_tom]

I'd like to see a really good picture of the "Midnight White Pearl Coat" myself.

Honestly I'm a bit surprised at some of the responses. Considering it probably the last year for the Cruiser, I'm pleasantly surprised that they even offered a DC5.

And let's see, the DC1 was Inca Gold (which IMHO was an ugly color) the DC2 was Tangerine, the DC3 Silver/Midnight Blue, and the DC4 Lava Red. They've done "color", let's give White Pearl a chance!