PT Cruiser Gets Stay of Execution

[Ptrope]

Interesting that Jalopnik is just reporting this today . I didn't know our little fighter had gotten another round, although I did post here when the Chrysler-Fiat combo was first floated that the injection of Fiat technology might be able to rescind the execution.

I do have to say I'm somewhat annoyed by the continued insistence that the PT's retro appearance is the main reason for its death, that to follow up on that is "too difficult." It hasn't been too difficult for the Mini, the New Beetle, or the Mustang, all of which have received new sheetmetal since their retro-selves first appeared; the Mini has even gone into essentially a completely new generation, since it was re-engineered from the ground up.

Fiat has a lot of small-car expertise and technology that Chrysler can now use, and Fiat has stated that, other than the 500 (another retro-mobile - imagine that!), they don't plan to import the rest of their line to the U.S., opting instead to use the Chrysler network to bring in Alfa Romeo. There's a great opportunity to mildly restyle the Cruiser's lines (I kind of like the Mark Stehrenberger drawing from last year ) and put that sheetmetal on a Fiat-derived platform, making the car lighter and more efficient. The Cruiser may be 'paid for' now, but even we know it's 9 years old, older than any other compact out there, and it isn't competitive in anything but price and utility. But it still sells pretty well for a car that Chrysler has essentially orphaned - I never see it in advertising any more. Update its mechanicals, keep the looks close enough that it's obvious that it's evolutionary outside, and maybe even revolutionary underneath, and start advertising it again - Chrysler needs a compact with gas prices the way they are, and they could make the PT a premium compact (as it was, at least more than now, when it first came out) and still be profitable. It's got to be better than the Caliber/Compass/Avenger/Sebring!