Chrysler has been around for a very long time. It is a brand that is well known all around the world. They have made some amazing cars and some questionable ones at the same time.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo is an iconic car. It is a car that is easily noticeable and when you mention the name, most people will know what you are talking about.
We are going to give you some history behind this car, tips you might need when buying one of these vehicles as well as some things that this car is known for. So without further ado, let’s dive right into the juicy bits.
Everything you need to know about the Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo.
Essential history about the Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo:
In the mid-1990s, Chrysler was looking to get more attention for the fading Plymouth brand. The company had been playing around with the idea of a tall wagon based on the Neon platform. This seemed like a bad idea because of the poor customer research results and lack of sales for the success of the Eagle Summit Wagon. Plymouth decided to create what they thought of as a retro-themed mini-minivan.
Designer Bryan Nesbitt played with some ideas and came up with a sketch that had the right mix of retro and contemporary. There were 2 concept cars that came to life, the 1997 Plymouth Pronto as well as the 1999 Pronto Cruizer. Changes were made and in 2000 the Chrysler PT Cruiser was born. The first model year was 2001.
There was a facelift done on the car in 2006 and the PT Cruiser sales declined steadily. The company began to look at cutting costs and in 2010, it was announced that 2010 would be the last year for the PT Cruiser. By the time that production ended, over 1.3 million PT Cruisers had been sold worldwide.
About the Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo:
In 2003, Chrysler introduced a turbo addition to the PT family. It came with a 2.4 I 16V Turbo. This engine could produce 220 horsepower! This is a pretty powerful engine for this car. It has a torque power of 244.87 lb-ft at 3 600 rpm.
The engine is located in the front, Transverse. It is a 4 cylinder engine that is of course turbocharged. To put this all into perspective, this car can go from 0-62 mph in only 7 seconds. For a car this size, that is rather quick.
The inside of the car is spacious which is nice to take into consideration for a family type wagon. The dash has a plastic look and feel to it. It is a clean-looking car on the inside though. There is space for you to put all your belongings and you have space in the trunk to pack a few bags which is nice for a weekend away here and there.
The Turbo edition of this model was made between 2003 and the last year of production was 2010. that is not a long run for a car but due to the budget cut and the lack of interest in this car, it made sense that this car was last made in 2010.
Buying tips for this car:
Despite the age and uniqueness of this car, it has not caught on as a collectible car as of yet. It is believed that it will probably be collectible one day. The PT Cruiser Turbo is still being sold as an ordinary used car at rock-bottom prices. With that in mind, this makes buying one of these cars a great opportunity because of the fact that they are cheap now. You just need to keep in mind that you are very early into the buying game of this car. So, you might be holding onto it for a while before you can make a profit.
Chrysler build quality back in the early 2000s was not the best. With that being said, it is likely that all but the lowest-mileage cars will run into problems. Chrysler did not make cars back in the 2000s to last as long as other brands did.
So when buying one of these cars to store to one day make a profit, make sure you find one with the lowest mileage.
What was this car known for?
When you first take a look at this car, the style and uniqueness of this vehicle make it a defining feature of the car. When you see it on the road, you know exactly what car it is. On the downside, The PT Cruiser is also known for the not so great build quality. The 2.4-liter engine has been known to burn oil in the early years of the PT models.