All About the Chrysler PT Cruiser
Editor’s note: we are presenting without comment.
by James Mooney
They said it could not be done. The critics insisted that the iconic, retro-styled PT Cruiser could not be updated. They said that its design was a dead end, and that it would be impossible to give the Cruiser a modern look while retaining it style and appeal.
We have proven them wrong.
Introducing the 2010 Chrysler CV Cruiser Crossover, Convertible, and Custom Van. These vehicles have taken the style and convenience of the original Cruiser to a whole new level. With increased size, capacity, and power, as well as the addition of the Custom Van version, the CV Cruiser is even more useful and practical than its predecessor. Its styling offers clean, bold, modern lines that retain the charm and character of the PT Cruiser while creating a look that is unmistakably Chrysler.
Chrysler has made the bold decision to introduce all three vehicles simultaneously in order to offer customers the choices that they desire. Trim levels to be offered on all CV Cruisers are Touring Edition, Limited Edition, and the GT. Chrysler’s new Phoenix V-6 engines provide the power, with the Limited Edition and GT getting turbochargers. AWD is available with the Limited and GT Editions.
The CV Cruiser Crossover (known within Chrysler as the JZ 49) offers class leading cargo space. The 65-35 rear split seat comfortably seats three adults, or can be folded into the floor to provide a flat cargo bed. An available third row seat large enough for two car seats or two small children also folds flat, using Chrysler’s revolutionary Stow-n-Go seating system.
The CV Cruiser Convertible is the most spacious convertible on the market, and as a convertible crossover, it is an industry first. Chrysler has built upon its rich tradition of building fun, practical, durable convertibles in creating a convertible system unlike any seen before.
The CV Cruiser Custom Van is the new addition to the line-up, and it is a response to the desire for a panel van. The Custom Van is a two-door version of the CV Cruiser Crossover with panels replacing the rear windows and the hatchback style fifth door replaced by two doors mounted from the sides that open like French doors to provide easier access to the rear cargo area. ÊTwo versions of the Custom Van are offered: Work, and Play. The rear interior of the Work version includes a plain wood plank floor, durable plastic paneling, and spacious cargo bins. The Play version adds a DVD player and carpeted floor, walls, and ceiling, as well as a bench seat that can stow into the floor or fold flat into a full-size mattress, making it the perfect vehicle for camping trips and other adventures.
The size and dimensions of the CV Cruiser are comparable to those of its sibling, the Dodge Helix (formerly referred to as the Dodge Crew, and known within Chrysler as the JC 49). Styling for the CV Cruiser is inspired primarily by the 2003 PT Cruiser GT and the 1999 Chrysler Citadel concept car. Other points of reference include the 2005 Chrysler 300C, the 2007 Chrysler Pacifica, and the 2007 Chrysler Sebring.
All three versions of the CV Cruiser will be produced for North America at Chrysler’s Toluca, Mexico plant, alongside the Dodge Crew crossover.
