Chrysler to cancel PT Cruiser convertible, keep hardtop

[PTAdmin]

A new story entry has been added:

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Chrysler will announce on Thursday that the PT Cruiser convertible has been canceled but the PT hardtop has gotten a reprieve.
The article does mention the SaveThePT.com may have had some influence on the decision.

[NSCR FAN]

Hate to see 12,000 workers lose their jobs. Glad to see the PT is saved, but what a price.

[PTAdmin]

This is definitely one case where I blame the company/management.

Chrysler was quite a hot company 8 years ago and then poor management led to dull product and then to low sales. From a PT angle you can see it in lack of investment in variations of the PT that people wanted.

However, you can see it in lots of other products that got built but were mid-pack at best from the time they launched - not a great way to keep people employed or to make a profit.

[DJ RickH10]

It's hard to believe Chrysler is doing this. I would personally blame so much of the hardship this country is going through on "Bushonomics." I know we aren't supposed to get into polictical discussions, but I feel now, more than ever, that Bush ought to be impeached!

We've all got to keep in mind, Chrysler isnt the only carmaker going through hard times. Heaven forbid what the Chinese car imports could do. The Chinese people, inspite of communism, are beginning to prosper, as reported in recent news.

Now that Daimler is no longer the parent company of Chrysler, have you noticed the abundance of Mercedes commercials on TV lately. More than I've seen in a long time.

[midcoastme]

Gotta blame a big part of this decision on "DaimerChrysler".

The other night I was following a couple out of the local home improvement store into the parking lot. As we got nearer to the cars, the husband, probably early to mid-forties, spied my convertible and exclaimed to his wife, "Wow, look at that car!"
I couldn't resist and said, " It's a lot better with the top down."
"Is it yours?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Is it a real convertible?"
"Yeah it is."

And then he said...

"I didn't know they came in a convertible. Is it new?"
"No, it's an '05...I've had it about a year."

You think maybe more than $32.19 should have been spent on PT advertising in the last 3-4 years...?

If Chrysler LLC wants to get serious about selling PT's again, they need to take some lessons from VW and Mini and get some FUN ads out there...

[NM Reject]

I'm reading this thread with a little disbelief, that the President of our United States and his staff, would be blamed for the DC "travesty of a company" doing a belly-up cowardly croak of a decision about a car~! Jeesh. The convertible was NEVER marketed in ANY way, UPS and Dale Jarrett got more of a marketing campaign that the convertible did~ the panel wagon was NEVER even a serious thot in DC's pea-sized marketing brains and our beloved PT sedan has been dangled above the Alligator pit, only to be pulled away for another year. It took some REALLY good hearted people to blaze DC with a petition, and let them know how much the Cruiser is loved. Just what does G.W. have to do with all this guys?!??!

Let's put blame where blame BELONGS.....the bureaucrats and money mongrels at Chrysler are throwing the PT and Pacifica into the fire, all to attempt to make the Mercedes sell more cars. Give me a BREAK!!! When this is all said and done, the Mustang will have one more customer AGAIN, and my little PT will go down as being the MOST fun I've ever had in my time on this Mother Earth.
I'll never own a Mercedes, wouldn't THINK about buying one of those money-eating rattle traps, I've had too many close enounters with them.

I, for one, am thankful to PT Dave, mickey41 and all the rest of the gang, who has diligently sought our autographs to Save The PT......ya' done good!!

[StOnEwHiTePt]

Originally Posted by midcoastme

Gotta blame a big part of this decision on "DaimerChrysler".

The other night I was following a couple out of the local home improvement store into the parking lot. As we got nearer to the cars, the husband, probably early to mid-forties, spied my convertible and exclaimed to his wife, "Wow, look at that car!"
I couldn't resist and said, " It's a lot better with the top down."
"Is it yours?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Is it a real convertible?"
"Yeah it is."

And then he said...

"I didn't know they came in a convertible. Is it new?"
"No, it's an '05...I've had it about a year."

You think maybe more than $32.19 should have been spent on PT advertising in the last 3-4 years...?

If Chrysler LLC wants to get serious about selling PT's again, they need to take some lessons from VW and Mini and get some FUN ads out there...

I remember when the PT made its first debut.... It was nothing but Ads everywhere you turned.... Billboards, commercials, magazine ADs and not to mention the "enter to win" contests at stores and such. My favorite commercial was the one where the PT was on the assembly line and they showed it as it was just completed and introduced it as "the New Pt cruiser".... Those were the days....

[BillV]

Sales numbers justify keeping the PT Cruiser in production. It is reportedly the third best selling of the Chrysler line up. I suspect it being produced in Mexico is helping because of lower production costs.

Sad to see the convertible being discontinued. We visited the Florida Keys last week and saw herds of PT Cruiser convertibles there. Many of them were rentals out of Miami.

We do our part in promoting PT Cruiser sales. It is interesting how people ask about my PT as if they haven't really seen them before.

Bill V.
2007 PT (Tweety Bird)

[Lars1776]

I see no PR or other quotes from 'outside sources' such as WSJ article etc that give any more info on the keeping or demise of the PT in any form. Hence our current outlook is that it is STILL for the 08 Model Year as prior publicized. Those that are privy to such articles should post the URL of same so the rest of the group can verify for each one of us, if he/she wishes/ to see the REAL scenario last published.

L.

[BillV]

From PT Cruiser Club Web Site.


Bill V.

PT Cruiser Lives - PT Convertible to End Production

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oct 31, 2007

By JUSTIN HYDE

FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF

Chrysler LLC will cut the PT Cruiser convertible from its lineup, but leave the regular Cruiser in production, a person familiar with the company's plans said today.

The retro-styled PT Cruiser had been on the short list of four models that Chrysler was expected to cut due to slow sales. Despite a sales decline of 27% through September, the PT Cruiser is still the third best-selling model in Chrysler's lineup, behind the 300 sedan and the Town & County minivan.

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In addition to the PT Cruiser convertible, Chrysler will announce tomorrow that it will shed the Pacifica wagon, the Crossfire coupe and the Dodge Magnum wagon over the 2008 model year. The aging Pacifica and Crossfire share no common underpinnings with other Chrysler vehicles and need expensive updates, while the slow-selling Magnum will be replaced by the Dodge Journey crossover when it launches next year.

The PT Cruiser has been a mainstay of the Chrysler lineup, and the company has struggled to find a way of updating the Mexico-build wagon without losing its styling flair. The PT Cruiser has often been the most reliable Chrysler in durability surveys, and fans of the model started an online petition in August to convince Chrysler to keep it in production.

Detroit Free Press - www.freep.com - Your local Detroit news source.