Chrysler PT
Who said there were no more new ideas for cars? Say hello to the first soft-top MPV ever. It's an idea that seems so radical, even adventurous makers such as Renault have steered clear of it.
The PT Cabrio has its faults. It feels underpowered despite the new 2.4-litre engine, and its top-chop looks more old-fashioned and badly planned than tasteful retro. But the Chrysler is still by far the cheapest way to own a brand new convertible that will seat five in comfort - and its novelty value will be more than enough to satisfy some buyers.
Who said there were no more new ideas for cars? Say hello to the first soft-top MPV ever. It's an idea that seems so radical, even adventurous makers such as Renault have steered clear of it. And while that makes Chrysler's PT Cabrio unique, will it be enough to guarantee that the model is a success?
The US firm obviously isn't sure, at least in the UK... In the PT Cabrio's first year, it's importing only 100 into Britain. It will also charge a mere £18,295 for each one. That, along with the novelty factor, should mean none goes unsold.
In original guise, the PT's retro chic - or tacky ugliness - divides opinion. And the Cabrio is even more extreme. With the roof up, it doesn't look too bad. But the hefty rear three-quarter panel and rollover bar, allied to left-hand drive, make for an enormous blindspot.
From the back, the abrupt way in which the body has been chopped to remove the roof evokes memories of a Morris Minor cabrio. When the fabric top folds electrically - a process that takes around 24 seconds - it doesn't disappear neatly under a metal tonneau as on most modern convertibles. In fact, it doesn't disappear at all. And even when the rather crude plastic cover is press-studded into place, it still sits so high that only off-roaders and commercial vehicles register in the rear view mirror.
Once you've got used to driving with only your door mirrors, there's precious little in the way of buffeting in the front. But temperatures will have to be tropical for those in the back to keep a sunny disposition with the roof down. And they won't be much happier with it up, as the rear seat becomes oppressively dingy.
One thing they won't be able to complain about is a lack of legroom. And some of the standard PT Cruiser's practicality is retained, too, thanks to folding rear seats and a large boot opening. However, the load area won't win fans among people who use it for smaller objects such as bags of shopping, as you need some agility to grope around its murky recesses to retrieve articles that have slithered forwards.
A soft-top isn't the only change from the regular PT. The Cabrio gets Chrysler's new 2.4-litre engine, too. Yet despite the 400cc increase, power is up by only 3bhp. And that is not really enough to summon decent performance, given the extra weight added to make up for the lack of a rigid roof.
It meant the auto shift on the model we tried had its work cut out, particularly in town - and even then, the engine sounded raucous and felt breath- less. On the plus side, Chrysler has very effectively eliminated many of the rattles you'd expect from a car such as this on Britain's rutted roads.
As a result, the PT Cabrio isn't the most inspirational driver's machine, but it's not meant to be. It's been designed as an attention grabber - something it's very good at that, although one wag in a white van did ask if we'd done the conversion ourselves. And that seemed to sum up the PT Cabrio: a brave idea, but lacking a little in the execution.
