Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible -- 2005 First Drive: Many pages have turned since the Chrysler PT Cruiser was cool. And in that time, many people have passed it by, perhaps wondering why and how the company that surprised everyone with the original PT of 2001 could not see the poetry that would run through the veins of a PT Cruiser Convertible.
Missed Opportunity
Turns out Chrysler knew. It just took a while to make it happen. And while the company lost the potential marketing buzz an earlier launch would have produced, the new 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible makes up for it as a well-built, romantic revision of the original. Funny thing about that, too – the PT Cruiser doesn't take naturally to having its top chopped off. With the roof raised, the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible is not as visually appealing because the original’s yesteryear roofline is critical to the car’s character. But power the top down and the Cruiser Convertible’s appearance elicits a hint of romance, making it a retro-cool throwback that gets people thinking about how good it can feel to do perhaps one of the most simple and mundane things in the world: Step inside a car and drive down the road.
Room with a View
Chrysler’s new PT Cruiser Convertible tugs at you to find a nice sunny highway and go for a drive. It's hard to resist, because there are few trade-offs with top up or down. Twist your wrist, push a button, and the top quickly stacks neatly behind the rear seats in about ten seconds. This is a roomy ragtop, featuring 84.3 cu.-ft. of passenger space and 13.3 cu.-ft. of pass-through luggage volume. According to Chrysler, the 2005 PT Cruiser Convertible offers more interior cargo room than its competitors, vehicles such as the Ford Mustang and the Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible. Like the original PT Cruiser, the Convertible’s seats can be configured in nine different ways, including a position that creates a pass-through trunk opening. Among veteran convertible buyers, the space inside may well be the most attractive attribute of the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible: adding the soft top doesn't compromise the PT's renowned interior versatility. Those who are new to open-air motoring will appreciate the way you sit tall in the vehicle, and how the PT Cruiser Convertible effectively manages wind and noise.
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