In an attempt to get more people to buy its PT Cruiser line of sedans and to celebrate the vehicle's fifth birthday, Chrysler Canada will drop the price on the mini-minivan's entry-level model by $5,272.
That would bring the sticker price from $21,270 to $15,998, and that price will be good until at least the end of March. There may be some flexibility in the duration of this deal, since the Windsor-based arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler AG had originally intended to run the deal until the end of the year. No guarantees on that happening, however, so moving quick if you're looking for a real bargain might be wise.
Chrysler is picking up part of the tab for this bargain from the firm's factory in Mexico, of course, but so is the company's Dealer Advertising Association.
Whoever's financing this offer, it should certainly appeal to a broad range of consumers, as the small car market accounts for about 43 percent of Canada's annual volume of new car sales.
Chrysler had a pretty good piece of that market with the PT Cruiser originally, but an influx of competitive models from Korea (through Kia and Hyundai, of course, but GM as well through the former Daewoo empire it now controls) has cut into that. The addition of the convertible model last year helped grow sales last year by 14 percent, but that remains a niche car compared with the hardtop mini-minivan.
Features on the Chrysler PT Cruiser with the special price include power windows, tilt steering, AM/FM radio with CD player and six speakers, 15-inch wheels, SENTRY key theft deterrent system, child LATCH system and rear door child protection locks.
Power comes from a 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve inline-four that sends 150 hp at 5600 rpm and 162 lb.-ft of torque at 4000 rpm to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transaxle. You have to push the engine a little bit to get it moving, but it does get the PT Cruiser going pretty well if there are only one or two occupants.
On Transport Canada's fuel economy test, this PT Cruiser required 11.1 litres of gas to go 100 city km, and 7.5 litres to go 100 highway km. As always, of course, individual results will vary, but that's pretty good in the segment. Indeed, PT Cruiser received Natural Resources Canada's 2004 EnerGuide award for most fuel efficient special purpose vehicle.
There are of course many other options available for this bargain model, and while they will drive the price up, the overall discount will still be $5,272.
This is actually a pretty attractive offer on a vehicle that delivers a decent level of versatility and style on a vehicle with compact dimensions. Most importantly, it's good for 1.8 cubic metres of storage space if you take out the rear seat, or slightly less if you simply fold it down.
''In 1999, we broke tradition with the segment-busting Chrysler PT Cruiser,'' says Ron Smith, vice-president of marketing for DaimlerChrysler Canada. ''It's a vehicle that remains practical, creatively designed and affordable. It's a compact car, that now comes standard with a compact price.''
Overall, Smith says, ''Chrysler PT Cruiser is an incredible value that offers the great fuel economy you expect from a small car without sacrificing the style or functionality that make it unique.''
If you must spend more money for a PT Cruiser with more power, there are still the Classic and Touring Editions with the 2.4-litre, 180-hp turbocharged engine, a Touring Convertible and a GT hardtop or ragtop model with a 220-hp, DOHC, 16-valve engine.
That would bring the sticker price from $21,270 to $15,998, and that price will be good until at least the end of March. There may be some flexibility in the duration of this deal, since the Windsor-based arm of Germany's DaimlerChrysler AG had originally intended to run the deal until the end of the year. No guarantees on that happening, however, so moving quick if you're looking for a real bargain might be wise.
Chrysler is picking up part of the tab for this bargain from the firm's factory in Mexico, of course, but so is the company's Dealer Advertising Association.
Whoever's financing this offer, it should certainly appeal to a broad range of consumers, as the small car market accounts for about 43 percent of Canada's annual volume of new car sales.
Chrysler had a pretty good piece of that market with the PT Cruiser originally, but an influx of competitive models from Korea (through Kia and Hyundai, of course, but GM as well through the former Daewoo empire it now controls) has cut into that. The addition of the convertible model last year helped grow sales last year by 14 percent, but that remains a niche car compared with the hardtop mini-minivan.
Features on the Chrysler PT Cruiser with the special price include power windows, tilt steering, AM/FM radio with CD player and six speakers, 15-inch wheels, SENTRY key theft deterrent system, child LATCH system and rear door child protection locks.
Power comes from a 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve inline-four that sends 150 hp at 5600 rpm and 162 lb.-ft of torque at 4000 rpm to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transaxle. You have to push the engine a little bit to get it moving, but it does get the PT Cruiser going pretty well if there are only one or two occupants.
On Transport Canada's fuel economy test, this PT Cruiser required 11.1 litres of gas to go 100 city km, and 7.5 litres to go 100 highway km. As always, of course, individual results will vary, but that's pretty good in the segment. Indeed, PT Cruiser received Natural Resources Canada's 2004 EnerGuide award for most fuel efficient special purpose vehicle.
There are of course many other options available for this bargain model, and while they will drive the price up, the overall discount will still be $5,272.
This is actually a pretty attractive offer on a vehicle that delivers a decent level of versatility and style on a vehicle with compact dimensions. Most importantly, it's good for 1.8 cubic metres of storage space if you take out the rear seat, or slightly less if you simply fold it down.
''In 1999, we broke tradition with the segment-busting Chrysler PT Cruiser,'' says Ron Smith, vice-president of marketing for DaimlerChrysler Canada. ''It's a vehicle that remains practical, creatively designed and affordable. It's a compact car, that now comes standard with a compact price.''
Overall, Smith says, ''Chrysler PT Cruiser is an incredible value that offers the great fuel economy you expect from a small car without sacrificing the style or functionality that make it unique.''
If you must spend more money for a PT Cruiser with more power, there are still the Classic and Touring Editions with the 2.4-litre, 180-hp turbocharged engine, a Touring Convertible and a GT hardtop or ragtop model with a 220-hp, DOHC, 16-valve engine.