PRESS RELEASE
Chrysler Introduces Plymouth Pronto at North American Auto Show
Chrysler Unveils Plymouth Pronto;
Affordable Concept Car Introduces Non-Traditional Proportions
DETROIT, Jan. 5 -- Future car buyers looking for an
affordable five-door four-passenger sedan with an instantly recognizable
personality, might want to take a look at the 1997 Plymouth Pronto concept car
which was unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit.
"Pronto -- as a concept car -- is another clever response to Plymouth's
calling for unique, affordable transportation," said John E. Herlitz, Chrysler
Corporation's Vice President of Product Design. "Before setting out
to create Pronto, we gathered guidelines and specs for designing traditional
four-passenger sedans. Once we studied all of this information, we threw it
out and built a new vehicle from the ground up for our next generation."
Pronto differentiates itself from traditional four-passenger sedans
because of its tall architecture, spacious interior, roll-back fabric roof,
and distinctive stand-alone bumpers. Its tall architecture seats passengers
higher within the vehicle and gives them more of a "command-of-the-road
feeling." Additional interior space was achieved by moving the windshield
forward and utilizing minimal front and rear overhang. And Pronto's roll-back
fabric roof and stand-alone bumpers would be hard to find on today's sedans.
"We studied driving habits of future first-time car buyers and learned
that they're interested in a vehicle unlike any other on the road today," said
K. Neil Walling, Chrysler's Design Director. "They don't want a vehicle that
looks like their father's. They want a car that was built just for them, a
vehicle with a fun, distinctive personality."
While Pronto has its own identity and personality, it will be
instantly-recognizable because of its distinctive Prowler-like face. "Much in
the same fashion that we seasoned the Dodge brand with Viper cues, we will
seek opportunities to season the Plymouth brand with Prowler cues," said
Walling.
Besides breaking away from traditional sedan proportion and styling,
Pronto also experiments with new technology. While the actual concept car
model is constructed of traditional automotive materials, the intent is to
explore the use of all-composite plastic with molded-in color to form its
body. Body panels would be made of Acrylonitrile/Styrene/Acrylate (ASA)
plastic and have a single molded-in color which would simplify assembly and
eliminate the painting process. The exterior would also feature stand-alone,
blow-molded front and rear bumpers which, along with plastic trim, offer two
molded-in color options that are compatible with interior trim.
"With Pronto, we explored what a vehicle might look like if we used
injected-molded plastic to construct it," said Walling. "The result is an
attractive car that will excite buyers who are looking for affordable
transportation. And by using molded-in colors, we are able to pass along
production cost savings to the consumer and offer a vehicle that is much more
affordable."
Pronto's interior is practical, flexible and comfortable. Front seats are
bucket while rear seats are split-back fold-down. Rear bench seats are
designed to fold flat, creating a large rear cargo area. Adding to passenger
comfort and convenience is a roll-back fabric roof, creating a large open
skylight effect, and C-pillar storage pockets with aft area lighting.
"Because of its technological and proportional possibilities, Plymouth
Pronto represents a paradigm-breaking method of changing transportation as we
know it," said Walling. "Pronto gives people space where they need space and
economy where they need economy."
Dimensions (Inches)
Overall Length: 148.8
Overall Width: 64.7
Overall Height: 58.0
Wheelbase: 101.0
Front Track: 57.4
Rear Track: 57.4
Wheels: Cast Aluminum
Front 6 x 18
Rear 6 x 18
Tires: Front Pl85/5ORl8
Rear P185/5ORl8
Engine: 2 Liter SOHC
132 Horsepower
Drivetrain: Three Speed Automatic Transmission
Body: Five Door
All-Steel Unibody
Suspension: Front Strut
Rear Multi-link
Brakes: ABS
Rear Drum
Color: Exterior: Cool Vanilla
Interior: Vanilla with Sage Accents
CONTACT: Bryan Zvibleman, 810-512-2686, or Tony Cervone, 810-512-2700, both of Chrysler