Chrysler Rolls Back the Top on Heritage Design With New PT Cruiser Convertible

* Coordinated features, inside and out, top up and down * Only convertible with 'cooler-than-cool' styling * Distinct styling, even without the top

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 29 -- Hands down and top down, the all new 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible offers customers a different kind of convertible. Only the PT Convertible offers the PT Cruiser's distinctive, one-of-a-kind styling that looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside. The car's coordinated, refined appearance is reflected in the color-keyed sport bar with individual, recessed overhead lighting and a customized two-tone interior.

"The new Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible opens up the sedan styling to reveal an exterior and interior design that's coordinated when the top is down," said Dave McKinnon, Vice-President-Small, Premium and Family Vehicle Design and Color Fabric Mastering. "This creates a connection between two usually separate environments, which is essential in developing a distinctive convertible design like the one we've achieved on the PT Cruiser Convertible."

An Exterior With Unmistakable PT Cruiser Cues

Chrysler PT Cruiser designers have been busy since creating the original Styling Study vehicle first seen at the New York International Auto Show in 2001. Everything on the vehicle from the A-pillar back is new except the distinctive taillights, which retain the heritage-inspired look of the PT Cruiser sedan.

"Our reputation for turning truly unique concept vehicles into significant production cars continues with the new Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible," said Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President-Design. "We wanted to maintain the memorable features everyone admired on the Styling Study, yet give customers a new interpretation of cool that they've come to expect from a Chrysler PT Cruiser."

Like the sedan, the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible's body is designed around the passengers and their cargo, resulting in a unique small-car shape. While compact in size, Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible is neither a small car trying to look big, nor a sport-utility vehicle look-alike.

Heritage-inspired cues on the PT Cruiser Convertible celebrate the American custom car era. Reference to an earlier automotive era is made with separate fender forms connected by a simulated running board and a tapered hood that distinguish the engine compartment from the passenger area. Frameless, teardrop-shaped taillamps set into each rear fender include distinctive star-burst optics that hint at historic "blue-dot" lenses.

With top down, the totally unique sport bar gives a modern, customized look that features flush-mounted overhead lighting. Crossing overhead between the front and rear seat, the distinctive color-keyed sport bar is a standard "form follows function" element of every Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible. A DaimlerChrysler first, the hydroformed steel bar is covered in complementary color trim. The high-gloss sport bar commands attention and gives the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible a distinct look from its competitors. The inside of the sport bar is lined with a textured three piece polypropylene trim that matches the interior. The bar also features two flush-mounted overhead courtesy lamps, providing a light source where no other convertible can. A bright Chrysler winged emblem just above the belt line accents the sport bar design.

In addition to these styling elements, the sport bar design and location dramatically reduce wind buffeting effects when the roof is retracted, which improves vehicle quietness and passenger comfort. It also helps achieve added transverse body stability and provides improved positioning for the seat belt turning loops.

With top up, the lower roof line gives a fastback appearance with a slanted forward style. The sloping silhouette gives the vehicle an aggressive stance even when stationary. Carefully balanced fender forms, flared sills and side windows graphically proportion the new two-door body style to create a contemporary unity. Black outside mirror housings provide a flowing side window appearance that continues the forward gesture.

World-class quad headlamps nested within the front fenders hug the wheels, while a body-color front fascia pushes the grille and fender surface back to visually shorten the front overhang. Fender forms wrap around the wheels to join thick, flared sills for a solid road stance.

Adding a touch of brightness, exterior chrome accents can be found on the outside door handles, the door key cylinder cap, nameplates, the exhaust tip, the grille and front fascia.

The 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible is available in the following exterior colors: Black, Bright Silver Metallic, Cool Vanilla, Dark Plum, Electric Blue, Light Almond Pearl Metallic, Midnight Blue, Graphite Metallic and Inferno Red (except on the Standard model).

Two-tone Customized Interior Uniquely PT

The Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible interior is available in two color schemes. Standard seats on the Standard and Touring models are low-back and trimmed in a unique Fresno print on Dark Slate Grey cloth.

"Inspired by two-tone color combinations of earlier automotive eras, we've achieved a luxurious, distinctive interior design for the new Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible," said Jeffrey Godshall, Senior Design Manager-Chrysler PT Cruiser Interior. "Together with the circular patterns and features first introduced on the sedan, the complementary color combinations continue the modern approach to heritage design on the all-new convertible version."

The Standard and Touring model cloth seat packages include a driver-side manual lumbar adjustment, with supplemental side airbags and a driver-side power height adjuster available as optional equipment.

The GT model PT Cruiser Convertible features Royale Grain leather front and rear seats in Dark Slate with Medium Slate accents on the seats and doors or Light Pearl Beige/Dark Taupe with Dark Taupe accents on the seats and doors. Heated front seats are optional on the GT model, while supplemental side airbags, a driver-side manual lumbar adjustment and a driver-side power height adjuster are standard.

Continuing the heritage design cues, the steering wheel features four thin spokes radiating from a small circular hub. The spokes have a basket-weave Demmers grain. The Chrysler "seal" medallion, mounted over embossed wings on the trim cover, originated with the first Chrysler car in 1924.

Consistent with interior cues from the Chrysler PT Cruiser sedan, the Convertible features "browless" circular instruments outlined by chrome accents. The high-gloss finish on the gauge bezel and airbag door also has a historic precedent, while the color is keyed to the exterior paint for most color schemes. This helps bring the outside color to the inside of the vehicle when the top is down. A complementary color instrument panel top cover continues the coordinated theme. For contrast, the center stack controls are black, while the surrounding bezel and air outlets are a complementary color.

Heritage cues continue on the manual transaxle shift lever with a spherical knob and a sewn vinyl boot at the base on the Standard and Touring models. The automatic transaxle shifter features a white ball knob with a chrome release button. All GT models include a satin silver painted spherical shifter knob as a performance design cue.

Composed of interlocking shapes, the unique halo-design door trim panels continue the twotone interior color scheme. The doors feature long, vinyl- covered arm rests with open grip areas that have a concave circular depression behind them for greater hand clearance. A red reflector at the rear of the door trim panel provides a warning to approaching night time traffic when the door is open. Coordinating fabric bolsters applied to the center door sections of cloth package vehicles complete the door design, while vehicles with leather seats have vinyl door bolsters that match the seat accent color.

Unlike competitors with separate conventional trunks, the Chrysler PT Cruiser features a passthrough trunk area as stylish as the rest of the interior. The design of the interior passenger area flows through to the cargo section via color-keyed trunk quarter panels, deck lid trim and carpeting. Each quarter panel also houses a 6"x 9" speaker behind an integral circular grille. Similar grilles and speakers are found on the doors as well.

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