20 June 2001: The launch of two cars in Dublin yesterday brought one American icon to Ireland and revitalised another.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser which has been so successful in America for the past year that it still commands a premium price there is now available in Ireland for £25,200. Only 120 are allocated to the Irish market this year and some 60 of these have been bought already.
The Cruiser is retro in style, with echoes of America of the 30s and 40s and the hot rods of the 50s and 60s, but is thoroughly modern in execution. For now it comes only in one version in Ireland, the Touring, with a 2-litre engine and a choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto (£1,343 extra), and a high level of specification which includes ABS and traction control.
A 0-60mph performance of 9.6 seconds makes the Cruiser no slouch, either, and it can still return a combined 33mpg figure. On a short introductory drive it showed itself to be comfortable, decent handling, but likes to be revved high to get the best oomph from the engine.
A 2.5-litre common rail turbodiesel will be available next year, using the new engine which has just been made available in the new version of the Voyager MPV and which has already set up a world record for distance driven on a tank of fuel.
At the introduction, Declan McCourt of Chrysler Jeep importers C J Concessionaires said it was hard to slot the PT Cruiser into any particular classification, but it is likely to be successful as a niche car with those people who are ‘style leaders’.
“It’s for people who want to make a statement without sacrificing practicality,” said David Burdett, general manager of C J Concessionaires.
The target market for conquest sales varies from Renault’s Scenic through Opel’s Zafira, Land Rover’s Freelander, Honda’s CRV and the BMW 3-series.
Meanwhile, C J Concessionaires also introduced the latest version of the ‘Daddy of MPVs’ the Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager. The Voyager was the first MPV 18 years ago and has sold over nine million copies to date.
Built in Graz, Austria for the European market, the new Voyager has more interior space, better handling and a stronger body structure. Engines are also improved, with an enhanced 2.4-litre petrol and the new 2.5-litre CRD turbodiesel. An uprated 180bhp 3.3-litre V6 powers the foot-longer Grand Voyager through a 4-speed autobox, though the CRD can also be specified, with manual transmission.
There are two specification levels in the Voyager, but standard on all are ABS, discs all round, four airbags, and aircon. Leather upholstery, cruise control and woodgrain-trimmed dashboard are among the upgrades with the LX.
Voyager prices range from £30,590-£39,275 (CRD). Grand Voyagers are £44,415 for the CRD and £45,485 for the 3.3V6.
C J Concessionaires expect to sell some 500 units next year, with up to 250 of those possibly being PT Cruisers. A total sale of 1,000 units a year is targeted for 2005, but according to Declan McCourt, ‘possibly sooner’. BB/TW
June 2001