DETROIT — A decade ago, the PT Cruiser roared onto the road with trendsetting looks and Al Capone swagger. In a sea of bland Honda Civics and Toyota Camrys, it was a retro hit. Chrysler could barely keep up with demand.
On Friday morning, the last Cruiser rolled off the assembly line in Mexico, finally killed off after years of declining popularity. Chrysler sold just 18,000 last year, compared with nearly 145,000 in 2001.
Love it or hate it, the Cruiser was a head-turner. With flared fenders, a sloping hood and tall doors, it was a cross between an old-time milk truck and luxurious sedans of the 1930s.
“I remember the first time I saw one at an auto show. It was jaw-dropping,” said John McEleney, an Iowa car dealer who sold Chryslers at the time.
But Chrysler failed to invest in the car or think of ways to expand its appeal beyond new paint colors or a convertible top.
McEleney said the PT Cruiser is a product of a different time. Increasingly, automakers are building cars that will have appeal around the world. He doubts something as distinctly American as the Cruiser would be desirable outside the United States.
