By Brandy A. Schaffels
It's no secret that America is fascinated with revisiting its past. Need evidence? Witness the frenzy over Volkswagen's New Beetle and ultra-cool concept Microbus; Ford's new/old Thunderbird; Dodge's Super 8 Hemi concept; and even the upcoming rebirth of the Mini Cooper. Oh yeah, let's not forget the current en vogue retro wagon, Chrysler's PT Cruiser. It's apparent that the key to future of our favorite autos lies in rediscovering the past, while trying to predict the future.
As Chrysler designers seek to broaden the appeal of the 1930's-style sedan -- and we've already seen many renderings of what could be in the future for the PT Cruiser -- the Chrysler at least admits to the following variations for 2002.
A certain addition is the Dream Cruiser Series, limited-edition models of factory-customized PT Cruisers released with numbered buildouts; the first model was announced recently at the Woodward Dream Cruise. Production of 7500 units is scheduled to begin in January 2002, with a suggested retail price of about $24,000. An especially striking feature is the Inca Gold paint, evolved from the color first shown on the Chrysler Pronto Cruizer concept introduced at the 1998 Salon de l'Automobile in Geneva, Switzerland. This color, exclusive to this series of PT Cruisers, is a chrome-yellow gold with a metallic sparkle. In addition to Inca Gold paint, the vehicle will feature a "Dream Cruiser, Series 1" chrome badge on the liftgate, as well as sporty 16-inch Mopar chrome wheels with customized gold center caps and bright PT Cruiser graphics.
More cosmetic additions to the PT lineup include the Woodie Edition and the factory flame option. Both utilize factory-applied vinyl appliqus to give the Cruiser a more customized look. However, unlike aftermarket accent applications, these vehicles have Chrysler's factory warranty.