Book Review: 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
One measure of the excitement surrounding the Chrysler PT Cruiser is the sheer number of people who bought one even before it hit the showrooms. Long before the factory got production up to full speed, the entire 2001 model year was sold out.
Fast on the heels of the Cruiser itself came the Motorbooks Colortech book entitled, simply, Chrysler PT Cruiser. The timing is not due, as one might suppose, to shoddy work for a quick book, but co-author Matt DeLorenzo had already been hard at work on Chrysler Concept Vehicles, and no doubt was able to put some of his excess material to work on the Cruiser.
The result is a surprisingly hefty book, with much more information than the average auto tome. It details the genesis of the Cruiser, its development, its features and engineering, and its eventual production.
Chronologically, Chrysler PT Cruiser starts with the Expresso and Pronto concepts, dating back to 1997. The Expresso was a "cartoonish" vehicle, large and bulbous, designed to be as practical a people-mover as possible. It had good space for people, was easy to enter and exit, and was designed to be economical, if not stylish. DeLorenzo and Lamm trace the Cruiser's evolution as the style was discussed, experimented with, and finalized. At the other end of the timeline, there is even coverage of the dealer channel's shameless overcharging.
Throughout the book are high quality color pictures, not just of the final vehicle but also of the original concepts. Designers' sketches are included, providing a clear record of the vehicle's evolution.
There are chapters on two interesting and usually out-of-bounds subjects: production and international reception. The production section includes color photos of the Toluca factory, inside and out. The international chapter describes the Cruiser's introductory tour of Europe, including the reaction of Europeans to both its style and its substance.
Overall, we were very surprised by the depth and quality of Chrysler PT Cruiser. The book is filled with information and high quality color photos, covering nearly every detail of the Cruiser that would not be included in a factory service manual or performance how-to. Judging from its popularity so far, we suspect many others agree with our assessment of Chrysler PT Cruiser as a book for every owner and enthusiast to own.
