No offense, but Ford sold several million Pintos and Chevrolet did the same with the Vega.
Big sales ≠ Quality merchandise, especially when Chrysler is concerned.
They sell “cool” cars like this (along with the Viper and Prowler (now defunct)) to take everyone’s mind away from the numerous crappy Sebring (formally Le Baron) variants and their other crappy cars. They should stick to what they do best, trucks and minivans.
No, but it does = good marketing, which seems to be what the OP was ranting about, since he didn’t say anything about the quality of the cars, only the fact that they sort of look like UK taxis. Styling is properly a marketing concern, not a quality concern.
My bad. Like I said, though, they need these types of cars. The PT Cruiser is based on a modified Neon chassis, so it’s relatively cheap to make.
It gives the impression that you’re getting more “cool” for your money.
Oddly enough, there is a cab company in Pittsburgh called Cruiser Cabs that uses entirely PT Cruisers and bills themselves as ‘the only taxis in Pittsburgh you can hail.’
But commonly, yeah, the Taxis are your Caprices or Crown Vic type cars, yellow.
I believe the classic Checker is still in active service in some cities.
You can now get London Taxis in America.
Hey, I like the PT Cruiser.
What crap. The GTO is down-tuned, shit ugly version of the wonderful Australian built and designed Monaro GTS. The front nose is modified (in Australia) to have Pontiac pretensions. Bob Lutz can lay as much claim to the Pontiac GTO as Lee Iacocca. It’s an Australian designed and built car with an American badge.
Actually Elvis? Please accept my apology. I was unnecessarily harsh in my last post to you and you did nothing to deserve such harshness. Forgive my tone, please.
We’d better not let Coldfire see the first page on that website! Of course, these folks also dissed the Morgan Aero 8, so they clearly have some vision problems!
People that think the PT Cruiser looks good, or is even, for god-sakes, “cool” need a prompt smack upside the head.
But those taxis based off of the PT Cruiser are pretty cool. I’ve seen one around Boulder; every time I see it I want to run after it and ride in it just for the hell of it. Thanks for the links, I was wondering what it was.
Early Out, no worries. I know Citroëns aren’t for everyone. 
I was intrigued by the PT Cruiser’s styling when it came out, and was seriously contemplating buying one. Until I test-drove one: thing drives like a fucking VAN. The body roll in the corners was unbelievable. Seriously, there are tractors on the market that corner better than this abomination. The seating position was too “high-up” for my taste, it felt like driving a truck. It was rather comfortable, and had good seats, and the interior looked very spiffy, of perhaps not top notch quality wise. The engine (we only get the 2.0 liter here) was noisy, and underpowered for the car.
So, I turned it in unimpressed, and walked away. Seeing as how I quickly got tired of the novelty factor the styling provided upon seeing more and more of them (there’s 2 in my street alone), I’m now glad I never got one. My current car is roomier, more economical, quiter (despite being a diesel!), and corners infinitely better.
I’m saddened to hear they don’t make the Prowler anymore. Now THAT was a bad-ass looking car!
Just to add: I was seriously disappointed in the Cruiser’s cornering skills, seeing as the Neon (on which its platform is based) is a car with excellent cornering skills. For an American car. 
Check out this new General Motors vehicle
I didn’t see anything to take offense at, **Boo Boo Foo ** - I know the GTO is really a Monaro, and all I meant was that Lutz brought it to market in the US, which is true - that was something he could accomplish quickly. All Iacocca did for the Mustang was approve it for production, for that matter - Lutz’s contribution to the GTO exceed that considerably. He hasn’t been at GM long enough to do much more than that yet - but their product line is getting cooler and Chrysler’s isn’t.
Coldfire, the PT Cruiser is actually classified as a truck for emissions-control purposes. That little shelf in the back qualifies it somehow. Bureaucracy run amuck, I say.
There are a few “London Cab” operations in the States now, mostly offshoots of limo companies, but they’re still not the stereotype one thinks of as a taxi here. There are a few Chevy Malibu taxis and police cars now, though.
That was always my take. When I see one of those things with flames painted on it and the driver with cool ‘neo’ shades and such I want to scream at them “IT’S A HATCHBACK! NOTHING MORE!”
Great, now we’re going to see shrunken '49 Suburbans.
The people who get the ones with “wood” trim would be better off with a Morris Minor Traveller
:: severe look ::
And exactly what is wrong with hatchbacks?
That’s one thing I’ve never been able to understand about the US: the disdain for hatchbacks. Small 5-door hatchbacks or small wagons (the difference is not that clear sometimes) such as the Suzuki Aerio, the Chevy Aveo5 and Optra5, the Mazda 3, etc, are very popular here in Canada.
Taxis here are mostly Ford Crown Victorias (often ex-police cars), also some minivans and Chevy Impalas. I have seen an increasing number of Toyota taxis (midsize Camry sedans) around town…
One factor in the popularity of the PT Cruiser that hasn’t been mentioned yet is that the seats are more or less at normal chair height.
I know four older couples who bought theirs just because of the seats – they can get and out without awkward (for the elderly with arthritis and such) scrambling down into and up out of ‘normal’ car seats.
Roomy insides plus easy access makes it a winner for those couples.
JC was saying that putting flames on the notoriously underpowered PT Cruiser is silly.
Hey, I love my PT. 2002 Limited Edition.
And I’m not an old fogey. I just happen to really enjoy it. No flames on it though.
