Chrysler gets forceful

The Chrysler-Jeep push into the Australian market place has been promising, but not overly inspiring.

The highlight in 2002 was Chrysler importing a boat-load of Vipers, all of which have been converted to right-hand drive.

And While the Chrysler range is still rather small, comprising the Cherokee (and Grand Ch.), Wrangler, Voyager and PT Cruiser, the launch of the flagship Viper will likely generate a lot more interest in the marque moving into 2003.

Chrysler's PT Cruiser was a massive success in the States, and while it hasn't set the sales charts on fire locally, it still managed to take out the #5 spot for medium cars sold in November, with the Mazda6 and Camry taking the top spots.

Everything about the PT Cruiser is likable - the styling is very retro, the standard features are above par and it drives predictably through the front wheels.

The only sore point would have to be the standard issue powerplant - a rather lacklustre 2.0-litre inline four.

Granted, it does generate a passable 186Nm @ 4400rpm, nice and low in the rev range for a four banger, but 104kW of power a spirited drive does not make.

Similar criticism has been levelled at the base model PT Cruiser in the States, despite a number of visually different Cruisers available.

Chrysler has taken up the challenge to beef up the PT Cruiser, and in response to customer feedback it has released the PT Turbo.

Gone is the lifeless 2.0-litre mill and in its place a much-improved 2.4-litre turbo job, which generates much more torque lower down the rev range.

It should be noted that in America, the standard PT Cruiser comes with a 220Nm 2.4-litre engine, but the new turbo model is more than just a 'quick-fix' job.

Chrysler took the 2400cc powerplant and first redesigned the cylinder block, crankshaft and head assembly to cope with the increased pressure.

Next up, Chrysler added a special racing-type oil sump to keep the pistons cool, while the water-cooling systems were also improved.

Add to this your garden-variety turbocharger (with calibration of the turbo's wastegate and integrated turbo/exhaust manifold for reduced turbo lag) and the PT Cruiser starts making more sense.

Chrysler reckons the auto hits 100km/h in 8.0 seconds, while the manual can make the same sprint in 7.5 seconds, which is pretty damned nippy for medium-sized vehicle.

Peak power of 160kW kicks in @ 5000rpm, while a more assertive 332Nm of torque arrives @ 3600rpm. Such a glut of torque for a front-wheel driver is likely to lead to some level of torque steer, but the PT Turbo is more than just a new engine and 'Turbo' badging.

The suspension has come in for a good once-over, resulting in much less body-roll during hard cornering. In addition to the stiffer springs and damper settings, the forced induction PT Cruiser gets much larger 17-inch alloy wheels with P205/50R17 tyres for increased levels of grip. Early reports from the US suggest that the new Cruiser is an absolute hoot to drive.

Other external changes over the stock PT Cruiser include a lower ride height, colour-coded bumpers and special badging, while inside bucket-style front seats provide more lateral support for enthusiastic 'cruising'. The tubro model also gets bigger brakes combined with traction control and ABS.

The big question is, will the much-improved PT Cruiser Turbo 2.4 be arriving on local shores? While PT Cruiser sales aren't exactly booming, Chrysler is doing amazingly well considering its tiny line-up spanning barely six vehicles.

Combined with the highly recognisable Chrysler Viper, a PT Cruiser with forced induction would greately benefit the marque's annual sales in Australia - but importantly give fans of the retro-mobile something serious to punt around in.

Unfortunately for us, the PT Cruiser has been a massive hit in the US for more than 2 years, and its sales success doesn't look like slowing. End result: Massive global waiting list. Patience is a virtue...