It wasn't that long ago that mundane cars roomed the streets of America.
In a world of Civics, Corolla's and Camry's the retro PT Cruiser was about as American as James Dean and Elvis…never mind that Dean drove a Porsche.
The PT Cruiser hearken back to an earlier time when Happy Days was not just a TV show, but a daily reality of American automotive manufacturing dominance.
In 2001 Chrysler sold 145,000 PT Cruisers.
But all retro things must come to an end eventually, and that end came for the PT Cruiser this week when the last one rolled off the assembly line in Mexico.
Last year Chrysler managed to sell only 18,000 units and for some the "PT Loser" as it was nicked-named by the younger crowd came to represent all that went wrong at Chrysler before the company went bankrupt and was eventually taken over by Fiat.
Of course when one door closes another one opens…as the saying goes and Chrysler, by way of Fiat, will soon be selling another modern retro car…the Fiat 500.
Just like the PT Cruiser the Fiat 500 is a head-turner and just like the PT Cruiser there is little doubt that the Fiat 500 will sell big in America.
But the verdict is still out on the new Fiat even as the very long in the tooth PT Cruiser dives into the sunset.
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