Motor Trend Names Chrysler's PT Cruiser 2001 Car of the Year

23 November 2000
Motor Trend Names Chrysler's PT Cruiser 2001 Car of the Year
    LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22 Motor Trend magazine today announced
the selection of the PT Cruiser as 2001 Car of the Year (issue dated January,
2001).  Now, in its 52nd year, the Motor Trend Car of the Year is the most
coveted, and most recognized award in the auto industry.
    The entire editorial staff of Motor Trend conducted testing on 21 all-new
vehicles from the USA, Japan, Germany, Sweden and Korea for this competition.
Thousands of miles of on-track and on-street driving, in a wide variety of
weather and road conditions, were required to pass the staff's 10 tough tests.
    Including both domestic and import manufacturers, the following models
were part of the grueling competition:  the sporty Acura CL, the all-wheel-
drive Audi Allroad wagon, the retro-themed Chrysler PT Cruiser, as well as the
redesigned Chrysler Sebring and the Chrysler Town and Country, and the
Chrysler Voyager.  Other entries included the Dodge Stratus, Honda Civic,
Hyundai Elantra, the $8,895 Kia Rio (the lowest priced car sold in America),
Kia Spectra, the Lexus IS 300, and the super luxurious Lexus LS 430, the Mazda
Millenia, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Mercedes high-performance CL500 luxury
coupe, the economical Nissan Sentra, the Oldsmobile Aurora, the sporty two-
seat Toyota MR2 Spyder, the fun-to-drive Volvo S60 and the Volvo V70/Cross
Country wagon.
    In identifying the most significant new car of the year, the editors
evaluated factors such as design, engineering, quality, interior, special
features, fun, everyday livability, safety, performance and value.
    "In winning this coveted award, the PT Cruiser represents a huge step
forward for a domestic manufacturer.  It's the first American small car that
delivers hot styling, outstanding versatility, solid quality and a bargain
price tag.  It's already sending the world's designers back to their drawing
boards," commented C. Van Tune, Editor-in-Chief of Motor Trend.
    In the combined editors' judgment ...  "Call Chrysler's innovatively
conceived, smashingly styled, intelligently packaged, inexpensive, fun-to-
drive, ultra practical, positively segment-busting PT Cruiser anything you
want:  We call it Motor Trend's Car of the Year."
    The complete report on the 2001 Car of the Year can be found in the
January 2001 issue, on sale December 5.  Additional coverage will be posted on
Motor Trend's Web site at http://www.motortrend.com/media with high resolution
images.  Look for coverage on Motor Trend Television on the Speedvision
network in December (consult your local listings) and on weekends listen to
"Motor Trend Radio Magazine" and "MT Weekend."