25 Jan 05
So with all the above taken into consideration, we had more than a few misgivings about the Cabriolet: it looked as if it could well be a contender for our (unofficial) Most Pointless Car of the Year award - previous winner, Citroen Pluriel - especially once we studied its awkward bustle-style rear end and sat in the high-sided, small-windowed, dark, gloomy cabin with its very limited rear legroom (and small boot). Getting the roof down was messy, too, with a multi-stage procedure involving twisting a handle, pressing a button, releasing the roof then turning the handle back in again to stop it sticking out. After the idiot-proof processes in cars like the Megane and Peugeot 307 CCs, with their well-engineered metal folding tops, it's all a bit laborious, and whilst the folded canvas hood is in keeping with the PT's retro styling, it's nowhere near as neat or as insulating. The hood is well-lined, but the cabin's a noisy place to be on the motorway. The engine, at least, is powerful enough, though not as quick as its capacity would suggest: this PT is a hot rod in styling only. The auto gearbox is a little sluggish, too, and less than state-of-the-art; with this transmission, fuel consumption is well in excess of the quoted figures, especially in stop-start city traffic.
It doesn't ride particularly well, either, with more than the odd shake and shimmer over rougher surfaces and a bit of a tendency - as with the hard-top - to pitch and roll when pushed hard. Still, this is a car more about cruising (of course) than sports-car careering-around, and at low speeds it's comfortable enough. The biggest problem is the utterly awful visibility; having the steering wheel on the wrong side is probably the least of the car's issues, with the tiny windows, high waistline, low roof, small rear screen, miniscule door mirrors and thick sloped A-pillars all contributing to blind spots in every corner.
Funny, then, that the Cabriolet remains rather appealing. It's unlikely to attract anyone who isn't already a PT Cruiser fan, but for all its flaws there is nothing else quite like it this side of a Plymouth Prowler. If sharp handling and luxury car comforts are less of a priority than owning something unique, then this car has a lot to commend it. It may not be as accomplished as the identikit Megane and 307 CC models - or the upcoming Astra and Focus both with folding metal tops - yet much like its conventional equivalent, it's a totally irrational choice but one that will reward with its character, if not its impeccable competence.
