|
For
five years, we’ve given awards that show what our judges deem the best new
vehicles for the new year. The RTM awards are designed to congratulate the tireless
efforts of the auto industry for offering consumers safer and more beautiful products.
Our awards celebrate the fresh innovation and brilliance that not only marks a
new year in the auto business, but that represents advances in the state of the
art. So go ahead, bask in the reverie. Here are the best of the best, the ICOTY
winners for 2001.
2001 International Car
of the Year
Chrysler PT Cruiser
by Steve
Siler
 Well,
what can we say about the winner of our most prestigious
award, other than that it was good enough to take home
two of our Top Ten Most Likely to Succeed Awards? No other
vehicle so far has done that, save the Nissan Sentra that
in different forms, took two this year as well. But the
PT Cruiser is tops, and is that good any way you get it.
If you can get one, that is. The still-long waiting list,
almost a year after its introduction, testifies to how
great this retro-sprocket really is.
Oh,
the PT, how much do we love it? Let us count the ways…. First,
we love its face. It's cute and happy, yet sassy and bold. Its almond eyes hold
a gaze of confidence and pride, without arrogance or hostility to scare us away. Next,
we love its body. Subtle curves and graceful details pay homage to the past, while
striking the eye as fresh and new. The look is timeless, not trendy, and we could
look at it forever. PT
Cruiser also wins
Most Memorable — Class Classic Car!
 Ah,
and we love everything inside that shapely body. Despite its tidy dimensions,
it has vast amounts of space, and is so full of clever features that it could
take a lifetime to use them all. Everything that faces the driver is fresh and
fun, and controls operate with a very high quality feel that suggests that Chrysler
has learned a thing or two about truly how to marry form and function. In fact,
some of us on the panel would say that even more than its beauty and versatility,
its high quality is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the lovable PT.
Oh,
and then there’s the $16,500 base price, load it up for around $20K. All
this and affordability too! So consider all it offers and then tell us, how could
it not win?
Click
here for another
writer's perspective on the PT Cruiser.
|
