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There’s a virtually endless list of things to dislike about the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Since its debut, the funky-looking hatchback has been the butt of jokes from automotive journalists to enthusiasts nationwide. However, people may be looking at this all the wrong way. Perhaps people should be embracing how bizarre and over the top the thing is. Everyone’s a little bit weird, right? Let your weirdness show; you’ll enjoy it! This is especially true if you find yourself in a PT Cruiser with specs like this one.

Turbocharged, manual, and convertible; The perfect PT Cruiser

Electric Blue Chrysler PT Cruiser GT Covnertible, Driver's side with top down
Chrysler PT Cruiser GT | Cars and Bids

The best spec of the PT Cruiser one could possibly imagine is for sale right now on Cars and Bids. This 2005 PT Cruiser GT Convertible has a beautiful Electric Blue paint finish and a Dark Slate Gray interior to compliment it. Furthermore, it only has 45,700 original miles on the odometer. So, it’s in remarkable shape.

However, the exciting part about this car is the GT part. That means it’s got the same turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine found in the Dodge Neon SRT4. That’s right! This low-mileage grandma-chich hot rod try-hard has a 220 horsepower turbo engine. To make it even better, though, this one is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. What could possibly be better to check all the boxes for a weird guilty pleasure car that happens to be turbocharged, manual, and fun to drive?

Dark slate gray  Chrsyler PT cruiser interior
Interior of the PT Cruiser | Cars and Bids

It’s basically perfect, too. The sale includes the original window sticker, three keys, maintenance history, two key fobs, and a K&N replacement filter kit. Furthermore, the seller reports no known flaws, save for some scrapes and chips.

The interior does show a bit of wear with creases in the leather. Additionally, the tires are from 2012, so those would be a smart first upgrade. Other than that, though, this is a perfect survivor PT Cruiser GT for a weird car enthusiast to cherish. At the time of writing, it only has a high bid of $3,000, too!

If you think 220 horsepower isn’t enough power to justify having to drive it, though, there’s fantastic news.

These cars can be very fast with some simple modifications

2.4L High Output turbo badge on Chrysler PT Cruiser GT
The 2.4L Turbo badging | Cars and Bids

The aftermarket support is the primary reason for the excitement surrounding this goofball car.

Effectively, any aftermarket performance upgrades that will fit an SRT4 Dodge Neon will also work on a PT Cruiser GT. So, simple additions like an air intake, exhaust, and a tune can add substantial power. Furthermore, turbocharger and fueling upgrades can push the PT Cruiser to downright frightening power levels. Additionally, you’re guaranteed to hurt some feelings at a race track! Nobody wants to be slower than the PT Cruiser!

Motor1 documented a PT Cruiser GT drag car that makes over 808 horsepower, and it still retains the four-cylinder engine. If that doesn’t sell you on the outright insanity, perhaps its standing half-mile run with a top speed of over 165 miles per hour will!

Ultimately, it’s a bit of a bizarre thing to try to pitch buying a PT Cruiser to anyone with the premise of it being a fun car. That, in its own right, is what makes it a fun car. Sure, it’s not going to garnish the same looks as a sports car. It’s not going to perform like one, either. However, if you’re into a funky car that stands out and doesn’t have to be boring to drive, the PT Cruiser GT is right up your alley. Nobody is really sure why Chrysler made it a thing, but many of us are glad they did!

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