From the pronounced front guards and prominent slatted grille to the wrap-around headlights and a five-door body that screams attitude rather than family planning, the PT Cruiser is a successful mix of '30s and '40s style with 21st Century technology and packaging.

Anybody who sees the PT Cruiser on the road can attest to the success of the visual element of the design process, but a good look at the interior shows it is also a car that works.

The PT Cruiser has been called a 'segment buster' because beneath the desirable exterior is a thoroughly modern, thoroughly practical family car that defies labels such as small wagon, all terrain wagon or even sports car. Instead through ingenious design this car seems to deliver the best of all worlds.