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Chrysler Discontinues PT Cruiser

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American carmaker Chrysler today confirmed it will discontinue the PT Cruiser model and will start seeking a potential buyer for the equipment it used to manufacture this vehicle. President Tom LaSorda said this is just an attempt to abandon less-attractive models that can't help the company revamp its production line and boost overall sales. Chrysler is currently under strong pressure from the United States government who demanded the American automaker to concentrate on more fuel-efficient models and environmentally-friendly engines.

Production will be stopped this summer, LaSora said according to Bloomberg, with the Chrysler president admitting the company is currently looking for a potential interested company that may acquire the whole production line it used to build the PT Cruiser.

“Would we sell those assets? Yes. Do we have any offers to sell those assets? No. Would we be pursuing a buyer? Yes,” he said according to the aforementioned source.

The PT Cruiser recorded continuously declining sales since last year, with deliveries down 48 percent to 50,910 units. This model was much more popular in 2001 when the automaker sold nearly 150,00 units, Bloomberg wrote quoting the Autodata Corp. in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

This is not the first model discontinued by Chrysler, with production of Jeep Commander SUV rumored to be stopped this year. Even though sources familiar to negotiations said Chrysler may be looking to sell its Jeep brand, President Tom LaSorda today denied all these rumors, explaining that the company has absolutely no intention to sell the Jeep brand.

“We have said many times that the Jeep brand is not for sale. Nor are any of our other brands. We will not separate our brands from the Company,” Tom LaSorda today said.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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