Skip navigation
Newswire

DChrysler Mexico making PT Cruiser convertible

MEXICO CITY, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The Mexican unit of the German-U.S. carmaker DaimlerChrysler said on Wednesday it has begun to manufacture the PT Cruiser convertible, a new version of the popular model it hopes will spur depressed U.S. sales.

DaimlerChrysler, the fifth biggest carmaker in the world and fighting to return its U.S. unit to profitability, sold 3.82 million cars worldwide in 2003, down from 3.98 million in 2002.

"The production of this new vehicle represents an investment of approximately $45 million in tools and equipment," the company said in a statement. It said it has made 600,000 cars in Mexico in the traditional model, exported to 60 countries.

DaimlerChrysler, which has three plants in Mexico, last year produced 308,738 cars, down 18.9 percent from the previous year due to a strong drop in demand from the United States, the biggest car market in the world.

Mexico is the 10th biggest carmaker in the world. General Motors Corp. , Ford Motor Co. , Volkswagen AG (VW) and Nissan all have subsidiaries here.