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Since the PT Cruiser bowed for the 2001 model year, the gripe has been that the retro sedan looks stunning, but the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that propels it is a tad anemic.

“The No. 1 feedback from buyers has been a lack of power,” said Ginny Fischbach, senior manager of vehicle development for PT Cruiser.

Though Chrysler noted that the nameplate reads Cruiser and not Carouser, folks insisted that a peppier PT be added to the lineup, especially after Chrysler unveiled a high-performance concept more than a year ago called the GT that promised some kick.

The complaint department is closed now that the ’03 PT Cruiser Turbo has arrived.

Whether the Turbo or the GT (both badges appear on the rear hatchback lid), call it a car with lots of spunk thanks to its 215-horsepower rendition of the 150-h.p. 2.4-liter 4.

The Turbo is available on the Touring or Limited editions of the PT, the difference being that Limited adds more goodies, such as chrome wheels, leather seats and power sunroof.

We tested the PT Turbo Limited. Get up and go–quickly. Hit the pedal hard and you move back a little in your seat. Not tossed or thrown back, but nudged into the bucket enough to let you know that the 2.4-liter has some muscle. With the turbo boost, the PT springs to life when you leave the light.

Turbo calibrations to reduce exhaust emissions have the added benefit of providing a quicker power boost. So there’s not the typical hesitation or lag between pressing the pedal and launch once the turbo goes to work.

You don’t experience the typical turbo whine, either, but thanks to tweaking the exhaust system and adding a large diameter chrome exhaust tip, you’re treated to a little exhaust rumble.

Taking a machine raised on 150 h.p. and giving it a 65-h.p. boost wouldn’t be as enjoyable if it weren’t for performance-tuned suspension in the GT. Specially tuned shocks and springs and an upgrade from 16- to 17-inch all-season performance radials provide far better road grip and stability.

With the turbo, you look for paths to explore. Rather than settle for the trip to work or the store, you search for the country playground where you can enter and exit twists and turns with confidence, and at higher speeds, than you would dare in a regular PT.

With the high-output engine and performance-tuned suspension, the PT Turbo becomes a Cruiser with an attitude, not just a high-mileage economy sedan that looks like it stepped out of a ’50s catalog.

You still enjoy what made PT popular, great looks and ample interior room for people and cargo, but the Turbo version gives the sedan more character and not just a lot of charisma.

One sacrifice, however: The turbo 2.4 is rated at 19 m.p.g. city/25 m.p.g. highway, versus 20/25 for the 150-h.p. version. So you lose 1 m.p.g. in the city. Of course, because you’ll spend more time playing in the country than commuting in the city, the loss is minimal.

The turbo is teamed with a 5-speed manual as standard. The test car came with 4-speed automatic with Autostick ($440) that lets you shift manually by tapping the lever without having to toy with a clutch pedal. You’ll probably play with Autostick more with a 215-h.p. engine than you would a 150-h.p. 4. Chrysler expects 75 percent of buyers will opt for the Autostick, which is offered for the first time in a PT.

To distinguish the GT, it comes with silver painted five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, body-colored front/rear fascia and bodyside moldings, “GT/Turbo” badging, silver-faced cluster gauges with 140 m.p.h. speedometer (120 in regular models) and tachometer and “GT” embroidered floor mats.

This is yet another derivative in the PT lineup. Next up is the two-door PT convertible due out early in the ’04 calendar year.

Chrysler is coy about powerplants in the convertible, saying only that whatever engines are offered in PT in ’04 will be availa le in the droptop. Chrysler hopes consumers consider the Turbo and convertible as logical companions in the garage.

Chrysler showed a concept two-door PT coupe at the Paris Motor Show last month called the California Cruiser, another derivative under consideration.

The GT Turbo Touring version starts at $22,365, the Limited at $24,495.

Standard equipment includes four-wheel anti-lock brakes with traction control, power locks/windows/mirrors and air conditioning. In addition to leather seats, chrome wheels and power sunroof, an R package was added at $2,660 with driver’s seat power height adjustment, AM/FM cassette with CD player and side-impact air bags. The test vehicle added heated front seats at $250 and a destination charge of $590.

Chrysler expects to sell 160,000 PT Cruisers in the U.S. in ’02, up from 144,000 in ’01. The Turbo is expected to contribute 35,000 sales annually for ’03.