The crowd at the nearby Second Cup put aside their coffees to watch me raise, then lower, the fabric roof on a 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible.
They didn't have to ignore their caffeine fix for long. The power top goes down or up in about 10 seconds, half the time of some much more expensive luxury ragtops.
And then, courier driver Jim Sweeney asked about the doors. As in, where are the other two? "I thought it was a four-door," said the burly, package-handling expert.
The original, the car designed to look like a 1930s Ford sedan, was, and remains, a four-door with fold-flat rear seats that allow it to be rated as a light truck by United States government regulators.
But this, the eighth and latest specialty version of the PT, has two doors and is considered a passenger car by the U.S. government. There are other differences, as well.
Chrysler officials say the PT drop-top is not just a sedan with the roof lopped off. They say the new two-door was designed specifically to be a convertible and 57 per cent of the open-air car's parts differ from the sedan's.
If you are an engineer or a car buff, you know why. Convertibles need all sorts of reinforcing to make them acceptably rigid, to keep them free of shakes and rattles.
Chrysler called in plenty of help for the PT ragtop and the most obvious one is a less-than-attractive basket handle that forms an arc from one side to the other. It definitely stiffens the chassis and clutters up an otherwise cool design.
It does not, however, provide rollover protection. Not that a rollover is likely, the PT soft-top is very stable to drive. (For the record, the 2005 PT Convertible has yet to be crash tested and the U.S. government has not given it a rollover resistance rating, either.)
My 10-minute focus group at the coffee shop was happy to offer ratings on other things, though. It agreed this PT is not strictly a "chick car." There is something here for people with either arrangement of chromosomes.
There was also general agreement over the car's practicality, to a point. The seating for four was seen as a plus and those queried was surprised to find a decent-sized trunk made even more useful with fold-flat rear seatbacks.
The guys were impressed by the horsepower rating of the $32,290 GT: 220 from the 2.4-litre turbocharged engine. But some people muttered about fuel economy 10.4 L/100 km in the city; 7.9 highway.
Then, I mentioned the less-expensive, 150-horsepower Touring version ($27,315) with a fuel rating of 9.8 city/7.5 highway and five-speed manual transmission, standard issue on both cars. A four-speed automatic is optional on both the GT ($1,320) and the Touring ($1,150).
"So what do you get for the $5,000 difference [between GT and Touring]?" one woman asked.
The GT has leather upholstery where the Touring has cloth. The GT also adds a tailpipe finisher for a sportier look, silver alloy wheels (versus brushed alloy on the Touring), a power driver's seat, chrome accents in the grille, heated front seats and a few other odds and ends.
Both models come with air conditioning, in-dash compact disc changer, six performance speakers, cruise control with steering wheel controls, remote keyless entry, three power outlets, power windows and door locks and front reading lights.
The PT ragtop holds its own against its key rival, the Volkswagen New Beetle, which ranges from $29,610 for a 115-hp version to $36,190 for the turbo Bug (150 hp).
My basic city/highway runabout road test showed the PT Convertible to be very user-friendly, aside from the enormous turning circle which at times can make parking in tight lot spaces a chore.
But a general lack of visibility when the top is up also jumps out as a drawback. The rear window is particularly narrow and vision rearwards and to the side is blocked by the roof.
Then, there is the setup for the front seat belts. The belts are fixed to the sport bar -- the basket handle -- which means passengers must unhook them to get into the back seat despite the "easy-entry" design. This is less irritating when the top is down and nicely out of sight in a deep well.
Chrysler supplies a semi-rigid cover or "boot" to cover the top's metal stays. It is easy to install once you realize it is okay to squeeze and whack it into place with the flat of your hand.
Unfortunately, when the boot isn't in use, it fills up much of the trunk. That alone would be incentive for me to leave it at home during the winter months or perhaps not even use it at all.
It has always been tough for manufacturers to come up with an easy and inexpensive convertible top cover and this proves the problem remains. It is not a bad cover, just not a brilliant one.
However, I do like the look of the convertible top when it is up -- and that surprised me. From the outside, the multiply fabric lid looks tight and smooth. From the inside, it muffles road noises and appears as though it would do a good job of keeping heat inside during the winter months.
The chassis and the 220-hp turbo engine are very good. Together, they make the GT a very quick car, with comfortable and predictable manners.
The turbo arrangement is particularly good because there is no significant turbo lag, no slight pause when you goose the throttle. Low-speed power was good, too. The GT's Getrag-brand, five-speed manual transmission shifts with a light touch and is fun to use.
At highway speeds with the top down, it is remarkable how well airflow is controlled in this drop-top PT. A lack of wind buffeting makes it possible to have a conversation without shouting.
But Chrysler's designers could tidy up a few things in the cabin. Switches for the heated seats are an awkward and very tight reach down on the outside of the seat. The cup holders won't handle tall bottles and I think a telescoping steering wheel would be nice.
The seats are good; thickly stuffed and supportive, if a bit on the flat side, which means you slide around in sharp cornering. The power window controls on the dash work just fine.
Finally, the quality of this made-in-Mexico PT: Very good.
My tester had tight seams and panel gaps and everything worked very well for the full week. Consumer Reports rates it a recommended model and in the most recent J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study, the PT Cruiser ranked among the top three compact cars, tied with the Honda Civic.
Impressive.
Specifications
2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT
Type: Two-door convertible
Price: $32,290
Engine: 2.4-litre inline four-cylinder, turbocharged (DOHC)
Output: 220 hp/245 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: Five-speed manual or electronic four-speed auto
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 10.4 city/7.9 highway
Alternatives: Volkswagen New Beetle, Mini convertible
Like: Smooth power, responsive chassis; lots of stuff for the price; surprisingly useful trunk; nice top
Don't like: Front seat belt setup; basket handle bar detracts from look; huge turning circle
How it compares
..............................................2005 Chrysler.................2004 Volkswagen
..............................................PT Cruiser.....................New Beetle
..............................................GT convertible................GLX convertible
Wheelbase (mm)...........................2,,616.............................2,509
Length (mm).................................4,288.............................4,091
Width (mm)..................................1,704.............................1,724
Height (mm)..................................1,539............................1,502
Engine................................2.4 litre inline four,.................1.8-litre inline four,
.........................................turbocharged DOHC...............turbocharged DOHC
Output...............................220 hp at 5,100 rpm.................150 hp at 5,800 rpm
........................................245 lb-ft of torque...................162 lb-ft of torque
........................................at 2,800 rpm............................at 2,200 rpm
Drive system.................................FWD..........................FWD
Maximum towing capacity (kg)..........454.............................N/A
Fuel economy (litres/100 km).............10.4 city......................9.5 city
.....................................................7.9 highway...............7.1 highway
Base price......................................$32,290.......................$36,190
