Chrysler PT Cruiser ConvertibleAnother famously weird car produced throughout the '00s was the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Its retro looks made it a surprise hit during the first half of the decade, although sales sharply tailed off during the second half. Like many Chrysler products at the time, the PT Cruiser wasn't particularly well built, and so its styling charms were the main reason buyers flocked to the car — or they were the reason buyers stayed well away from it.The PT Cruiser was originally designed as a kind of shrunk-down, retro-themed minivan, with four doors and just about enough room to fit a family. However, the two-door convertible version cranked the strangeness up a notch. Here the car lost any semblance of practicality, with the tradeoff of some added retro appeal. As its name implies, this was an open-top cruiser, built for personal enjoyment above practicality, and indeed there are plenty of enthusiasts today that continue to be won over by its charms. Newcomers wanting to join the car's large fan club are in luck too, as its divisive styling and mediocre build quality has kept used prices very low.Renault AvantimeChrysler wasn't the only company to venture into making two-door minivans during the early '00s. Renault was also doing just that, and its short lived minivan-coupe crossover was called the Avantime. Sold only in Europe, the Avantime was certainly a step above the average family hauler in the styling department, although this came at the cost of sacrificing some practicality.It could only seat four people, which was particularly strange given that the car it was based on, the more traditionally styled Espace minivan, could seat seven. Luggage space was also reasonable for the segment, although carrying larger loads would require the seats to be folded down, reducing the seating to just two. So, this was a car for people who wanted minivan styling but without the practicality that a regular minivan offered. Needless to say, there wasn't much of a market for such a strange vehicle, and the Avantime sold poorly throughout the two years it was on sale.
