Chrysler cruises Down Under

The car Americans are saying is "too cool to categorise" is on a whistle-stop tour of New Zealand.

The Chrysler PT Cruiser, a 1940s lookalike, will be here for three weeks, whetting the appetites of potential buyers.

"The interest in the Chrysler PT has gone through the roof in New Zealand and that is why we pressed the factory to let us have a sneak preview of it," said Chrysler New Zealand manager Brett Aspden.

The car will go on sale here in September. It hit the market in America last month and already 8000 have been sold.