The re-alignment of the Chrysler-badged lineup of vehicles continued at the New York International Auto Show with the debut of three new models bearing the Sebring name.
There is the Sebring coupe and convertible, with which we are familiar and which have separate platforms, but now there is also the Sebring sedan that used to be the Cirrus and still shares a platform with the Sebring convertible.
No matter the names or derivations, the three cars have been given facelifts and upgrades for their arrival this fall as 2001 models.
Though they have three design teams and come from two different assembly facilities, the new models have a certain design consistency that should link them in the minds of consumers.
But there's enough that's different about the three Sebring siblings to require that they be considered here as separate vehicles. So let's start with the most prosaic version, the sedan, which is also likely to be the biggest selling version.
The Sebring sedan is supposed to appeal to consumers who previously considered buying the Cirrus from Chrysler or the Breeze from the now-defunct Plymouth brand. Competitive cars would include Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and all that set of formidable sedans.
Though it keeps almost exactly the same dimensions and uses a lot of the running gear it had when it was the Cirrus, the Sebring sedan does look a lot different from its previous self, and a lot of this exterior work was done to make the interior better.
DaimlerChrysler went to a lot of trouble to make the Sebring stiffer and quieter than the Cirrus it replaces, since those two items were significant issues in the older car. The company says the new sedan is quieter than the one it replaces but doesn't give any numbers to back it up. DCX does note, however, that Sebring's body structure is 13 percent less likely to twist and 33 percent less likely to bend.
To add to the improved road feel and cornering that comes with improved body stiffness, DCX retuned the steering system with a new front suspension cross-member, added rebound springs to the shocks for improved control without sacrificing comfort, and revised the sway bar isolators.
Chrysler Sebring sedan features a short long-arm front suspension system that's supposed to provide a balance between handling stability and ride comfort, while the rear multi-link set-up is meant to contribute to refined ride and handling by reducing friction and bending.
Now standard are P205/65R15 tires, up from 14-inch, with optional 16-inch wheels and P205/60R16 tires now optional. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, and there's an optional system called "ABS Plus," which DCX says is a "sophisticated software extension that senses braking in turns and controls yaw in full and partial braking situations, as well as with split surfaces."
But the big mechanical news in the Sebring sedan involves a pair of new engines. The sedan's base engine is now a 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve inline-4 that develops 150 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 167 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm, and is supposed to be quieter in all circumstances than the 2-litre it replaces.
Optional in the 2001 Chrysler Sebring sedan is the all-aluminum 2.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6, delivering 200 horsepower at 5900 rpm and 193 pound-feet of torque at 4300 rpm. As well as offering 32 more horsepower and 23 more pound-feet of torque, the new engine also provides more usable torque and increased mid-range performance because of its new active intake manifold tuning valve.
In the Sebring coupe, the intent was to improve overall performance and driving pleasure, which meant new powertrains, a retuned suspension and increased body stiffness.
The coupe's new base engine is the same 2.4-litre inline-4 that can be found in the Sebring sedan, but the upscale engine is the older 3-litre V6 that should crank out 200 horsepower around 5500 rpm (this is still an estimate) and 205 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm, which are considerable upgrades from the 2.5-litre it replaces.
A 5-speed manual shifter is standard with engines and there are optional automatics, including the AutoStick transaxle that allows the driver to make semi-manual shifts.
In order to provide the Sebring coupe with more precise and responsive handling, DCX increased the two-door's body rigidity by 90 percent in bending and 9 percent in torsion, and added a front strut tower brace, front and rear sway bars, and a rigid rear suspension toe link bushing.
To keep things quieter inside a Sebring coupe, there is improved body sealing and a double lip/bulb door glass seal for better door and glass fit and seal. Further, a comprehensive acoustical package is meant to reduce generated noises, while powertrain sounds were refined through tuned resonators in the engine intake and exhaust systems to help emphasize quality sounds while reducing unpleasant noises.
The Sebring convertible should keep a firm grip on its position as the most popular rental car in the Pacific Coast Highway in California, thanks to its slick new exterior and interior looks, its more powerful engine, and upgrades to its running gear.
Not changed at all is the fact that it's the roomiest convertible in the world that costs less than $250,000 and so can easily accommodate four travelers and their luggage.
The 2.7-liter V-6 that's optional in the Sebring sedan is standard in the Sebring convertible and is attached to either the base 4-speed automatic or, for more money, the AutoStick manu-matic.
Much of the body stiffness improvement found in the coupe survives the loss of the roof to create the softtop, DCX says, so that should reduce its more pronounced twist.
Sebring convertible also has a retuned steering system with stiffer frontsuspension cross-member, rebound springs added to the shocks, and revised sway bar isolators.
There are larger tires and wheels for 2001, with P205/65R15 tires on the LX model and 16-inch wheels and P205/60R16 tires standard on LXi and Limited and optional on LX.
There is the Sebring coupe and convertible, with which we are familiar and which have separate platforms, but now there is also the Sebring sedan that used to be the Cirrus and still shares a platform with the Sebring convertible.
No matter the names or derivations, the three cars have been given facelifts and upgrades for their arrival this fall as 2001 models.
Though they have three design teams and come from two different assembly facilities, the new models have a certain design consistency that should link them in the minds of consumers.
But there's enough that's different about the three Sebring siblings to require that they be considered here as separate vehicles. So let's start with the most prosaic version, the sedan, which is also likely to be the biggest selling version.
The Sebring sedan is supposed to appeal to consumers who previously considered buying the Cirrus from Chrysler or the Breeze from the now-defunct Plymouth brand. Competitive cars would include Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and all that set of formidable sedans.
Though it keeps almost exactly the same dimensions and uses a lot of the running gear it had when it was the Cirrus, the Sebring sedan does look a lot different from its previous self, and a lot of this exterior work was done to make the interior better.
DaimlerChrysler went to a lot of trouble to make the Sebring stiffer and quieter than the Cirrus it replaces, since those two items were significant issues in the older car. The company says the new sedan is quieter than the one it replaces but doesn't give any numbers to back it up. DCX does note, however, that Sebring's body structure is 13 percent less likely to twist and 33 percent less likely to bend.
To add to the improved road feel and cornering that comes with improved body stiffness, DCX retuned the steering system with a new front suspension cross-member, added rebound springs to the shocks for improved control without sacrificing comfort, and revised the sway bar isolators.
Chrysler Sebring sedan features a short long-arm front suspension system that's supposed to provide a balance between handling stability and ride comfort, while the rear multi-link set-up is meant to contribute to refined ride and handling by reducing friction and bending.
Now standard are P205/65R15 tires, up from 14-inch, with optional 16-inch wheels and P205/60R16 tires now optional. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, and there's an optional system called "ABS Plus," which DCX says is a "sophisticated software extension that senses braking in turns and controls yaw in full and partial braking situations, as well as with split surfaces."
But the big mechanical news in the Sebring sedan involves a pair of new engines. The sedan's base engine is now a 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve inline-4 that develops 150 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 167 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm, and is supposed to be quieter in all circumstances than the 2-litre it replaces.
Optional in the 2001 Chrysler Sebring sedan is the all-aluminum 2.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6, delivering 200 horsepower at 5900 rpm and 193 pound-feet of torque at 4300 rpm. As well as offering 32 more horsepower and 23 more pound-feet of torque, the new engine also provides more usable torque and increased mid-range performance because of its new active intake manifold tuning valve.
In the Sebring coupe, the intent was to improve overall performance and driving pleasure, which meant new powertrains, a retuned suspension and increased body stiffness.
The coupe's new base engine is the same 2.4-litre inline-4 that can be found in the Sebring sedan, but the upscale engine is the older 3-litre V6 that should crank out 200 horsepower around 5500 rpm (this is still an estimate) and 205 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm, which are considerable upgrades from the 2.5-litre it replaces.
A 5-speed manual shifter is standard with engines and there are optional automatics, including the AutoStick transaxle that allows the driver to make semi-manual shifts.
In order to provide the Sebring coupe with more precise and responsive handling, DCX increased the two-door's body rigidity by 90 percent in bending and 9 percent in torsion, and added a front strut tower brace, front and rear sway bars, and a rigid rear suspension toe link bushing.
To keep things quieter inside a Sebring coupe, there is improved body sealing and a double lip/bulb door glass seal for better door and glass fit and seal. Further, a comprehensive acoustical package is meant to reduce generated noises, while powertrain sounds were refined through tuned resonators in the engine intake and exhaust systems to help emphasize quality sounds while reducing unpleasant noises.
The Sebring convertible should keep a firm grip on its position as the most popular rental car in the Pacific Coast Highway in California, thanks to its slick new exterior and interior looks, its more powerful engine, and upgrades to its running gear.
Not changed at all is the fact that it's the roomiest convertible in the world that costs less than $250,000 and so can easily accommodate four travelers and their luggage.
The 2.7-liter V-6 that's optional in the Sebring sedan is standard in the Sebring convertible and is attached to either the base 4-speed automatic or, for more money, the AutoStick manu-matic.
Much of the body stiffness improvement found in the coupe survives the loss of the roof to create the softtop, DCX says, so that should reduce its more pronounced twist.
Sebring convertible also has a retuned steering system with stiffer frontsuspension cross-member, rebound springs added to the shocks, and revised sway bar isolators.
There are larger tires and wheels for 2001, with P205/65R15 tires on the LX model and 16-inch wheels and P205/60R16 tires standard on LXi and Limited and optional on LX.
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