The new Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger
When the new 300 came out, it was definitely a mixed bag. On the one hand, in its favor were superb cornering and handling feel – a nice sense of balance for a large vehicle combined with great road holding and a driver-tuned stability control system came from the combination of expensive Mercedes E-Class suspension design (modified to fit underneath a Chrysler and presumably to not bankrupt the company), tuned by the experts at Chrysler. (We saw from the Crossfire, particularly the SRT-6, that Chrylser is better at tuning Mercedes cars than Mercedes is.) Adding to the attraction was the top Hemi engine, which provided superlative boost with hardly any fuss and V6-style gas mileage. On the down-side was the performance with the base V6, both in acceleration and gas mileage; the 3.5’s moderately disappointing, though still perfectly acceptable, acceleration; and the relatively Spartan interior. While the 300C was definitely classy outside, inside it was, well, economy plus a nice analog clock. Compared with the 300M, the 300C is downright cheap inside – at least in appearance. We have been assured that it is actually far less susceptible to squeaks and rattles over time, not that the 300M was bad; but the 300/300C should be “world class” in that regard.
After the LX series, we saw the introduction of the Caliber, which proved that the PT Cruiser was not the last overweight smallish vehicle to be made by Chrysler. In case you thought the designers of the AMC Eagle – a compact car weighing a good two tons – had taken away their spirit, we had a surprisingly heavy small wagon, whose porky presence on the scales brought sub-Neon performance from engines with far more horsepower than the Neon ever got (unless you include the SRT-4, and to match the SRT-4, the Caliber SRT-4 will add a good 70 horsepower). Which brings us to the Sebring/Avenger.
The new mid-sized cars will hopefully give Chrysler a shot in the arm in that missing part of their product line, the popular family sedan. Chrysler used to play a huge role in that market, with A and B bodied cars, and then with various K-cars, and finally with the Spirit/Acclaim. The critically acclaimed Stratus and Sebring never sold as well as the Spirit/Acclaim, but actually made a profit; still, their sales never reached an acceptable level for a mainstream automaker with thousands of dealerships across the United States, with customers defecting to Toyota in droves for those bland, comfortable Camrys. The Stratus is set to get a more powerful base four-cylinder engine, with Chrysler’s lovely 3.5 liter V6 adding 50 hp to the current 2.7 liter engine, putting that power to the ground through a new, more efficient six-speed automatic. If the Stratus/Avenger keep their weight gains in check, they might just be able to match the 268 horsepower 2007 Camry (0-60 in 7 seconds), which also has a six-speed automatic, though the Camry’s EPA estimates (31 highway!) might be hard to reach at the same time. On the other hand, if they end up with a two-ton mid-sized car, we’re all in trouble. Maybe that won’t happen; the Caliber, after all, had to accommodate double duty as a Jeep, whereas, at least as far as we know, no Jeep version of the Sebring is planned.
We’ve now seen the Sebring and Avenger (spy shots are here) – and thanks, Autoblog for the link. Despite Dieter’s exhortations against identical twins carrying different nameplates, the only difference appears to be in their skins and perhaps a little suspension tuning, with the Avenger looking like a little Charger and the Sebring like a Charger with Crossfire styling. While we’re glad it’s not a mini-300C, the Sebring is clearly closely related to the Avenger, just as the Compass and Caliber are clearly twins.
Inside, the Sebring carries on the 300’s “silver and black” routine, with no rich burgundy, tan, or other colors; just the now-clichéd silver, gray, and black. The interior looks just about as Spartan as the 300, from what we’ve seen, even as the 300 is reportedly getting a restyled interior design to make it look, well, richer and more attractive. We sure hope that Chrysler plans to do more to the Sebring’s cabin before the official launch, because at the moment, it looks like another case of a pretty exterior and a dull, plasticky interior. Please prove me wrong, guys…!
I am so in aggrement with dave’s comments about the new Sebring/Avenger I could have written them myself. A spiffy interior is the “deal closer” when people are browsing showrooms. Every car I bought on impulse was that way, the styling got me in the showroom or got me to stop and look and the car, but it always was the interior that sold me, and starting me talking seriously to the salesman.
agreed…CG still struggles with interior refinement
Just wait…money will be rolling in once Benz dumps SMART.
The 300 will be getting a better interior soon…I think the guys who run this joint are getting the picture.
It may take them a little longer to get it but the message is getting through.
You can only do so much when Toyota is making billions a quarter and DCX is making hundreds of millions.
Dump SMART and any other money lossing vehicle and but the money where money can be made.
Has the Avenger name been confirmed yet?
Aye, I wish they’d just can the washed out light gray color. The darker grays are much nicer and look richer. Additionally, when did it become verboten to have cloth on the door panels? Or, if so equipped, leather? That would go far toward warming up even the LX interiors.
When did burgundy enter the “no go” list?
I guess the same time blue hit the ‘almost no go’ list ;)
I still think burgundy adds a real touch of class. And I really miss the Chrysler velour. Made even the Omni look special. Great for the Fury, Valiant, and Reliant, too.
Is the plain interior for marketing? That is, launch a new model with an attractive exterior and instead of a quick exterior update in 3 years, revise the interior to keep it “fresh”? My guess is an inside re-do is cheaper than changing stamping dies, etc.
Since we don’t have yearly body changes anynore, they need to re-fresh somehow.
Heh, we don’t even have yearly *trim* changes anymore. I’d love to have the burgundy back; folks had that in their ‘86 New Yorker. It held up extremely well.
Another nit: Vehicles designed to haul stuff using plastic panels that scratch when you sneeze on it.
Sure hope they build a V-6 with a manual transmission. My brother loves his Stratus R/T with the 5-speed in the four door version. A 3.5 with 5 or 6 speed manual should keep the V-6 Accords and Camry’s thinking. Maybe give the SS Chevy’s a run. The Chrysler version could be called a Duster, but not Road Runner.
I agree there except that I don’t think there should ever be a Chrylser Duster. Quite aside from the sound, a TRUE Duster is a low-buck car and totally inconsistent iwth the Chrysler position.
I would love to know the sticker price for the Limited with the 3.5
Except for the sound system, I’m not too picky about the interior.
burgundy and blue are not in style… remember the 2001-03 T&C? it only made it a few years with the blue trim, most people did not like it. It takes to much back to the 80’s and 90’s a time when they might have been cool.
I always found blue questionable for interior trim. Burgundy, though…I think that was killed because it was “too American” at a time when everyone worshipped at the alter of Japan and Europe.
I will only buy one if they change it to AVENGER! The stratus name is gay!
I really don’t want to see the name Avenger come back. But I was really hoping that they would not use Sebring on this new model. The name itself implies “Rental Car”. I hope this new version is not as dull and boring as the current body style. I like the look of the Ford Fusion. It seems modern looking without being too over the top. I’m afraid Ford might have sucked up the remaining parts of this market that the Asians don’t already have. But hopefully this new car will prove me wrong because we desperately need a hit in the mid size market.
The new Sebring looks a lot like a Crossfire… http://www.allpar.com/cars/chrysler/sebring.html
By the way, I personally can’t stand the Fusion’s lots-o-chrome grille, and I don’t see your problem with the name Avenger, especially if you hate Sebring so much. I frankly have no problem with either name; I think people are more likely to associate Sebring with the best-selling convertible in America.
Just a pointer:
I love the new Avenger (Stratus), how ever i strongly agree about the interior fault, even economic small cars look richer with fabric trims at the doors, yes they are harder to clean when any kind of fluid contacts them, how ever they look nicer, and that the car was boult with cuality and pride, not plastic fast high volume cheap car’s, thats how the 2006 Stratus looks like, wish takes me to another issue, the so called YES essentials no stain fabrics, a partner at the office just bought a Dodge Caliber with that fabric included, and instead of no stain we found them so easy to get dirty and so hard to clean.