Test drive Chrysler Sebring Sedan 2001 - 2003 sedan

The temptation of America

Silver temptation, it is very close .... Silver Chrysler Sebring - something like this is the last advertisement of Coca -Cola. And who promotes whom here is difficult to say. One way or another, Chrysler cannot be called a popular brand in Russia, many learned about Sebring only thanks to this advertising campaign. And therefore, it was especially pleasant for a while to become the owner of the main prize and experience silver temptation.

 

If you remember, in 1995, Chrysler had a trio of medium -sized Dodge Stratus, Plymouth Breeze and Chrysler Cirrus. Five years later, Stratus and Breeze were removed from production, and Cirrus lasted another year - our today's hero, the Chrysler Sebring sedan, which the public first saw in Geneva in 2000, was replaced. (Then it seemed strange: the premiere of the brand little -known on the continent - and suddenly in Geneva.) A month later, already in New York, the compartments and convertibles of the same name joined the sedan.

 

So that there is no confusion: the Chrysler Sebring compartment, which made it debuted in 1994, has almost nothing in common with the sedan (and convertible): this is a completely different machine built on the Mitsubishi Eclipse chassis. General only appearance and - since 2001 model year is a sports name borrowed from the sebring racing highway in Florida. Now this name bears the sedan ...

 

The machine still uses the Cirrus platform, but stretched 120 mm in length and 20 mm in height, while losing 10 mm width. The wheelbase has not changed, so the elongated overhangs of space in the cabin did not add.

 

They created a new sedan under the roof of Daimlerchrysler AG, with the direct participation of Stuttgart specialists. During the development, they focused on both related continents. In addition to the already known by Stratus 2.4 liters of four, a new V-shaped six of 2.7 liters is installed on Sebring, and economical Europeans offer 2 liters of motor. The transmission is a five -speed mechanics (aggregated only with 2 liters of engine) or a four -speed machine with manual mode. Only 2- and 2.7-liter versions are officially delivered to Russia. At our disposal was a sedan with a 2.7 -liter engine in the top configuration of LX.

 

Silver color is very going on Sebring with its faceted surfaces. Light and clean body design, good -natured performance ... The company has developed a good memorable style - Chrysler will not confuse with any other American. The Cabe Forward of the Cabe Forward with a shut -off interior, significant front and rear overhangs, littered racks and large wheels form a rapid silhouette. Predatory visors and large foglights give the car to sports aggressiveness. The wheels would be wider. Sebring seems less than it really is. In size, the car enters the segment E, where the main competitors can be considered Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima and Opel Omega.

 

Inside is a clash of European and American cultures of interior execution. A harmonious European front panel is combined with purely American gaping doors. They saved on plastic - rude and sonorous, and the adjustment of the panels is not on top, and if it is a norm for America, then in Europe they have not been done for so long. Even the Koreans pulled themselves up through the materials. The color of the cabin is beige, the most common among Americans. I would prefer black - more solid, practical, and with dark inserts under the nut, it is better combined. The LX equipment involves a leather salon - seats, steering wheel, doors finishes.

 

Taking a working position is easy. Convenient, moderately a hard chair has all the necessary electro -regulations (completely mechanical passenger), the location of the controls is optimal. The steering wheel, unfortunately, is regulated only by the angle of inclination. Automatic selector - on the floor. But the handbrake is located as if it is under the jurisdiction of the passenger.

 

Devices with white scales and chrome rims look advantageous - informative and beautiful. In the dark, they delight the eyes with a soft green glow. The control of the climate system is entrusted to three wheels, it is unpretentious, but understandable.

 

The head structure of the stereo system is powered by both cassettes and CDs, and the four discs for four disks are also located below. They took care of the smokers poorly: not a single built -in ashtray, there is only one mobile, which is inserted into any of the four cup holders, a cigarette lighter only ahead of the seated.

 

The interior is spacious. In the second row, there are plenty of space for the legs even with the front seat shifted to the stop. Despite the sloping roof, there are no problems with the space above the head in this zone - for the sake of this, the electric hatch does not leave for the ceiling (as usual), but climbs onto the roof. The inscriptions on the racks indicate the presence of pillows, the front and side - of course. They work stepped - three degrees of disclosure depending on the strength of the collision.

 

The function of the central lock does not apply to the trunk lid - it opens either from the key fob or from the cabin. The volume of the trunk is average - 453 liters (in Toyota Camry - 520 liters with a smaller machine length of the machine), despite the fact that under the floor is a full -size reserve. The backs of the rear seats are folded in parts, which allows you to transport long objects.

 

The 200-horsepower engine, the traction on the bottom, has fun and evenly disperses one and a half tons of dry weight. Although 10.5 seconds to hundreds are far from a record indicator for this class. The picture is slightly spoiled by the gross and nervous operation of the machine, when switching (especially from the first to the second gear), the Sebring is tearing, as under an inexperienced driver, with noticeable delay.

 

The manual Autostick mode is included in the transfer of the lever to the extreme rear position, where the transfers are selected by movement to the left-right. The picture improves - the rigid connection of the engine wheel allows you to use transmissions in a wider speed range, go in in a way, choose a low gear in advance and confidently perform overtaking. Switching down is now clear and fast (upwards - remained unchanged), which allows you to effectively slow down with the engine and with confident acceleration to get out of the turn.

 

Sebring stably keeps straight even at speeds close to maximum. Sensitive steering wheel, acceptable rolls. The suspension was tuned to Europe, but not enough to bore with its transparency. Joints and more noticeable irregularities practically do not bother, does not annoy and excessive swing in the wave. Perfectly balanced between comfort and handling control.

 

Good and unambiguous brakes do not require addiction. ABS works a little earlier than we would like, but softly and delicately. Noise isolation at a height.

 

Noises increase in proportion to the speed with a common background, the individual components do not stand out from it (they achieved this, having processed all the external panels with noise -absorbing foam). But a couple of bugs in the cabin is still found - they creak with a torpedo and the lining of the driver's door.

 

I really liked Sebring. Temptation is, of course, loudly said, but I got pleasure. Original, fresh, catchy appearance - the car is simply beautiful. And despite the fact that he is not devoid of European features, he does not seek to impersonate the European (which is characteristic of Japanese models). A real American. Chrysler Sebring-an E-class car for $ 28.500 with a 2.7-liter six, manual automaton, leather interior, air conditioning and stereo system. For that kind of money, even the Japanese will not give you so much, not to mention Europeans who will be at least a third more expensive. But is it worth overpaying for more expensive plastic?

 

Test: Sergey Yakubov

 
 
 

Source: Magazine Motor