Test Drive Chrysler LHS 1998 - 2001 -
Whale imperialism
Chrysler LHS. More than two billion dollars investment. Unique software that has allowed to spend the whole process of creating a new car without a single piece. No cooks among designers. Less than three years of work. And the world receives a car that has full right with the triumph to enter the 21st century. It is called Chrysler LHS. After a short closure, America once again confirms the status of the Great Automotive Power.
Biodide from corrupt
It is KIT - a huge and at the same time elegant and harmonious, like everything created by nature itself, the marine animal. Such is the first and main association, which occurs when looking at Chrysler LHS. Repeatedly criticized erection of a century, the so-called biodisine, this time spawned something worthy.
The similarity with the sea giant is traced literally in each body dash, especially in its front. Not a single straight angle or flat surface. The oval roof line is continued with a huge windshield, curved in horizontal and vertical planes, which smoothly flows into the convex, cool the hood drops forward, forming some kind of whale head with him. The huge grill of the radiator with the winged medallion of Chrysler divides in half integrated into the body and painted in its color bumper, reinforcing similarity with the sea beast. This grille is made of particularly durable polymeric materials, and it is quite capable of resistance under the blow of the same force that usually can withstand a solid bumper.
An additional similarity with the whale gives the wavy top line of headlights, in which high-tech projection lighting elements are applied: near-light lamps by 50, and long-distance 100 percent brighter and more efficiently normal. Slightly below, in front spoiler, additional fog lights of the same type with high-strength glass are inserted.
Complete an analogy with cetaceans somewhat more elongated compared to the hood of the trunk and the rear profile, which is so similar to the tail of a giant whale-rig.
In wise The most stylish element inside is, of course, devices. Four round analog dial with black numbers on a white background and thin chrome rims performed in the spirit of the 50s, and the same clock in the center of the torpedo make a completely unique flavor of fine chic. Especially in the dark, when the entirely glows from the inside with a non-rigid soft greenish light.
The front panel crosses a rather wide decorative bar of the dark tree. It is perfectly harmonized with the inserts in the door panels and on the center console, around the gearbox selector. Of course, this is not a natural tree, but the quality of the material is so high that it is indistinguishable with the naked eye.
Chairs are decorated with perforated skin and are heated and memory for two positions. All electrical adjustments, in all conceivable directions; Even the head restraints, except for the traditional height, are adjustable along the angle of inclination. In addition, the driver's seat when the ignition is turned off automatically moves 5.5 ct back, facilitating the output and landing.
The rear sofa explicitly hints at the representative nature of the car. There are only two full-fledged places with a wide twisted armrest between them. But with an unexpected functional-democratic element. Over the armrest is a hatch in the trunk. Well, the gentlemen will be ashamed to grab skis on the weekend in a country house! Do not sculpt the same, to God, the trunk on the roof. Moreover, its form does not really contribute to this.
Chrysler LHS, as it should be a car class, a very rich set of additional equipment has a standard set, where, in addition to the already mentioned, almost everything is invented by a person: automatic climatic installation with a filter of the incoming air, 240-watt Music Center Infinity with CD Player and eleven speakers. The display of a sidecomputer, as in most American cars, is put on the ceiling above the windshield, and just pressing one button to obtain information about the intake temperature, the direction of movement, the fuel reserve in the tank, etc.
Native environment
Our short test confirmed: This, without exaggeration, a huge car in the conditions of a big city feels, sorry for the beaten metaphor like a fish in water. Or rather, as the already mentioned linker.
The new 257-strong engine has a very high initial torque, thanks to which the car accelerates vigorously and stable. With a sharp handling of gas can lead to the effect of smoking wheels, repeatedly seen by many in American militants. The anti-slip system is monitored to the boss, if it is in the back seat, did not receive regular slap head restraints on the back of the head. But if the boss is you yourself, the system is turned off by simply pressing the button on the torpedo.
The essential advantage of the new engine consists also in the fact that it is less demanding than Europeans, to the quality of gasoline and is quite content with 92th, as well as more economical - during the dough in a frosty day in a fuel consumption of the city did not exceed 15.1 l per 100 km.
Despite the characteristics, LHS is not a sports car. He has a completely definite assignment, and a 4-speed automatic gearbox, without special modes such as Power or Sport, corresponds to it entirely and completely. Soft, without a trace of delay or jolts, gear shifting provides more than sufficient dynamics, ease of control and comfortable movement. In other words, just what we are waiting for the modern sedan of the representative class, plus a little more.
The suspension is also entirely complying with the requirements for large luxury sedans, although tougher than on American land lines of the past. The use of insulating elastic elements in its design has significantly improved stability, maneuverability and handling by car. At the same time, it reliably absorbs all sorts of irregularities and bumps.
As for the adaptability to urban conditions in terms of the convenience of maneuver and parking on not too wide urban streets, the only thing that can be reproached by LHS is hindered by the parking lot. Despite all its progressiveness, the body design of Cab Forward with huge gentle glasses limits the visibility of the rear dimensions.
Modern ion As the biblical character felt in the whale whale, it is unknown, but we can say one thing: if he was as comfortable there, freely and confidently and if that whale also obeyed him, as our contemporary, then the history of the human race had It would be chances to go on a completely different way of development.
Today, American cars in Russia, with the exception of SUVs, look a kind of challenge to public opinion. There are not always justified stereotypes that accumulate the social status of American sedans. But times are changing, and together with them and people. In our deep conviction, in the new conditions of Chrysler LHS should find fans among those people who would like to get a good luxury car, quite suitable for the role of representative, and for a good price. At the same time, emphasize your own taste and style, the ability to think and act is not stereotypically. They are not disappointed.
Autopilot thanks the company East Line, (095) 152-4126, 755-5742, for the car provided to the test. For the period of testing the car, the car was insured in the company's re-guarantee, (095) 250-3600, 255-68341.
Who else
There is a version that Chrysler LHS is a car exclusively for the American market, and its European analogue is the Chrysler 300m at the Moscow Motor Show. There is a direct opposite point of view, the supporters of which are written to the fact that LHS and 300M are still very different from each other in appearance and in stuffing and can not be called their overall variants of the same
In any case, one thing is clear: the very presence of such diametral opinions proves that in Russia with LHS is still badly familiar.
But in America is one of the most famous machines. No wonder on the Internet Chrysler server, only this model was honored to gain a special e-page on which owners can share opinions about it. They are divided, and very active. These owners, of course, are not experts. But from childhood, they are accustomed to the abundance of good cheap machines and just look at them with other eyes, not as we. Here, for example, what questions and answers them arose in previous models.
Question: I wonder why this Chrysler needed to change the whole design of LHS five years after the release? What do they have nothing to do?
Answer: You're understanding, LHS was already so outdated next to the competitors, which they just could not wait next.
Question: My LHS goes well and has good cabin comfort. But wildly noisy. Or is it a lack of all Chryslers?
Answer: Go to your dealer, he will handle all the cavities of some special foam. It will at least be worn.
Model / Modification Chrysler LHS
Manufacturer CHRYSLER CORPORATION
Manufacturer Country
BODY
Sedan type
Number of doors / places 4/5
ENGINE
Type gasoline with multipoint electronic injection
Locations stopped prolong
Working volume (cube. Cm) 3518
Number / Cylinder Location 6 / V-Fig
Cylinder diameter x Piston stroke (mm) 96x81
Compression ratio 9.6: 1
Power, kW (hp) with rpm. / Min. 189 (257) at 6400
Moment (nm at rpm. / Min.) 346 at 3950
Type of gas distribution mechanism / Number of SOHC / 24 valves
TRANSMISSION
Drive front
Gearbox automatic 4-speed with electronic control
SUSPENSION
Front independent, spring-loaded rack with lower transverse levers, elastic couplings and transverse stability stabilizer, gas-filled shock absorbers
Rear independent, on cylindrical springs, single longitudinal swinging levers and double transverse levers with elastic couplings and transverse stability stabilizer, gas-filled shock absorbers
STEERING
Type of the launch gear with an integrated type hydraulic
Min.Diameter reversal (M) 11.4
Torkemose
Front disc ventilated
Rear disk
ABS 4-channel electronic with 4 sensors
Wheels
Tire size 225/55 R17
Alloy discs 7JX17
Sizes / Obeham / Weight
Length / Width / Height (mm) 5275/1890/1420
Capacity of the trunk (cube dm) 530
Wheel base (mm) 2870
Front track / rear (mm) 1575/1565
Clearance (mm) 133
Volume of fuel tank (L) 68
Mass, dry / maximum (kg) 1625/2100
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km / h) 210
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (sec.) 9
Windshield coefficient (CX) 0.31
Economy
Fuel consumption (l / 100 km):
City 15.
Highway 8.
Mixed cycle 12,4.
Price in Moscow $ 48 150
Andrei Timofeev, Alexey Ilyin (photo)
A source: "Autopilot"
