Sebring Coupe

Chrysler Sebring Coupe Models

Chrysler splits the Sebring two-door coupe into two models: LX and LXi.

The base LX coupe uses a single-cam 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 142 horsepower and links to a four-speed automatic transaxle.

The luxury version, Sebring LXi, has a 3.0-liter V6 charged to 200 horsepower. The V6 mates either to the standard five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic that can be rigged with Chrysler's AutoStick for no-clutch shift control. Optional safety equipment includes ABS for Sebring LX, or ABS with Traction Control on Sebring LXi when equipped with the automatic transmission.

Driving the Chrysler Sebring Coupe

Back-to-back drives in the previous Sebring coupe and its sleek replacement quickly demonstrate that the new version feels tighter, stronger and stiffer.

We spent time in both during a day driving loop courses around Lake Washington in the suburbs of Seattle. These routes ranged from congested I-5 to stop-and-go Third Street to the residential lakeshore on Mercer Island, and provided a variety of pavement types and urban speeds. The drives revealed confident road manners. They also revealed the suspension tips toward the plush side to favor softer ride characteristics.

Sebring rolls on a new chassis that improves rigidity over the previous generation by 90 percent in bending strength and 9 percent in twisting. New front suspension elements include MacPherson struts with lower A-arms, shock tower bracing, and an anti-roll bar. In the rear are upper A-arms with lower lateral and semi-trailing links, coil springs and an anti-roll bar.

While an aggressive driver may perhaps observe that the new front arrangement results in less precision when carving a hard turn, the new Sebring performs better in straight-line action and ultimately generates a smoother ride quality than the previous model.

The new coupe also delivers more power than the former Sebring through new engines that offer greater displacement as well as strength. The base Sebring LX comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that uses a single overhead-camshaft design with four valves per cylinder and sequential multi-point fuel injection. Output reaches 142 horsepower with the automatic transaxle.

Sebring LXi shows more spark with its single overhead-cam 3.0-liter V6 that develops 200 horsepower. This engine delivers exhilarating acceleration performance; it surprised us with its authority.

The shifter lever on the console connects to either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The short-throw manual 5-speed moves effortlessly fore and aft, with smooth clutch engagement and easy up-shifts. The 4-speed automatic contains an adaptive controller tied to a computer that quickly learns a driver's habits and manipulates shift patterns to suit the driving style. Take it easy and the automatic interprets that style by shifting gently at relatively low engine speeds. Pep it up and the transmission holds it in a lower gear longer to increase acceleration performance. Tackle a long downhill descent and it drops down a gear to add engine braking. With the optional AutoStick, you can slide the automatic shift lever down to a manual mode and create a shift-it-yourself option without the hassle of pumping a clutch pedal.