Chrysler shows Sebring replacement to SHAP Employees

[XDCX]

There's a post on Allpar from an employee who works at Chrysler's Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) indicating they had a Town Hall meeting where they were shown photos of the new Avenger and the Sebring replacement.

The employee indicated that although the Avenger looked very similar to the existing vehicle that the Sebring replacement looked like the Chrysler 200C Concept Car that Cerberus showed in Detroit over a year ago.

If the information is correct, that would be awesome. For those who don't recall, here's a picture of the Chrysler 200C Concept Car:

[SHACOS]

That would be awesome if it was true. The car looks really good. Now the engine has to match the image.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by SHACOS

That would be awesome if it was true. The car looks really good. Now the engine has to match the image.

Concerning the engine and tranmission, I'm pretty sure they're just going to be carried over from the existing vehicles. I did read, however, that the interiors are going to be vastly improved.

There have been a lot of mixed signals coming from Chrysler regarding these vehicles. Initially SHAP was going to be scrapped as part of the OLDCO version of Chrysler and the assumption was Fiat based vehicles would replace them. But Chrysler recently reversed their decision and bought SHAP back from OLDCO. It sounds like these cars will be around for awhile.

It will be interesting to see what actually happens. As I've stated 1,000 times if I were Marchionne and had a pipeline filled with new/revised products I'd be advertising it today, not waiting until they were in the showrooms. The public needs to know that Chrysler's still got a pulse.

Iacocca not only talked about future product, he featured them in his advertisements. Here's a link to one of my favorite Iacocca commercials on YouTube - click here

[CL Pgh]

Anything close to the looks of this 200C would be a win for us! Can’t remember where I heard/read this but supposedly the new Sebring (Atlantic?) & Avenger would be the first units we have with Fiats new dual clutch automatic. Here’s a good read on the new tranny from just last month:
http://www.dctfacts.com/latest-news/...al-clutch.aspx

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by CL Pgh

Anything close to the looks of this 200C would be a win for us! Can’t remember where I heard/read this but supposedly the new Sebring (Atlantic?) & Avenger would be the first units we have with Fiats new dual clutch automatic. Here’s a good read on the new tranny from just last month:
http://www.dctfacts.com/latest-news/...al-clutch.aspx

Thanks for the info - I finally had a chance to read the story in the link you provided.

To the extent the Pentastar V6 is finally in full production and Chrysler will have access to Fiat's new dual-clutch transmission maybe the Sebring and Avenger will have a competitive powertrain.

[SHACOS]

I think it needs a V-8 or AWD. Pick your favorite.

[CarguyCO]

AWD and a V8

[Ralph]

I think V-10 and dualies.

[XDCX]

I think this thread has drifted off-topic......

Maybe I'm old school, but if the car looks great and is priced right I don't think the average customer gets too distracted by what the powertrain is.

The thread on Allpar stated that Chrysler's targeting Lexus as the standard for revised interiors. We've heard lofty statements from Daimler and Cerberus in the past, hopefully Marchionne will be able to deliver.

[ohiobuckeyes]

Looks Great! Hope it will compete with Malibu and Accord. Chrysler needs to bring back an AWD vehicle other then the Charger / 300. I would trade in my Accord for a "Serbing AWD" if it looked like the 200C.

[Ralph]

The stuff I've read is that they're talking all new sheet metal, and if they held to even some of that picture, it sue would be striking. And the new transmission and the new V-6 and they've got something to talk about for sure. I like it.

[XDCX]

Allpar has a rendering of the vehicle that was shown to the SHAP employees and it doesn't look anything like the photo in the first post or this thread. To view the Allpar photo and write-up - click here

Allpar's reporting the rendering is a "dead ringer" for the vehicle that was shown during the SHAP Town Hall meeting. Even the Allpar faithful think this is a poor result and hope the real vehicle looks better than the rendering.

For Chrysler's sake, I hope the Sebring replacement looks a lot better in person than the rendering suggests.

[crowe]

Originally Posted by XDCX

Allpar has a rendering of the vehicle that was shown to the SHAP employees and it doesn't look anything like the photo in the first post or this thread. To view the Allpar photo and write-up - click here

Allpar's reporting the rendering is a "dead ringer" for the vehicle that was shown during the SHAP Town Hall meeting. Even the Allpar faithful think this is a poor result and hope the real vehicle looks better than the rendering.

For Chrysler's sake, I hope the Sebring replacement looks a lot better in person than the rendering suggests.

I hope “dead ringer” is wrong. This looks too much like the current “dead” model.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by crowe

I hope “dead ringer” is wrong. This looks too much like the current “dead” model.

I agree. If that's what the replacements are going to look like then Chrysler should have just saved their money and used it for sales incentives.

To the extent these vehicles are supposed to be the first examples of Marchionne's direction for Chrysler, I'd hate to see them be disappointments and get panned by the press.

[s32741bb]

If that is the replacement of the Sebring then we have been misled by our DM . All that looks like is a very small change to current version ???