CHRYSLER Sebring Convertible Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

A best-seller over the year in American, Chrysler’s convertible Sebring was redesigned for 2008 and offered enhanced comfort, more luxurious featured and an extensive list of equipment.

Not many competitors were available on the market at the time and the Sebring was slightly better than the Toyota’s Camry Solara, with better driving dynamics and more luxurious interior features.

Based on the Dodge’s Caliber platform, the driving experience was not among the best in the class, with not-so-precise handling and noisy engines.

Offered with a conventional soft top or a retractable hardtop, the cabin was well insulated and the Sebring could be used throughout the entire year.

The Sebring was available in three trim levels: LX, Touring and Limited.

The convertible LX included a power-operated vinyl soft top, 16-inch wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, full power accessories and optional upgraded cloth upholstery.

Stepping up to the Touring trim level 17-inch alloys and a wider list of optional features, while the top-of-the-range, the Limited edition featured a cloth top, leather upholstery and an upgraded audio system.

The convertible Sebring was available with a front-wheel-drive system only and was driven by a standard 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that produced 173 hp and 166 pound-feet of torque. The unit was mated with a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The best ragtop from Chrysler undergone a major facelift in 2001 and confirmed why the pentastar brand was the leader in the convertible segment.

Chrysler dominated the American convertible market since 1982, and it did that by offering comfortable vehicles with fair performance and good enough fuel-efficiency to be used as a daily driver. After the facelift, the Sebring Convertible gained a few pounds over its predecessor, but it was 44 percent stiffer than the pre-2001 model-year. Moreover, even if it looked almost the same, 85 percent of the body panels were changed.

From the outside, the Sebring kept the same four windows on its sides, which encouraged the owners to drive the car with all seats filled. At the front, the lower side of the headlights wasn't straight anymore and featured two half-elliptical shapes needed to improve the headlight's performance. The designers installed a wider grille on the lower side of the bumper, with the badge fitted on its upper side.

Inside, Chrysler customers didn't complain about the cabin's roominess, and that didn't change. While the front seats were wide and comfortable, the rear bench was profiled for two passengers. It even featured two seat-belts instead of three. Chrysler installed split-folding rear bench seatbacks to make the car better as a daily driver to extend the trunk area. The soft-top was retractable behind the rear seats.

Under the hood, the Sebring Convertible featured a similar drivetrain with the Sebring and the Stratus sedan. There was a choice of three engines, with a modest 2.0-liter as the base version and the smooth 2.7-liter V6 for the top trim-level.

As the last generation of Chrysler Sebring was a great success, the new 2001 models resembled the previous ones in terns of exterior design, roominess and sportiness.

The 2001 updates included a more rounded design, bigger headlights, bigger stoplights and a refreshed front grille.

Slight exterior updates were made to improve the exterior design, however, the major updated consisted of a completely new range of engines. The most powerful engine that could equip the Sebring sedan was a 2.7-liter V6 unit that developed 200 hp and 197 lb.-ft of torque, mated with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The punchy engine was available only with the LXi trim level.

The Sebring in the base trim level was well-equipped with power windows, power mirrors and door locks, cruise control, 60/40 split folding rear seats and an AM/Fm stereo cassette.

With the top-of-the-range, the LXi trim level, customers enjoyed a premium cabin fitted with adjustable leather seats and a premium audio system, as well as other features such as upgraded 16-inch alloys and remote keyless entry.

Safety was highly considered with side impact airbags, improved structural dynamics, three point seatbelts and the Chrysler’s Next Generation multi-stage airbags.

The Chrysler Sebring was also available as a sedan and a coupe body style.