Hard on the heels of the Chrysler Sebring’s arrival in Australia is a leaked internal Chrysler memo suggesting that not even Chrylser are happy with their new Sebring and Dodge Nitro models.
Apparently Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda is quite upset and many employees are outraged with how the Sebring and Nitro have turned out. Mr Bob Lee the head of Powertrain Engineering for Chrysler and Dodge wrote an internal questionnaire that was obtained by the Detroit News.
According to Lee Chrysler has “missed where the market was to end up versus our projections.” In fact Lee went on to say that Chrysler underestimated what their competitors would be offering and missed the mark in terms of interior quality, ride, fuel efficiency and NVH. It would seem that many Chrysler enthusiasts have also criticized the styling of both the Sebring and Nitro.
“As a result of these embarrassing ‘misses,’ there are extremely aggressive actions being taken on many of the existing products — and also the yet to be introduced products to get us at least to the middle of the competitive pack in very short order,” Lee wrote.
Rick Deneau a spokesman for Chrysler has confirmed that the leaked memo is authentic and was not meant for public release.
Hmmm…kinda makes that new Sebring you were going to buy look a little ‘dog-eared’ doesn’t it…
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It also seems the V6 engine in the Sebring convertible on its was to Oz is a dog.
I was looking forward to buying the Nitro 2.8. I thought that surely Chrysler would have fixed all the serious mechanical problems it’s models had in the past. I’m sorry to read that nothing’s changed - another lemon straight off the assembly line!
I LOVE MY 4 CYLINDER 2007 SEBRING. I AM AVERAGING 29 MILES TO THE GALLON HIGHWAY/CITY DRIVING.
That a Chrysler exec could justify those two turkeys by saying we missed where the competition was going is stunning. Anyone who thought Toyota and Honda wes going in that direction would be fired at Tonka. For fellow oldtime Chrysler guys this is worse than the 61 Dodge Dart!
What is it with the motoring press.
My Sebring 2.0 CRD has performed flawlessly for 30,000 km’s It carries 4 adults at highway cruising speeds effortlessly, eats country dirt roads, and is a blast on the pass.
Yet in every review, they whine, they hold up cookie cutter cars as the shining light and here is something that is stylish, mine is well finished, comfortable and continues to be the centre of attention when people see it.
My only advise is go and try it, I looked at the competitors and do not regret my decision.
Amen to cookie cutter comment.
While I am not particularly drawn to the Sebring, at least it doesn’t look like everything else out there. My wife would really like one and likes the looks. I did sit in one and thought that the interior wasn’t bad and I was comfortable. I’ve also sat/road in a 07, top of the line camry, and a 06 Accord and thought that the Chrysler interior was equal or better to those two “perfect” cars.
Granted, Chrysler could have done more on the Avenger/Sebring, but I think that there are plenty of new cars coming out that deserve as much bad press as these two.
I do wish Dodge would hurry up on the hornet…or whatever it will be and get in on that market. Also wish that they’d hurry their alternate fuel source technology going and beat some other companies to the punch.