In the dead of winter, in the
northeastern United States and Canada, top down driving is purely a state of mind.
You would have to be crazy to roll back the ragtop when the thermometer dips below
32 degrees, but then I have always been known as someone who is not afraid to
take a walk on the wild side.
And so it was that I found myself driving
down the highway at 65 miles per hour with the roof back, all four side windows
rolled up and the heater blasting warm air in the direction of my chest and toes.
The funny thing is I was actually comfortable and completely enjoying
the moment. That is at least until it started to snow. Oh well, you can't have
everything I guess. Even my so-called "born to be wild" nature has its limits.
Pulling off on the shoulder, the roof was raised into position in under
30 seconds. Soon I was once again cruising down the highway, this time enveloped
in a cocoon of relative silence and comfortable man-made temperatures.
The 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible has been restyled for this year, improving
its already refined good looks. The new front fascia offers scalloped headlights
and a rakish grille. Whereas last years model seemed delicate and feminine, the
2004 Sebring Convertible appears chiseled and potent, in a Hollywood action heroine
sort of way.
The Sebring is available in five different versions for 2004:
Chrysler Sebring Convertible, Chrysler Sebring Convertible GTC, Chrysler Sebring
Convertible Touring and Touring Platinum Series and the Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Limited. My test drive was in the 2004 Limited version.
New blade-runner
16" chrome aluminum wheels are standard on the Chrysler Sebring Convertible Limited
mounted with P205/60R 16 all-season Goodyear Eagles. Disc brakes are found at
all four corners, vented in front and solid in back, with 4-wheel ABS. A front-wheel
drive coupe, the Chrysler Sebring Convertible is designed as a touring car.
The front suspension is a double wishbone setup and the rear offers a low-arm
multi-link arrangement. Not a slalom driver by any means, the independent suspension
provides good road handling capability, but with a definite lean towards cruising
the boulevard. The rack and pinion steering is power assisted.
Power for
the 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible Limited is provided by a 2.7-L DOHC 24-valve
V6. Performance is rated at 200 hp @ 5800 rpm and torque at a strong 190 lb-ft
@ 4850. A 4-speed automatic transmission changes gears smoothly, with
only the slightest noticeable lag. Traction control is standard on the Limited.
Though you will probably never use it for towing, the Sebring Convertible offers
a maximum gross trailer weight of 1,000 lbs.
