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Friday, March 21, 2008

Last American Hero? : Chrysler Sebring Convertible

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There's a new hard-top coupe-convertible in town; the people who don't want to splash out big $ for the Mercedes-Benz or BMW equivalents nor go French with the Renault Megane Coupe-Convertible or the Peugeot 307CC can now look towards the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as an alternative... whether it's viable or not is entirely up to you, of course.

The Sebring Convertible arrives in Singapore to bolster the ranks of Chrysler vehicles here, which currently includes the Voyager (MPV), Sebring (sedan), Crossfire (Merc SLK-based coupe) and Bentley-lookalike 300C (which includes a crazy, tyre-shredding HEMI 6.1L V8 variant!).

Like so many other marques, Chrysler has decided to execute the Sebring Convertible with a retractable hard-top (vinyl and rag-top versions are available in other markets) to give owners a choice between coupe and convertible; at the touch of a button.

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the Chrysler bears enough similarity to its sedan counterpart so the family resemblance is unmistakable. the car is a queer mish-mash of high and low-rent specifications, but this becomes understandable when you realise it only costs approximately S$150k to put this on the roads.

18-inch sports alloys mix it up with faux wood trim and nasty plastics to evoke mixed feelings in the owner. the driver rests his bottom in a half-electric seat, while the front passenger settles for full manual-adjustment only. rear occupants enjoy quite a bit of space thanks to the car's generous wheel-base.

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The instruments are nicely legible, but feature old-school fonts and kitschy dot-matrix graphics.

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Oversized bumpers front and rear mar the car's edgy styling. The Sebring Convertible's profile is brash and bold; predictably american styling.

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Under the bonnet too is no minor-league 4-cylinder but a 2.7L V6 that is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 189bhp and 260Nm on tap is just about acceptable in shuttling the car around, but this is more kerb-crawling cruiser than boulevard bruiser.

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The auto box boasts closely spaced slick shifting ratios that make the most of the engine for brisk start-stop acceleration, but there's little satisfaction in working the engine hard, so it's perhaps best to just smile and pose.

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The cabin is old-school with an unfortunate antiquated console architecture. Chrysler hasn't really realised that it's not enough to have a convincing exterior package without sprucing up the interior as well, since 'lifestyle' is more than just skin-deep. front seats are snugly comfortable and this must be one of the few truly usable 2+2 coupe-convertibles on the market.

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Roof down, there's a fair amount scuttle shake but the suspension is decently sorted to cope with the worst the roads can fling its way.

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This is clearly a wallet-friendly alternative to motorists clamouring for the lifestyle cachet of a coupe-convertible. unfortunately, the 2.7L capacity means higher running costs in terms of road tax, fuel consumption and insurance, so it may not be as $$$-friendly as one might imagine, especially since the power levels aren't that impressive begin with. Could this be chrysler's last american hero?

Fast Facts : Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Engine: 2736cc, 24-valves, V6
Maximum power: 189bhp at 5500rpm
Maximum torque: 260Nm at 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
LxBxH: 4922 x 1816 x 1485 mm
Wheelbase: 2765mm
Price: approx. S$150,000
Agent: Chrysler Jeep Automotive of Singapore, tel.: +65 6479 3333

Saturday, March 15, 2008

This X Marks MY Spot : Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST

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YES... you heard it here first; it's FAR more accomplished than VW's much-vaunted DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox), despite any murmurings to the contrary.

Probably the most eagerly awaited twin-clutch transmission system after the new Nissan GT-R, the SST (Sports Shift Transmission) finally makes its debut in Singapore inside the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST or Evo X SST.

Visually, the SST is unchanged from the manual variant; no little badges to differentiate it from its stable-mate.

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Inside, steering wheel mounted gear-paddles (substantial and solidly built), a SST toggle just south of the stubby, leather-clad gear-lever.

YES, the PIs may be selling it a little cheaper, but how many (if at all) of them have a SST model in ready stock. At the time of this upload... not very many. Rumours abound that mitsubishi japan might have a hand in forestalling deliveries from japanese dealers to singapore PIs; the other one involves the teething problems the SST unit is throwing up...

If the latter is true, then it's probably a good thing that official mitsubishi distributor in singapore, cycle & carriage, is providing a 3 year warranty and $50k OMV (vs. the 40+k for a PI car) for its SST at a whisker under S$160k.

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the teenage mutant ninja turtle recaro seats provide a snug fit for even slightly portly drivers. After successive drives of the evo X, its slightly larger proportions are no longer intimidating and the X is really easy to chuck around in traffic and car-parks.

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Like the manual, brakes on the SST offer stupendous feel and stopping power; great for when you get carried away with the speed.

One can either leave it in 'full-auto' (with the occasional manual override using the steering wheel mounted paddles) or flick the leaver over to the right to 'manual'. The SST can be toggled through three modes: normal, sport and s-sport.

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the first two are easy enough to engage, but s-sport requires a PS3 style 'combo' to initiate. firstly, the car has to be stationary, then from 'sport', the SST toggle must be held upwards for a few heartbeats, before the s-sport mode is engaged.



as a daily driver, there are few cars in this price bracket to offer space, pace and race in one four-wheel driven package that is as easy to drive. The ratios are closely spaced for really brisk progress and it's easy to find one quickly flicking through the paddles WRC style.

As much as VW's DSG revolutionised this particular segment, the SST really re-writes the rules in a firm and decisive manner. Devotees at the altar of DSG may find this hard to believe and dismiss this as the ramblings of yet another JDM-boyricer, but if it helps, i was never one to rave about the manual Evo X when it was launched, which makes the SST such a pleasant surprise!

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(* moving image courtesy of Penoramic Publishing)

Now what about the GT-R...

Fast Facts: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SST
Engine: 1998cc, 16-valves, in-line 4, turbocharged, MIVEC
Maximum Power: 280bhp at 6500rpm
Maximum Torque: 422Nm at 3500rpm
Transmission: Twin Clutch SST 6-speed
LxBxH: 4495 x 1810 x 1480 mm
Wheelbase: 2650mm
Kerbweight: 1540kg
0-100km/h: about 5 seconds
Top Speed: 180km/h (electronically limited)
Price: <$160k
Agent: Cycle and Carriage (Mitsubishi), tel: 6473-9722
*Automotive Photography: www.penoramic.com