The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 4, 2007 - 31 With three different drop tops, the 2008 Sebring Convertible really lets the sunshine in By Jim Robinson OAKVILLE BEAVER SPECIAL EVERYTHING Auto your guide to everything auto in Oakville transaxle, this new engine offers best-inclass horsepower (173 hp, 165 lb/ft of torque) and best-in-class fuel economy of 10.3 L/100 km (27 mpg) city, and 6.9 L/100 km (41 mpg) highway. Called the LX, this is probably Dodge's value story of the year. At $29,995 it is a full $6,000 less than the base 2006 Sebring Convertible. Now, the last version had a 2.7litre V6 and about 20 more horsepower, but on balance, this is the version I think is going to bring customers into Dodge shops. The mid-trim Touring ($34,995) is fitted with Daimler-Chrysler's flexible fuel 2.7litre V6, producing 189 hp and 191 lb/ft of torque, giving what Chrysler describes as the power of a V6 with four-cylinder fuel economy of 11.5L/100 km (25 mpg) city and 7.8L/100 km (36 mpg) highway. With a look to the near future, the 2.7-litre can run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol up to E-85 (85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline). The Sebring Limited ($39,995) is offered with a 3.5-litre V-6 engine producing 235 hp and 232 lb/ft of torque coupled with a new six-speed automatic transaxle that comes standard with AutoStick. Fuel consumption rating is 12.9L/100 km (22 mpg) city and 7.7L/100 km (37 mpg) highway. While the LX and Touring come with a four-speed automatic, the Limited has Chrysler's new six-speed automatic transaxle. This new autobox provides quicker standing-start acceleration than a four- or five-speed transaxle because of its numerically higher first-gear ratio. The six-speed also has the AutoStick manual shift mode. The three roofs consist of vinyl or cloth soft-tops on all three models or an extra cost The 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible is offered in three versions including the topline Limited, left, and the base LX on the right.While they look similar, the Limited has a starting price of $10,000 more than the LX. The 2008 base version is also $6,000 less than the previous base model. metal top on the Touring and Limited. The metal top adds $2,295 to the sticker price over the soft-top versions. They all use the same retraction method that sees the full rear deck open to swallow the scissor-frame top. As it closes, a hard tonneau cover is deployed for a flush fit. The soft-tops go up and down in about 25 seconds, the metal taking five seconds longer. Up or down, there is seating for four adults with no backseat room being eaten up by the top mechanism. I drove both the LX and Limited versions and found the LX to be a solid performer with enough guts to merge into California freeway traffic without any anxious rearview mirror glances at what may be closing on you. If there is a downside to the LX it's the need of a long ratio fifth gear for highway cruising. But the engine is fine with a nice, steady delivery of power. Parked side-by-side (see accompanying photo) it's hard to tell the difference between the LX and the $10,000 more costly Limited. Likewise, the interior trim materials Chrysler is using these days have a nice look and feel. Except for the mock tortoise shell steering wheel and leather trim, the interiors were remarkable similar, another reason for opting for the LX. Lastly, the LX comes standard with a vinyl top. I like it because it's easier to clean. The Limited is the powerhouse of the three Sebrings. Both are very tight when it comes to ride and handling handing, a major step up from the previous generation. My co-driver for the event is a motorcycle rider and that's how he drives cars coming into corners fast while depending on a combination of brakes and AutoStick gear/engine braking to get the job done. In the rabbit warren of canyons and serpentine two-land blacktop roads up behind the Santa Monica/Malibu area, my friend pushed hard, taking turns that would have seen the previous Sebring washing out. Surprisingly, there was little tire noise but I could sure smell the brakes when we stopped for coffee. With the windows up and top down, a normal conversation was no problem. There is an optional, collapsible wind brake that is very effective. Continued on Page 32 It doesn't seem like two decades ago that the K-Car based Chrysler LeBaron brought back the first convertible after years of illconceived safety legislation that banned drop-tops. And while there have been waves of twoseat convertible and cabrios since then, one of very few true four-passenger soft-tops has been the Chrysler Sebring. I'm not talking about cars with dickey seats in the back fit only for toddlers, but room for two adults in the back without having their knees jammed up in their faces. And even today there aren't many competitors - the only ones coming to mind being the Pontiac G6 and perhaps the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Eos. The Sebring convertible is pretty much the convertible of choice of people living in California, which is why we auto journalists were invited there to test the 2008 version. The Sebring was designed from the outset to be a sedan or convertible. The days of chopping off the top of a sedan and grafting on a canvas roof are long gone. People will no longer tolerate the trade offs of unsettling chassis flexing and water leaks everywhere. It also means factoring in a lot of variables because so many people have so many different wants and needs. Which brings us to the 2008 Sebring Convertible where there are not only three roofs, but there are also three engines. The base motor is Chrysler's 2.4-litre World Engine with dual variable valve timing (VVT). Mated to a four-speed automatic EVERYTHIN 2004 Mazda 3 Sport 2003 Toyota Sienna LE OAKVILLE HONDA OFFERS A LARGE SELECTION OF PRE-OWNED VEHICLES. 2004 Honda CRV 2005 Subaru Legacy only 34,000 km automatic transmission, AWD, features the y power group of options, finished in champagne gold. only 24,000 km, 5 spd. transmission, features the p y p power group of options, alloy wheels, AWD, finished in blue. Offered for only 56,000 km, automatic transmission, features the p y power group of options, power moonroof, alloy wheels. Elec. Blue Mica. Offered for only 75,000 km, features the power group of options and rear y overhead DVD system. Offered for $23,900.00 Cars may not be exactly as shown. $22.900.00 Cars may not be exactly as shown. $18,900.00 Cars may not be exactly as shown. $18,900.00 Financing as low as 6.9% 500 Iroquois Shore Road, Oakville 905-844-9831