2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible's Solid Structure and Systems Deliver Smooth Driving, Tight Handling and a Quiet Ride
30 Mars 2007 - 7:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
- High-strength steel reduces weight, improves impact performance
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Don't let
the glamorous looks fool you -- the all-new Chrysler Sebring
Convertible's body has as much substance as it does style with a
solid, safe structure that provides excellent impact performance, a
smooth, quiet ride and solid handling. An all-new convertible top
system, combined with extensive use of sealants, sound deadening
materials and an available factory-installed windscreen, puts a
damper on any powertrain, road or wind noise, even when the top is
down. Rigid Body Structure Delivers Superior Ride and Handling When
developing the new Sebring Convertible's body structure, Chrysler
Group engineers took extensive measures to make sure that the drop
of the top doesn't mean a drop in the overall driving experience.
"We've engineered the all-new Chrysler Sebring Convertible to have
an extremely rigid body structure," said Larry Lyons, Vice
President -- Front- wheel-drive Product Team. "For drivers, that
means they'll have a quiet, comfortable ride, excellent performance
and a solid feel with an absence of cowl shake, whether the top is
up or down." High-strength steels, reinforcements and braces used
throughout the body structure contribute to the improvements. These
include: -- Reinforcements in the convertible's rear bulkhead,
behind the rear seats and in the sills provide the stiffness that
the roof structure and rear structural ring provide in the sedan
body -- Adhesive-bonded, high-strength steel tubes in each sill and
two sets of cross braces bolted to the underbody add strength -- A
roll-formed, high-strength beam welded to the body structure under
the rear seat improves side-impact performance -- Dual-phase steel
used in the rear rails, tunnel reinforcement and sills adds body
stiffness Compared with the model it replaces, this new Sebring
Convertible's body structure is substantially stiffer than its
predecessor in bending and torsion -- especially in bending -- due
to very large sills. In fact, Sebring Convertible's new
front-wheel-drive architecture and three-box vehicle design
contribute to a body that is 2.5 times stiffer in torsion and 1.5
times stiffer in bending than the previous generation of
convertibles. These refinements also make the new Sebring
Convertible structure stiffer than other convertibles on the market
that cost thousands of dollars more. Keeping the wind and noise out
Sebring is the world's first car line to offer three different
convertible tops: vinyl, cloth or, for the first time on Sebring, a
retractable metal hard top. For soft-top convertible devotees, the
vinyl and cloth tops deliver a traditional convertible look when
the top is up. For buyers looking for a coupe with convertible
functionality, the retractable hard top provides a sleek,
coupe-like appearance. Both the hard-top and soft-top mechanisms
have die-cast aluminum frames. To give it strength with less
weight, the soft top includes a magnesium front header. The
three-layer soft tops include a headliner backed with foam and
Mylar(R), which helps contribute to the Sebring Convertible's quiet
interior. The headliner also hides the insulation pad that is
positioned between the outer cloth or vinyl canopy and the roof
bows. The top's steel outer panels are painted body color. Weather
stripping between the panels provides additional sealing to keep
the wind, road and powertrain noise outside the vehicle. The
convertible top system on both hard and soft tops is the same, so
the tops fold in a similar fashion. The two rear rails are
aluminum, but the front rail is steel, as are some of the inner
rear panel reinforcements. The steel top provides strength when the
top is locked in the raised position. When the top is stowed, each
section locks in place to the one below it to prevent damage or
noise. Open air driving in 30 seconds flat On both soft and hard
tops, the easy-to-use convertible top folds in three sections.
Forget leaning over to latch or unlatch the convertible top-manual
roof-top latches are a thing of the past on the new 2008 Sebring
Convertible, replaced with convenient automatic latching. Owners
also can drop the top with a switch on the instrument panel, or (a
first for Chrysler) with the press of the button on the key fob.
The soft top takes about 27 seconds to raise or retract, while the
hard top takes 30 seconds. Both are very competitive times in the
segment. A standard automatic hard tonneau cover neatly conceals
the top stowage area when the convertible top is down. When either
the hard or soft top is stowed, the trunk still holds two easily
accessible sets of golf clubs or other cargo. Smart Glass Knows
When to Drop The 2008 Sebring Convertible also features "Smart
Glass," which protects the top weather strips and window seals. The
system works by lowering the windows slightly whenever the
convertible top is lowered or when the doors are opened or closed.
When the door handle is pulled, Chrysler Sebring Convertible's
Smart Glass lowers the window 0.4 inches, which allows the door to
open without resistance or damage to the window or top weather
strips. The window remains in this slightly lower position until
the door is closed, at which point the glass rises completely to
fully close the gap. Wind? What wind? No need for a hat or scarf in
this new convertible. The 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
features an available factory-installed rear windscreen that makes
the already quiet convertible as comfortable as driving in a sedan
with a sunroof. The available windscreen cuts down on turbulence
and wind noise created when the faster-moving air traveling over
the windshield encounters the slower-moving air inside the vehicle.
The Sebring Convertible's windscreen effectively blocks the faster
moving air, making the car quieter and more comfortable for the
front seat passengers when the top is down. The windscreen also
makes the heating and air conditioning system more effective on
cool and hot days to provide comfortable top-down operation, no
matter what the weather. "We extensively tested the convertible and
the factory-installed windscreen in our Auburn Hills AeroAcoustic
Wind Tunnel and achieved some impressive results," said Jim Issner,
Chief Engineer -- Chrysler Sebring Convertible. "With both the top
and the windows down, the windscreen reduces buffeting and wind
noise by approximately 11 to 12 decibels. With the top down but the
windows up, the windscreen reduced buffeting and wind noise by
about 5 decibels." The windscreen features four folding sections
with a plastic frame and mesh material. It fits into notches molded
in the rear quarter trim and covers the rear seat. When not in use,
the windscreen conveniently folds and stores in the trunk, still
leaving plenty of room for two golf bags or similarly sized
lifestyle equipment. DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Kristin
Starnes, +1-248-512-0889, , or Beth Ann Bayus, +1-248-512-0350, ,
both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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