2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible Review

Specifications

Almost every new convertible, with the odd exception every now and then, comes with a power folding hardtop, but which company was historically responsible for the creation of this device? Was it the Japanese? Perhaps it was the Germans? If you’ve guessed either of these two, you’d be wrong. We Americans invented it, and were first to the market with a power operated convertible hardtop roof back in 1957. The Ford Skyliner featured a one-piece roof that detached from the body, and in a little less than a minute lowered into the trunk. Multiplex wiring, high-speed, high-powered motors and other necessities in today’s convertible world didn’t exist back then, and neither for that matter did the anything nearing the same level of durability testing. As such, the ‘57 thru ‘59 Skyliner was the only mass-produced power folding hardtop convertible on the market for 35 years. Oh, how far things have come …

Nowadays, folding hardtop convertibles aren’t just exclusivities to the performance coupe and high-end luxury cars as they once were. Brands such as Volvo, BMW, Lexus, Mazda and Volkswagen offer these roofs, not to mention Nissan, Opel, Renault, Peugeot, Daihatsu and others. North Americans have also gotten in on the idea, with the Cadillac XLR and the retro SSR pickup truck, not to mention the Pontiac G6 Convertible, the General’s first four-seat folding hardtop convertible. For 2008, Chrysler has come to the party too, and is now offering its popular Sebring convertible in all-weather drop-top guise. Ironically, Ford is the only big three automaker that doesn’t make one.

Being that folding hardtop convertibles are extravagant feats of engineering, we’ve assembled the top of the line versions of these two vehicles for a dueling shootout. They’re both similar in that they feature four seats, powerful V6 engines, automatic gearboxes and interiors fitted with leather-trimmed seats and other goodies.

That said, which one of these two American hardtop drop-tops reigns supreme?

Chrysler Sebring Limited

For four years running from 2001 through 2005, the Chrysler Sebring was the world’s most popular convertible. It might be hard to believe that Chrysler churned out over 40,000 units per year when the vehicle was at its peak, but things have changed. Chrysler is back on its own after its short-lived merger with Daimler, and the Sebring now has a different set of goals. This latest Sebring is the most advanced Sebring to date, and differs in one major way. It’s available with not one or two, but three different convertible tops, the first and cheapest made of vinyl, followed by a higher end fabric roof, and the focus of this comparison test, a folding metal hardtop for an additional $1,995. This is Chrysler’s first attempt at conceiving a mechanism like this, though, like GM, the brand learned vicariously through Mercedes-Benz’s SLK and SL roadsters, amongst other modern-day forerunners.

Chrysler took a lot of flack (a lot) when it launched the Sebring, mostly because of its unorthodox styling. The sedan model transformed from a low and slender cab-forward machine to something rounder, more bulbous and infused with retro cues. We personally didn’t mind its Crossfire-inspired front end with large, wraparound headlamps and hood strakes, and still don’t, but the stumpy, truncated tail is another matter. That’s the key difference between the Sebring Sedan and the Convertible. In order to accommodate the folding hardtop roof, Chrysler simply stretched the back end out. While there’s a lot of visual weight hanging over the back, it gives the car a pleasingly retro American look – think of that first Ford Skyline.

The Sebring’s roof was designed by Karmann, just like the G6’s retractable hardtop, but it differs in one important way – it features three pieces instead of two. The difference between two and three might be one number, but it’s so much more than that in terms of what it offers. With three pieces, the roof not only consumes less trunk space when folded away, it also provides better interior accommodations in the form of more headroom. Combined with its boat’s deck rear end, there’s literally acres of space when the roof is up, with its trunk capable of swallowing multiple sets of golf clubs or what-have-you of similar size. When the roof is down, much of the trunk is still accessible under a hard separator. The only down side to the double-hinged roof is that it requires a forceful slam to get it shut. Important for its four-seat convertible status, the Sebring also offers better rear seat accommodations than the G6.

Our Limited’s lavish array of features also helped to pull things in the Sebring’s favor. While both cars have keyless starters, the roof can be lowered remotely via the Sebring’s keyfob. We also can hardly forget to mention the heated and cooled cupholder, or the MyGig infotainment navigation system with hard drive and live traffic updates. A navigation system or Bluetooth handsfree isn’t even available on the G6.

Take it easy. That’s the message that the car gives you when you get behind the wheel. Although the 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine makes more power than the G6, it really makes use of its six-speed automatic. You’ll find that despite the high-revving characteristic of the engine, that it’s happier to take its sweet time. The seats are flat, and when trimmed in Royale leather, are slippery, making sporty driving less appealing still.

The chassis is designed to do nothing but understeer with early intervention of ESP, but you’d really want nothing less on a car whose steering wheel rim is trimmed in fake tortoise shell and sprung in such a way to cosset you up and down country roads. The ride is also very traditional in its American-ness, with a certain floaty character that might evoke memories of an old Imperial Convertible from the ’60s.

On the plus side, the Sebring feels rigid and substantial, shaking off scuttle shake, which is something you couldn’t say about any convertible from the ’60s. We noted a noteworthy difference in handling with the roof up versus down; over long crests, the back end lifts and drops.

Pontiac G6 GT Convertible

Sorry Volvo, the G6 retractable hardtop was first on our soil. These days, however, the G6 isn’t the only one to satisfy a person’s need for folding hardtops as Volkswagen’s gotten in on the game and BMW. But if four real seats are what you need and a convertible that can quickly transform into a coupe is a must, the G6 is still the cheapest way to go. In fact, it’s been that way from the very beginning when Pontiac offered it for under $30k. Since that time, GM has taken a paring knife to the Convertible’s range, reducing it to just the GT trim level. Buyers can still get a sport package that features the 3.9-liter V6 engine with “Cam in Block” variable valve timing, plus shiny 18-inch wheels and a couple of other appearance items.

There is no question about which of the two is the athlete. Even though the G6 has less power and two fewer gears in its automatic transmission, it’s always on the ball. The transmission shifts smoothly and is never caught out to lunch when you floor it; the bigger 3.9-liter engine also uses its broad torque band to slingshot the G6 around. It also sounds better than the Sebring, which doesn’t really sound like anything at all. Besides being a bit on the large side, the G6’s steering wheel communicates a sharpness that’s lacking in the Sebring, while less body roll and tire squeal can make those back-road country blasts all that much more entertaining. However, even with low-profiler rubber, this Pontiac rides smoothly, and not at all brittle; quite a big surprise. But taking other areas of the G6 into consideration, things aren’t so peachy.

Not that AC/DC wrote Dirty Deeds Done Cheap for Pontiac, but the G6’s roof was designed with a budget in mind. Unlike any other four-seat convertible sold here, it’s made out of two pieces instead of three, and there’s a price to pay. With only two panels to cover the roof, the windshield was pulled rearwards, which gives the car a sleek look top up or down, but robs those in front of the convertible feeling. While a couple of seconds is unlikely to matter to occupants, it’s a fact that the roof on the G6 is slower up or down than it is on the Sebring. The roof also eats up a considerable amount of trunk space, dropping cargo space from 12.8 cubic feet when the roof is up to a laughable 2.2 cubic feet when it’s down. Furthermore, it can’t be accessed while the roof is lowered. As a final blow, the two-panel roof has a very raked rear section mostly made from glass. Not only will taller occupants need to duck, but if it’s a bright and sunny day the roof intensifies the heat like a magnifying glass, making hats a necessity. The interior makes up a bit of ground in that it’s inoffensively styled, and offers supportive front seats that hug the driver and passenger. The all-black color scheme is a bit dull to look at, and is a heat sink on sunny summer days.

The main problem with this car is that it’s not remotely rigid. We don’t recommend you do this, but if curiosity gets the best of you try driving around with your index finger in one of the exterior’s body panels, or if you’re a passenger, fixate your eyes on the lower center console. You’ll certainly feel the lack of rigidity, and pain in your finger as the whole car twists when it encounters uneven surfaces to a point where we found it impossible to ignore. Worse yet, it’s not just the scuttle that shakes about, the steering wheel, dash, and header all oscillate at different frequencies, a sign that there’s insufficient reinforcement underneath. While our tester was fairly free of creaks and rattles, you can bet that five years down the road it’s going to have some. Such is the problem of having a convertible with a very long wheelbase. Roof up, however, the G6 is fine; its driving manners improve significantly as it’s nowhere near as floppy.

Conclusion

Both the G6 and the Sebring weren’t brought to market as sports cars. They were made to be cruisers, plain and simple, cars to enjoy the open skies above, and the scenery around. In terms of pricing, the Sebring ended up with the higher retail price due to the option of its wonderful MyGig navigation and hard drive infotainment system, plus a few other options unavailable to the G6 such as Bluetooth handsfree and others. The final as-tested price of the G6 was $32,710, while the Sebring was $38,080.

There’s quite a bit to like about the G6. It’s a good looking machine, especially with its top down. We like the Pontiac’s eager attitude towards driving too, particularly how it was able to entertain without compromising its levels of comfort. At the same time, it has far too many flaws to capture the victory here. The amount of chassis flex is disconcerting, not just for a car at its reasonable price, but in general. Although the G6 offers seating for four in comfort, when the top is down, there’s practically no luggage space, something that it shares in common with its two-seat Solstice sibling. Still, the G6 Convertible has one ace up its sleeve – it’s the cheapest four-seater folding hardtop convertible on the market, though, with the advent of the Eos and the less powerful version of the Sebring, it’s by a slim margin.

The Sebring is by default the victor, but it doesn’t go on with a completely clean bill of health. This Chrysler, though one of the least sporty vehicles we’ve ever driven (full stop), does have its merits. Here is a four-seat convertible that you could theoretically use every day, just like the Sebring sedan. It has ample of room, rates highly for comfort and has cargo space with the roof up, or down. Chrysler has put more of an effort into bringing a sense of occasion to the Sebring’s cabin as well, with a two-toned interior and various trim materials, making it a nicer place to spend time in. But when you break it down, it is the Sebring’s roof design and the fact that it feels vastly more solid that allows it to earn its victory. It’s the car to own if you want to feel like you’re on permanent vacation.