BROOKLYN, Mich. - Chrysler and Dodge managers say their new sport coupes will fill a wide open market spot between larger domestic and smaller import coupes.
Marketed as the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, the new sports coupes are technically sophisticated vehicles that will likely shake up the rest of the market.
'They are designed to appeal to a growing number of customers who want something beyond a basic sporty car, but don't want or need a family sedan,' explained Robert Lutz, president of Chrysler Corp. 'This is a market that fits right between the traditional, large American coupes such as the Buick Regal, Thunderbird, Chevy Monte Carlo, and the more expensive and much smaller import-brand coupes such as the Toyota Celica and the Honda Prelude.'
SMALL OUTSIDE, BIG INSIDE
The Chrysler plan is to provide a vehicle with a slightly larger interior than front-drive imports, but with smaller exterior dimensions than aging domestic coupes. At the Avenger introduction at Michigan International Speedway, several 6-foot journalists sat in the rear of the vehicles. All claimed that there was more than adequate head and legroom for medium-length trips.
Both versions of the car will be built in the Diamond-Star Motors Corp. plant in Normal, Ill., that also builds the Eagle Talon/Mitsubishi Eclipse twins and the Mitsubishi Galant.
Steve Torok, Chrysler-Plymouth general manager, said volume on Sebring should be around 40,000 units and Avenger would account for about 50,000 units.
The Avenger is scheduled to reach showrooms in October; the Sebring will not arrive until February. Avenger prices will be available in the fall. Journalists were told that prices would be 'in the mid-teens.'
EQUIPPED TO COMPETE
The foundation for the coupe is a heavily modified version of the platform used for the Galant.
Chrysler engineers also adopted the sophisticated, fully independent double-wishbone suspension from the Galant. Double wishbone is currently the industry standard for top-handling models that also provide a good ride.
Traditionally, cars in this price range use a MacPherson strut design, which provides low cost and compactness along with a impact harshness.
But Chrysler seemed particularly sensitive about drawing too many engineering parallels between Mitsubishi's mid-sized sedan and the new coupes.
'I want to emphasize that this particular chassis is not common with the Mitsubishi Galant or the Eagle Talon and Mitsubishi Eclipse,' said Lutz. 'This is a unique wheelbase and tread combination that was developed exclusively for us. The only thing that is similar to our previous Diamond-Star program is that the vehicle is built in ... Illinois. The similarity absolutely ends there. There will not be a sister car to this vehicle in the Mitsubishi lineup.'
Chrysler designers took full advantage of these 'unique' pieces, creating a low hoodline and a strikingly large trunk.
Tom Gale, Chrysler vice president of design, explained at the Sebring introduction held at Lutz's home near Ann Arbor, Mich., that designers were attempting to give the vehicle a sophisticated look similar to that of Mercedes models while adapting several Dodge Viper-like styling cues to give the Chrysler model visual excitement.
Lutz pointed out several times that the Avenger does not share sheet metal with any other model.
'It has unique sheet metal, not shared with anything else, like the Celica and Prelude,' he said. 'And yet, it has the roominess basically of a two-door sedan. But it is not a two-door sedan or four-door sedan-derived coupe like the Accord coupe, Pontiac Grand Am or Toyota Camry coupe.'
DOHC FOUR, SOHC SIX
There are two engines and two transmissions available in the coupe. As with the suspension design, Chrysler did not take short-cuts.
The engine in the base Avenger and the Sebring LX is a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, double-overhead-camshaft four. That engine makes 140 horsepower and can be mated with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transaxle.
In the premium Avenger ES and Sebring LXi, power is provided by a 2.5-liter, 155-hp, single-overhead-camshaft V-6. This engine can only be matched with the Chrysler four-speed automatic.
Standard features in both cars include dual airbags, power speed-sensitive steering, tilt wheel, tinted glass, rear defroster and bucket seats with driver-side manual height adjusters.
Standard on the Sebring are intermittent wipers, air conditioning, anti-lock brakes and a full console with armrest.
