Car Scoop: Fresh Photos of New Chrysler 200 Sporting Brand's New Grille

[cire]

Didn't see this posted anywhere, so I thought I would post it as a new topic.

The front and rear restylings look great (especially that new grille), but I still wonder how well the restyled ends will gel with the carried over middle section. None of these teaser shots really give you any idea of how the entire car will look (which I guess is the point). Looks promising so far, though.

Cheers and Gears Media Gallery: Chrysler 200

Link: Carscoop: Fresh Photos of New Chrysler 200, Source: Carscoop Blogspot.

[A Horse With No Name]

Looks like Chryco might be heading in the right direction, which would be fantastic....

[CanadianBacon94]

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid grille?

[cire]

I will consider Chrysler one major miracle worker if it can transform the current Sebring into an acceptable looking vehicle.

The new front end is a major improvement over the droopy and disfigured "face" on the current Sebring. The entire front end looked low rent. In addition, the front bumper jutted out below the headlights in a rather odd fashion and the area around the foglights made it look like the entire front end was starting to sag. Chrysler did realize that the hood strakes were a bad idea and had already removed them. The front end on the "new" 200 looks very upscale and clearly elevates the appearance of the car. The new grille and headlight units look awesome.

The back of the Sebring fared no better than the front. The taillight shape was a generic looking blob and the placement of the lighting elements within that shape was truly awkward. The rear end of the "new" 200 seems to fix those issues while also serving to make the car look more upscale.

I didn't expect Chrysler to change the roofline (this is supposed to be a major update to the current Sebring after all, not a fullscale redesign), but I was hoping that the black plastic triangle would be removed from the C-pillar. It is still there, but it now contains a "200" badge. The reason I think this piece looks so odd is because it doesn't flow off the door cutline. It does flow off the window line, but it necessitates an awkward 2-tone treatment on the back window frame due to the nature of the door design. Other cars that contain this styling "trick" (which I'm not fond of overall) flow the black plastic fakeout off the door cutline so it at least looks a little more natural and integrated into the design (although I think it looks as equally cheap on other cars as well). The "new" 200 would have looked so much better without it, but I guess it would have been too expensive to remove it. Given the short model cycle for the "new" 200, I guess it really isn't worth the expense.

I'm assuming the entire car will be revealed at the LA Auto Show. I'm still interested in seeing how the new and improved front/rear restylings gel with the existing middle section of the car.

[SAmadei]

I didn't expect Chrysler to change the roofline (this is supposed to be a major update to the current Sebring after all, not a fullscale redesign), but I was hoping that the black plastic triangle would be removed from the C-pillar. It is still there, but it now contains a "200" badge. The reason I think this piece looks so odd is because it doesn't flow off the door cutline. It does flow off the window line, but it necessitates an awkward 2-tone treatment on the back window frame due to the nature of the door design. Other cars that contain this styling "trick" (which I'm not fond of overall) flow the black plastic fakeout off the door cutline so it at least looks a little more natural and integrated into the design (although I think it looks as equally cheap on other cars as well). The "new" 200 would have looked so much better without it, but I guess it would have been too expensive to remove it. Given the short model cycle for the "new" 200, I guess it really isn't worth the expense.

After thinking about it... they should have painted the black plastic triangle body color before putting the '200' badge on it. Yeah, it would be a cheap looking fix, but much less obvious.

[cire]

After thinking about it... they should have painted the black plastic triangle body color before putting the '200' badge on it. Yeah, it would be a cheap looking fix, but much less obvious.

Chrysler could have also done a full side window surround that extended around this plastic piece to sort of draw attention away from the fact that this fakeout treatment actually bisects the door cutline instead of flowing off of it. Sometimes brightwork can draw attention away from something that is less than desirable. It would have given this treatment a more finished look also.

I guess we need to be content that Chrysler put what effort it could in changing this car. The new front/rear treatments look great. From what I understand, it's suppose to have one heck of an interior upgrade. There's also supposed to be major changes to handling and NVH. Maybe with all these changes, Chrysler can elevate this car from something that people avoid or buy because it's discounted to something that can hold its own in the market until a replacement arrives. I have to admit that the changes Chrysler has made to the front and rear alone have already made me want to at least take a look at this car. That in itself is a major improvement over the current Sebring.

[Drew Dowdell]

If the interior upgrades are anything like what we've seen in the Grand Cherokee, 2011 Durango, and hinted at in the Charger, I think with the powertrain upgrades, we could be looking at a radically transformed car.....even better than the transition from Ford 500 -> current Taurus.

[regfootball]

The 500 to taurus transition was not that radical. new grille (which was a step backwards) and some bling on the tailights. inside, it was merely spicing up gauges and adding lots of contrasting colors and textures. mechanically it got a new engine which was the most significant upgrade. I actually prefer the look of the 500. but the mechanicals of the taurus.

no, the transformation to chrysler 200 is much more involved, and my gosh if they can take an ugly ass, bad driving, horrible car like the sebring and turn it into what appears to be VERY promising with the new pentastar and nice interior, then chrysler is truly the master of turning lemons into premium lemonade.

Lets hope they can do that.

offering the pentastar in a segment that seems to be giving up on v6's could be a huge differentiator for them. I bet that sucker will move out.

Edited October 10, 2010 by regfootball

[smk4565]

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid grille?

Yes, it looks like they want to copy the Sonata.

However, the Chrysler will no doubt be bad, because they haven't built a competitive sedan in my lifetime. I mean, when was their last decent sedan, like the 1950s? This company has gone bankrupt twice for a reason, only government welfare has kept it alive. This car will sell for the first year because some will get suckered in by styling, then sales will fold like a house of cards, just like the PT Cruiser, Crossfire, Pacifica, and 300C that came before it.

[Intrepidation]

The 500 to taurus transition was not that radical. new grille (which was a step backwards) and some bling on the tailights. inside, it was merely spicing up gauges and adding lots of contrasting colors and textures. mechanically it got a new engine which was the most significant upgrade. I actually prefer the look of the 500. but the mechanicals of the taurus.

no, the transformation to chrysler 200 is much more involved, and my gosh if they can take an ugly ass, bad driving, horrible car like the sebring and turn it into what appears to be VERY promising with the new pentastar and nice interior, then chrysler is truly the master of turning lemons into premium lemonade.

Lets hope they can do that.

offering the pentastar in a segment that seems to be giving up on v6's could be a huge differentiator for them. I bet that sucker will move out.

Pretty sure he meant 500/Taurus to new Taurus transformation.

[Intrepidation]

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid grille?

Yes, it looks like they want to copy the Sonata.However, the Chrysler will no doubt be bad, because they haven't built a competitive sedan in my lifetime. I mean, when was their last decent sedan, like the 1950s? This company has gone bankrupt twice for a reason, only government welfare has kept it alive. This car will sell for the first year because some will get suckered in by styling, then sales will fold like a house of cards, just like the PT Cruiser, Crossfire, Pacifica, and 300C that came before it.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

[Drew Dowdell]

The 500 to taurus transition was not that radical. new grille (which was a step backwards) and some bling on the tailights. inside, it was merely spicing up gauges and adding lots of contrasting colors and textures. mechanically it got a new engine which was the most significant upgrade. I actually prefer the look of the 500. but the mechanicals of the taurus.

I mean current Taurus, not the renamed 500.

[FAPTurbo]

All the Sebring is really good at is "converting fuel to noise." Anything is an improvement, but even with a nice interior update, it'll likely still be mid-pack.

[Drew Dowdell]

All the Sebring is really good at is "converting fuel to noise." Anything is an improvement, but even with a nice interior update, it'll likely still be mid-pack.

Well it's getting a new powertrain, suspension tuning... the works. This is not your neighbor's Enterprise Rental.

[Robert Hall]

I mean current Taurus, not the renamed 500.

The Sebring to 200 upgrade retains the Sebring greenhouse and doors..reminiscent of how the 00-07 Taurus was an update of the 96-99.

The 08/09 Taurus update was just an MCE of the 500 while the '10 Taurus had a completely new exterior and interior.

[regfootball]

Pretty sure he meant 500/Taurus to new Taurus transformation.

oh that indeed was a huge transition.

[MyerShift]

Well, the Cloud cars were in Car and Driver's 10Best (first generation) and all the Chrysler products I've personally had have been good, durable cars. I've had K-derived and a Breeze.

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

2011 Chrysler 200 Partially Revealed In New Teasers

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Editor

October 10th, 2010

Few who've driven the Chrysler Sebring have much in the way of kind words to say about it. A coarse engine, an interior that wouldn't pass muster at Fisher-Price and dated exterior design combine to make a car that's destined for a myriad of "worst of" lists. And Chrysler realizes that, in a big way.

The automaker is now working on a heavily revised version of the car that will go by the name 200. Due in the fourth quarter of the year, the 2011 Chrysler 200 will be styled along the lines of the 200C EV Concept from last year's Detroit Auto Show, with a much-improved interior.

Some of the other changes include installation of a standard new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or optional Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6, as well as adding a dual clutch transmission.

The latest teaser shots of a preproduction model show details of the restyled front and rear of the core Sebring platform, with swept-back lights and a waterfall style grille. The rear lights are close to those of the concept, but the center section of the Sebring remains, including the rear roof pillar.

The new 2011 Chrysler 200 will likely make its world debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show in November and have to soldier on until a replacement based on Fiat Group’s new Compact-Wide platform arrives around 2013. Importantly, the Dodge Avenger is expected to undergo a similar update.

[Chrysler]

link:

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1044609_2011-chrysler-200-partially-revealed-in-new-teasers

[Robert Hall]

Interesting that no pics or info have emerged about the Avenger...I guess they have been keeping the Avenger quiet until the Charger and Durango are fully launched...

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Chrysler 200 gets teaser site, shows (nearly) full frontal

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) on Oct 11th 2010 at 10:58AM

The slow tease of the Chrysler 200 took another bound with the revelation of a teaser site. The four-door sedan charged with erasing memories of the second-generation Sebring has a lot of work to do, and Chrysler is talking it up and rolling it out like it's sure it has something that will do the trick. With either a 2.4-liter four or the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, it promises to be either miserly or powerful enough to please.

Yet it isn't only the Sebring's demons that this sedan needs to run over a cliff, for the lauded 200C show car car practically lurks in the shadows behind the one teased in the pic above. That show car, full-bodied and sensuous, showed what Chrysler really had on its mind and made everyone hope Chrysler would put it in people's driveways. While we know that concepts will take some trimming on the way to retail, we hope The Pentastar remembers we'd like a production 200C, not just a better Sebring, a car that was so far behind the curve that it would've warranted a clean-sheet were Chrysler in a better place financially. You can have a look at the latest details in our expanded gallery of high-res teaser photos below. Appreciate the tips, everyone!

link:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/11/chrysler-200-gets-teaser-site-shows-nearly-full-frontal/

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

CHRYSLER’S SEBRING-REPLACING 200 SEDAN TEASED

By Mark Kleis

See How Affordable a 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is. Get Info.

www.Chevrolet.com/Convertible

Officially ending the Sebring era, Chrysler has announced the launch of the 200 mid-size sedan for the 2011 model year.

At the time of Chrysler’s announcement we were given just three teaser shots, now we have three times as many to give us a much better idea of what the 200 will resemble. It is clear that the 200 has taken on a style of its own, but it appears as if the general shape and design of the Sebring are still hiding in plain sight.

Although largely based on the current Sebring model, Chrysler says the new 200 features “exceptional craftsmanship inside and out, a refined and spirited driving experience, innovative technology, an abundance of standard safety features and an extraordinary level of standard content.”

From the images released, we can clearly see the 200 will sport all-new front and rear fascias, although it appears as though the profile of the Sebring will live on.

Underhood, the 200 will come standard with a 2.4L four-cylinder, backed by either a four-speed or six-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler’s new 3.6L V6 will also be on offer – hooked to a six-speed auto – generating 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.

Chrysler says the 200’s driving dynamics are vastly improve, thanks to stiffer body mounts, a softer ride rate, revised suspension geometry, a new rear sway bar and upgraded tires.

The 200 will be produced at Chrysler’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant and is scheduled to arrive in dealers sometime during the fourth quarter and will arrive in Chrysler dealers before the end of the year.

link:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler-200.html

[frogger]

Too bad the side profile and sheet metal appears unchanged from the ugly duckling Sebring. Makes me think they should have spent the resources getting the new 200 to market ASAP.

[Intrepidation]

Then we would be waiting longer for a fully redesigned model while being stuck with the old car. I'm glad they did this rather than doing nothing, and it seems like they've done a lot to fix the old car's biggest failings.

[Robert Hall]

This seems like a pretty substantial MCE...I'm wondering if the convertible is going to get the same upgrades and name change.

[Intrepidation]

I'd imagine so.

All further comments should be made in the official reveal thread: