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Chrysler 200 Convertible Bids Farewell To America's Rental Lots
by
Derek Kreindler
(IC: employee)
Published: February 24th, 2014
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Along with the Dodge Avenger, the Chrysler 200 convertible won’t be returning to showrooms alongside the upgraded 2015 model.
With sales of the droptop 200 reportedly falling to less than 5 percent of sales, the decision to skip the expensive re-engineering process for a convertible model was made. Chrysler will instead focus their resources on the mid-size market, rather than the niche convertible segment.
Derek Kreindler
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Published February 24th, 2014 12:32 AM
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Kind of a shame...I always had a soft spot for this car. I drove one with the folding metal roof and it was damn nice.
Based on inflation calculators etc, how did the 200 convertible compare to the LeBaron convertible? I always got the impression that the 200 was kind of expensive for what it was and that hampered sales.
Chrysler did what they could with these; unfortunately, it wasn't enough to save them. Couple a (historically) complete lacking of all possible refinement in conjunction with changing demographics, and you get the red-headed stepchild that is the Chrysler 200 drop top. Though this model pictured is far better than the trainwrecks they used to sphew into the American market, I still have nightmares about the 90's to early 2000's Chrylser Sebrings. And to think people actually bought them...? I still remember those Sebrings, the joke of the industry, with interiors clad with bargain basement plastics everywhere and glue throughout. Let's not discuss performance and handling of those monstrosities. Chrysler and convertible are two words that -at least in more recent years- are, in my humble opinion, incompatible.
I think Chrysler is making a mistake having only one bland looking mid size in there lineup with no convertible and no sporty Dodge variant. And from the time I spent looking at a gray 2015 Dart er ah 200 at the auto show this cramped mid size is going to be a tough sell for those used to Accords and Sonatas if interior room is valuable to you.