Chrysler ’s mid-size sedan offerings – the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger – haven’t exactly set the sales charts on fire, which has the Michigan automaker considering a whole new direction. While front-wheel drive has been the standard in the segment for years, Chrysler is considering moving its mid-size offerings to a rear-wheel drive platform.
Chrysler was considering building the next-generation Sebring on Fiat’s D-EVO or C-EVO platforms, but those within the automaker are concerned that the platforms are not wide enough for the American market. General Motors’ new Epsilon platform – which underpins the Opel Insignia — was another candidate for the next-generation Sebring, but Fiat’s failed acquisition of GM’s Opel brand essentially closed the door on that option.
With few options left, Chrysler is now considering a shortened version of its LX rear-wheel drive platform for its next-gen mid-size sedan, says a new report by Automotive News. The LX platform currently underpins the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger and Challenger.
The use of the LX platform in the mid-size sedan segment would seem to suggest that Chrysler execs are strongly considering a production version of the 200C Concept car. Although the 200C used an electric drivetrain, it was built on a shortened version of the company’s LX architecture.
Moreover, Chrysler’s LX platform is said to mesh well with the suspension from Fiat’s D-EVO platform, giving Chrysler and Fiat a true tie-up in the mid-size sedan segment.
However, a rear-wheel drive mid-size offering has yet to receive the green light from Chrysler or Fiat. Mid-size sedan buyers heavily favor front-wheel drive, which could limit sales from the onset. As volume is one of Chrysler’s greatest concerns for its next mid-size car – the Sebring was outsold by the Toyota Camry by nearly 365,000 units last year – it’s still possible Chrysler will come up with a front-wheel drive platform for the next Sebring.
