Butt Doubles

I should start out by saying that I don't find the new Chrysler 200C to be an ugly car. It's sleek and has lots of interesting details, especially up front. The only problem is that it looks a bit anonymous, something I've especially noticed when seeing them in public. It tends not to shout at you visually like butch 300C, but blends in the background in a sea of mid-size sedans.

I find this especially true of the rear end, whose treatment looks like any number of near-luxury Japanese cars I'm sure it was trying to ape (as well as many other common mid-size cars who may be trying to do the same). 

So I thought I would use this post as a bit of a quiz.  Below are images of the butts of few common cars, badging removed.  Can you pick you the 200C?  The winner will get my unending admiration.  Bonus points for anyone who can name them all correctly (bonus points are worth even more unending admiration).

Flavia Flav

We’ve been hearing for a while now of Fiat’s plans to have a Chrysler 300 based Lancia. I thought that sounded a little sketchy originally, and today Fiat's made it's plans crystal clear as it released some shots of the upcoming car, which will take the Thema nameplate.

Where before I assumed that the chassis, engine and other bits would be used in a Lancia, it now seems that basically the only thing changed is the emblem in the grille, on the trunk and in the rims.
More alarming is that the 300 based Thema is not the only badge-engineered Lancia in the works… The Flavia nameplate has been resurrected in the form of the Chrysler Sebring 200, and even the Grand Voyager can now be had with a Lancia badge on the hood The latter has been named – imaginatively – the Grand Voyager. Which I’m guessing is Italian for “blasphemy”.

One can only guess as what the Italian public will think of these new products, given that 40-50 years ago the company was known for sporty, distinctive cars with a rich rally heritage. Although that being said the brand had been pretty much diluted to the point of being Fiat’s Mercury anyhow. Still – I was hoping for at least a facelift.

2011 Chrysler 200C: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

It's no surprise that the 2007 and on Chrysler Sebring is not a looker. Sure they're removed the hood ribbing and cleaned up the bizarrely mismatched taillights, but overall it's still a bland and chunky design.

Fugly

The 200C concept was the exact opposite. When Chrysler announced it was bringing the concept to production I had high hopes. Even when it was announced it would basically be a reskinned Sebring. Dodge did a good job with it's extensive Charger facelift - a car that was in much less need of a change - so I expected big things. Front and rear teaser shots seemed to verify big changes were in store.

Sexy

So I was a bit disappointed to see official shots released today confirmed that the facelift is solely focused on new front and rear ends. Hell - even the door skins are the same (although they did have some of the more interesting detailing of the old car). Sadly the doors aren't the only things inherited from the Sebring - it also gets it's rather high body and awkward looking greenhouse.

Disappointing

Up front things are relatively attractive, although the headlights look a bit busy. I really like the new corporate grille, with it's twisted horizontal bars. Unfortunately the Hyundai/BMW-like detailing in the bumper of the 200C is gone.

Sexy

Out back, Chrysler unfortunately decided to forego the Chrysler Firepower-ish rear end treatment for one that looks remarkably like a Jaguar XF. Despite lacking the originality of the 200C, it still manages to be attractive.

Plagiarism-y

In the end, this doesn't quite end up in the fugly realm- at least until we see better pictures of the side of the car. For now it ends up being an example of a fugly car revised to look average. Lets hope Chrysler's powertrain, suspension and interior revisions raise the bar high enough for the Sebring 200C to at least be competitive with it's competition.