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For a long time I think the convertible has been lost in the wake of performance cars and out of reach luxury.  Feeling the sun rain down while just enjoying the drive and seeing the sights has been brought back to life with the 200 Convertible.   Cruising with the top down and a good song on the radio alongside Lake Norman in North Carolina was really relaxing. For that brief time, summer was back as I crept out of NASCAR country and cruised the roads of Lake Norman.  It was the first time in awhile I just drove without having a destination or an urge to get there as fast as possible.  It was a moment of bliss…


The design keeps with the tradition of Chrysler grills followed by smooth lines.   A much needed upgrade from the Chrysler Sebring.   I have heard a lot of bad things about the 200, but looking at the body I think people are missing the elegance of a cruiser.   I don’t see the 200 convertible as a sports car nor a basic sedan, but as a symbol of the journey.  The straight lines and mild grooves say leisure and I think that is what America needs, a bit of relaxation.


The interior is well upgraded from the hard plastics of the day.  Integration of the 5.5 inch touch screen navigation looks good and easy to get too.   A 40gb hard drive for all your music and aux jacks for your mp3 player matched with 6 speakers increase the top down fun. Retractable hardtops are the standard it seems with most new cars, but I miss pulling the top down or rushing to get it back up at the sign of a storm.  Trunk space is taken up by the top, I still found plenty of room for all my stuff and a bit extra.   The tilt telescope steering column has been a great move forward with Chrysler and it gives different ranges of driving positions matched with the 6 way adjustable drivers seat.  


Passing cars when needed was a breeze thanks to the 3.6L V6.  It feels responsive and ready to go when needed, but more importantly it is pretty quiet and the six speed automatic ensures a smooth ride when changing  gears.  Getting 19mpg in the city and 29mpg on the highway was a bit less than I expected from the 200, but with the additional deep cherry color matched top ($1,955) $35,485 makes the 200 a good purchase offering lots of long cruises for years to come.

2012 Chrysler 200 Limited Convertible

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