Much to the chagrin of rental car customers in Florida who want a droptop but are too cheap to spring for the V6 Mustang, the lovely new 2015 Chrysler 200 will not come in a convertible variant.
Edmunds reports that since 200 convertible sales only amounted to less than 5 percent of total volume, Chrysler wasn't especially motivated to come up with a 'vert version of their new sedan. Also, from an engineering standpoint, it doesn't sound like a new 200 convertible is really in the cards:
The additional cost of engineering a 200 convertible would have been substantial, Doug Verley, chief engineer of the Chrysler 200, told Edmunds. In addition to creating a folding convertible top assembly, he noted, "We'd have to re-engineer the rear of the car because now we need a new deck lid... and inside the convertible, we'd have to add quite a bit of structure into the A-pillars and sills. We'd want to give the customer a similar driving experience to the 2015 200 sedan," Verley added. "And on a convertible, we'd have to create that same torsional stiffness without a roof structure."
No one has driven the all-new 200 yet, but from all outward appearances it seems like it will be a pretty impressive machine. I can't say a convertible version suits the new car that much, and as Edmunds notes, it's not like any of Chrysler's competitors offer a midsize droptop anymore anyway.
In other news, Chrysler will also be killing off the only American car that will be missed less than the 200 convertible, the Dodge Avenger. They're worried that will steal sales from the Dart, and the Dart needs all the sales it can get, if you catch my drift.
Edmunds closed their story with this super-helpful tip I'm sure all of us will find extremely useful:
Edmunds says: Car shoppers should be aware that 2014 is the final model year for the Chrysler 200 convertible and make their plans accordingly.
Thanks, Edmunds!