Filed under: Chrysler, LLC.
GAZ unveils the Siber sedan, son of Sebring
Click image for photo gallery of media pics and live shots from Auto.lenta.ru
Well, it looks like somebody is going to be buying the Chrysler Sebring. We just got a tip that GAZ has bought the rights to build a modified version of the last-gen car for sale in Europe. Along with manufacturing help from Magna Steyr and design and engineering work by UltraMotive, the new GAZ Siber will be a new-old Sebring for Siberia with a revised look and an upgraded suspension to better handle harsh winters. Additional info from our tipster tells us that the license and tooling for these cars were sold in April 2006 to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska for about $151 million (€ 124 million). He's the same guy who owns the GAZ company in Nizhny Novgorod, which builds the Volga automobile among other things. There's a translated press release after the jump and here's a link to the original Russian info for those who prefer it. Live shots in the gallery came from Auto.lenta.ru.
Thanks for the tip, Tverez!
[Source: GAZ via Auto.lenta.ru]
Gallery: GAZ Siber
Google translation of Press Release:
Company news
August 29, 2007-Cars
"The GAZ presented to the" new "Interavto Passenger car Today at the International Motor Show
"Interavto" was presented a new car car Group "GAS". It was the first time mentioned the name of the car, "Siber (Saiber). In April last year, "team" is a GAS company Chrysler platform, which was a new car. The design was a famous English UltraMotive atelier in using sophisticated trends Road design.
"Siber" fully adapted to winter use and Russian roads. Compared with the donor the platform, it is stiffer suspension and more clearance. The basic specification of the car : the engine of 2 litres capacity of 141 litres. with air conditioning, two airbags, ABS, TCS system "Traction control" halogen headlamps with delay-off and
adjustable-level hydraulic power steering, steering wheel adjustment, electric seats the driver adjustment in eight directions, audio with 6 columns and amplified, heating and folding mirrors with Electrical rear-view mirror with
automatic background polnorazmernoe the spare wheel and fog lamps.
The estimated value "Siber in the basic set - 18,000 dollars.
Also yet to be produced vehicles the automatic gearbox and the engine volume 2.4 and 2.7 litres. Production of the car "Siber" will be launched in March at Gorkovskoe car factory in Nizhny Novgorod. In next year will be issued 20,000 vehicles, in 2009, about 40,000. In subsequent years, production Siber "will depend on market conditions market. Overall, the power plant project is 100,000 cars a year. For production built new, modern plant for welding and assembly of cars, modernized painting of "Haden-2" to ensure the advanced world standards body colour. In fact, for "Siber, a new plant. But the new car will be working, last skilled training factories "Chrysler and Magna Steyr." Under the leadership foreign taught all Operations of the car. The company has implemented a new quality build-to analog mills Chrysler in the United States and Austria. The "Chrysler will quality control of production "Siber at "GAS". Therefore, each issued "Siber will high quality world automotive.
The car will be collected from components of the world's leading suppliers, "Magna", "Automotive Lighting, Fecosa and others. Localization in Russia to be implemented only if conservation or better quality components. Power
engineering will be presented by Chrysler. "
The car will be sold throughout Russia more than 70 dealer centers of the Group GAS. " Under the project specifically created from scratch divisions sales, service and post - the new service car.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TriShield 1:44PM (8/30/2007)
Well, at least it looks better than what the Chinese come up with.
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huis 1:53PM (8/30/2007)
That front end makes me think it should be the Mercury Sebring.
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Level 1:56PM (8/30/2007)
It has a cleaner body then the new Sebring and this one looks better then the old sebring with the tweaks....
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iamhoff 5:58PM (8/30/2007)
I was going to say the same thing. The new Sebring is one awkwardly fugly car.
Blake 2:16PM (8/30/2007)
That's just sad.
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RicardoHead 2:17PM (8/30/2007)
At least they bought the rights rather than just copying it.
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Ben 2:17PM (8/30/2007)
Not that it's a compliment, but it's actually better than American design....
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Vinny 2:19PM (8/30/2007)
All that blue smoke verifies that it's still a Chrysler.
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Bill 9:46PM (8/30/2007)
If it has blue smoke, that means its a Mitsubishi engine.
SherbornSean 2:34PM (8/30/2007)
The Vladivostok Hertz will soon be loaded with 'em.
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scooter 2:46PM (8/30/2007)
Thanks for making me laugh.
Donald 2:56PM (8/30/2007)
they should have known that the sebring's design already got old. oh well, its being sold in europe. I kinda think it looks better this way... but its still pretty ugly >=/
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Tsunami Racer 3:12PM (8/30/2007)
in russia, lifetime warranties YOU...
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Ryan 3:18PM (8/30/2007)
It looks better than the new Sebring to me .
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Ilya 3:50PM (8/30/2007)
This will probably be the best Russian car ever made! But no, wait, its American...
Russian car industry has sucked for years and I guess that its still continuing in the same pass. So sad.
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SPG 7:38PM (8/30/2007)
A very nice "update" with a nod to Audi.
Not a fan of the rear treatment however.
Now Sebring owners of the last gen model can rest in comfort knowing that they will be able to get brand new parts for their cars shipped over from Russia for the next 40 years. Which seems to be the product cycle of a Russian car.
Best looking Gaz I found on their website for sure.
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spencer 8:07PM (8/30/2007)
Amazing how just removing the hideous "rub strips" makes a car look so much better.
Now where's that idiot that comes on here and complains about every car that doesn't have them?
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Bryan 8:42PM (8/30/2007)
Why did they do this again? I actually like the new Sebring, on the outside. The taillights are very interesting. The inside is a disaster.
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Mike G 2:09PM (9/01/2007)
Congratulations Bryan! You win a free trip to Contrarianville for being the only person who likes the new Sebring - um seriously, the only person.
A cynic might believe that the new fugly Sebring is just a relativity experiment to make the sales proof Commander seem less frigtarded by comparison.
I think this GAZ looks good enough - sort of like a Russian Rover with that front grille. The back is clean. Lights are interesting. Overall could be a lot worse.
Bryan 5:39PM (9/01/2007)
Well Mike, someone has to like it! Whether you like it or not, it does have attention getting styling, especially in the rear. The GAZ is boring, lacks any style, and has already been done. If Chrysler would put some award winning interiors into their award winning exteriors (and some quality), they would have many hits. Unfortunately for now, that is not the case. And it's okay to be the only one that likes it, makes me different, and not like the style deprived individuals who buy Camrys and Accords.