Clarkson: "Almost certainly the worst car in the entire world"
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Yep, that's Jeremy Clarkson talking up the Chrysler Sebring convertible in his column for The Sunday Times today. What, you expected anything less than a wholesale evisceration? Clarkson weighing in on the astoundlingly sub-par Sebring is pretty much the motor-journalistic equivalent of using a Stinger missile to take out your kid's SpongeBob birthday piñata. It didn't stand a chance.
The laughs come early and often as the Chrysler gets mercilessly worked over like one of Mike Tyson's sparring partners in the '80s, but be forewarned: by the time Jezza puts down his pen, America's Number One Fan has managed to work in AIG, Lehman Brothers and the Iraq war as he slips in his obligatory jabs at the country, which the Chrysler becomes symbolic of.
The way Clarkson sees it, quality sucks in the Sebring and other American cars because we Americans have no sense of history and are thus incapable of planning for the future (by making something built to last). Whatever -- he's entitled to his opinion. Speaking for myself, I can deal with the crappy Sebring in the grand scheme of things; that's a miniscule tradeoff for having something to celebrate on July 4th. Besides, it's not all tea and cookies in the former motherland, anyway...
[Source: TimesOnline | Tip: Kris]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
GreatlyMisunderstood 5:19PM (10/05/2008)
The "we don't know history" is the fault of the CEO's... everything is short term to please the stock market. Whatever happened to all the profits of the SUV's and trucks? I wish they had been used to research materials and tech. Oh, well.. I'm sure they'll make good use of the low interest loans they are getting right? Because the same CEO's that drove the companies to the ground will miraculously will become geniuses.
Reply
Desides 5:53PM (10/05/2008)
Pst. CEOs don't run the education system. Teachers' unions, with the help of willing politicians, run the education system. Take the class warfare somewhere it belongs, like Kos, DU, or Huffington. This is a car site.
Back to the topic. Can we consider Clarkson the UK equivalent of Jay Leno? I take neither seriously when it comes to deciding which new car to buy, but they're damn funny anyway.
That One Person 10:39PM (10/05/2008)
Well, the Big 3 are researching materials and tech. Hence the reason why Ford uses soybeans to make seat cushions and GM is coming out with the Volt.
Oh and those CEOs that ran the Big 3 into the ground aren't in control anymore. Do you see Roger Smith and Jac Nasser anymore? No. I didn't think so.
I like Top Gear and while I agree on Clarksons views on the Sebring (last one was actually a lot better), some if remarks are just plain dumb (sense of history...hey, who owns Jaguar, LR, Bentley and Rolls Royce?).
SteveRB 12:06AM (10/06/2008)
@ Desides
Since when is criticizing CEOs class warfare? Call me crazy but when a company fails, the first person I look to for accountability is the CEO.
If you need to learn more about debating, try another book beside Debating for Dummies by Sarah Palin.
JamesWB 7:41AM (10/06/2008)
@That One Person
Jaguar and LR are owned by an Indian Company, Bentley and RR by the Germans.
What has that got to do with americans sense of history?
AndrewGTO 12:01PM (10/06/2008)
JamesWB: His point is that if Americans are supposedly short sighted, what does that say about the British? They have virtually zero domestically owned manufacturers left if any.
IMO: This guy turned a Chrysler review into some off tangent remark about his view of "American ideology". This tool should go back in his box.
naggs 6:09PM (10/09/2008)
clarkson is just bitter because our financial collapses are SO MASSIVE that they drag down the whole world
were # 1
JDMlover 5:16PM (10/05/2008)
HAHAHAHA
they are always american cars.....
Reply
Torrent 5:29PM (10/05/2008)
Except the Lexus SC which Top Gear bashed to death.
JDMlover 5:37PM (10/05/2008)
lmao The Lexus SC is STILL 100 times better then this!!!!
The Lexus SC was a really nice car a luxury sport car...sat in one and feel in love with it....very smooth engine...built proof build quailty
Lexus should have not killed it...but made it better :(
thomas 12:03AM (10/06/2008)
only because he's tested nothing from China, India, or Russia.....
Rocketboy 7:27AM (10/06/2008)
Or the Crossfire, which he liked better than the other two convertibles in the test...
Spiel 8:05AM (10/06/2008)
@thomas
I don't think that comparing American cars to China's and India's says a lot about American cars.
rekdr 1:45AM (10/08/2008)
When we went back to vietnam the people said they were glad to see us, when ask why? They said everything we had left over there before was still working. Americans must have made something right.
CheetahDC 5:20PM (10/05/2008)
As an American and someone who wants the American auto industry to survive and thrive - he's RIGHT. This car sucks. If you want an American convertible get a Corvette, Solstice, Sky, or Chrysler's own Viper.
Reply
thomas 6:31PM (10/05/2008)
yes. because the sebring and viper/corvette have similar target markets....
the primary needs of the sebring conv. buyer is to seat 4 adults and fit golf bags in the trunk with the top down.
everything you listed is inferior to the sebring in those areas. good job!
had you listed the volvo C70, Pontiac G6 or the VW Eos.. you might have a case. but you didn't. so you don't. so you get nothing. you lose. good day sir.
Brandi 10:20PM (10/07/2008)
I own a sebring & I think it's a wonderful car. If you can afford to buy a lexus, viper or corvette then feel free to diss the sebring. As a 20-something year old who has yet to start a family & does a lot of travelling, I have a very high opinion of this car. I drive an '05 model which I bought new. I wanted to treat myself for graduating from college & had always wanted a convertible. I would have had to get a 2nd & probably 3rd job to afford most of the other cars mentioned here. My Sebring has enough room in the back seat for my friends to tag along without being uncomfortable, as they would be in a mustang convertible. I just think that this article is bias to begin with. Don't knock a decent car just because it doesn't fit into the same category as a $50,000 import.
YouFaceTheTick 5:19PM (10/05/2008)
Whats' with Autoblog's need to constantly defend the indefensible?
Reply
Quan 7:02PM (10/05/2008)
I think it's just that a lot of people subscribe to the philosophy of "I love America and will do anything to defend it" and they don't want to appear anti-American. While I'm relatively patriotic I think I'll still admit that the Sebring sucks though. Everything else Clarkson said is just part of his image and should be taken as such. Reading beyond that is just making yourself angry for no reason. There are more important issues out there to get passionate about.
NsK 10:39PM (10/05/2008)
Being neither American nor British, I honestly think that while USA bashing is kinda Clarkson's hobby and it doesn't really sound that nice, he really has a point in what he says sometimes. So Americans in general should really not think like the blogger above and think "u think U're better than me, well I think you're not!"...instead, they should really think if they as a nation really suffers from such faults, even to the slightest degree. I mean, I'd think long and hard about who the hell we are as a nation if I was in a country that voted for Bush or thinks Palin is a good debater.. But that's just me.