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]

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.