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Hopefully, it wasn’t an omen.

When Chrysler introduced its redesigned 2008 Sebring convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show last fall, Joe Eberhardt provided the detailed commentary.

A few weeks later, Eberhardt left his post as head of Chrysler Group sales to become a Mercedes-Benz dealer. Shortly after that, Daimler said it would like to dispose of Chrysler and build only Mercedes-Benz vehicles, like the ones Eberhardt sells.

But the U.S. arm of the German carmaker doesn’t expect that to have any effect on the redesigned 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible arriving in dealerships this month in time for the top-down motoring season. The convertible, which joins the redesigned sedan trotted out in the fall for ’07, was last redesigned in 2001. There was no 2007 soft top.

Like the sedan, the convertible comes in three flavors — base, Touring and Limited; with three tops: vinyl, cloth and retractable metal; and three engines: 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower (marked up from 150 h.p.) 4-cylinder; 2.7-liter, 189-h.p. V-6; or 3.5-liter, 235-h.p. V-6.

No hybrids, but the 2.7-liter is E85 friendly. Outside the U.S., a 4-cylinder diesel will be sold as well as right-hand-drive.

All tops automatically latch/unlatch and power up and down. Press the dash button or key fob icon to work the magic from inside or outside the car.

We tested the 2008 Sebring Limited with retractable hardtop. Like the sedan, it has the Chrysler face with sculptured hood borrowed from the Crossfire coupe and Pacifica crossover as well as the signature grille with floating winged logo and large quad headlamps.

There’s been a much appreciated increase in dimensions — 2.9 inches longer, 2 inches wider and 3.5 inches taller with a 3-inch stretch of the wheelbase.

Added width brings more room to stretch arms and shoulders, added height more space between melon and ceiling, even more appreciated with the hardtop, and added length means more room for legs and knees. It also means the engineers were able to comply with the dictate that the trunk hold two sets of golf clubs with the top down and four sets with it up.

Didn’t have any golf clubs to check, but two sets with the top down would be a very tight fit since the top takes up three-fourths of the space.

With the top up, a plastic cradle on which it rests when stored sits in the middle of the trunk but folds and flips out of the way. So four sets of clubs, or a heck of a lot of luggage or groceries will fit inside.

The car holds four adults, as in its previous life, but with the added inches it’s less confining, especially in back where rear seats have a deep-dish design so occupants sit low for ample head room. For entry to the back seat, the front seats tip and slide.

Chrysler boasts that the Sebring chassis is more rigid, and therefore less prone to shake or shudder, especially with the top down. That means a quieter and more comfortable cabin. Seats are well cushioned, though side bolsters are small. Take a sharp corner at speed and the car and your body lean a little. Sebring is meant more for leisurely cruising than high-speed adventure.

The base model comes with 16-inch all-season radials, Touring with 17-inch touring radials and Limited with 18-inch touring tires tuned to minimize vibration.

The test car was a pre-production model bolted together for media previews. The plastic parcel shelf behind the rear seats tended to rattle when passing over bumps in the road.

Two known cures for whatever ails a pre-production car are duct tape and/or a good slap. The latter silenced the rattle — for a while.

Chrysler said it also spotted the noise, and a fix has been made without resorting to duct tape or a whack.

The 3.5-liter V-6 comes with a 6-speed automatic and Autostick as standard for manual shifting. Decent power from the light, into the passing lane or down the merger ramp. But you aren’t going to smoke the radials on takeoff. And you’d expect a V-6 to be a little quieter. Mileage rating is only 16 m.p.g. city/26 highway. Even the 4 misses the 30-m.p.g. mark at 20/29.

Care was taken to upgrade the cabin with rich, soft surfaces including instrument panel cover and armrests for the luxury look. All controls are easy to see and use. Nice touches include cupholders molded into the back-seat sidewalls, stowage pouches in the front doors, power plug/coin holder/stowage tray under the sliding, center armrest, locking glove box and analog clock in the dash. It also offers a windscreen that attaches behind the front seat to keep the breeze from slapping at the back of your head with the top down, part of a $1,095 luxury group.

Different tops, trim levels and engines allow for a price spread. Base model with its 2.4-liter 4 and vinyl top starts at $25,470, Touring with vinyl top (metal optional) at $28,070 and Limited with cloth top (metal optional) at $31,670.

Anti-lock brakes are standard on all, and electronic stability control is $425, a wise investment to reduce unnecessary lateral movement.

Key standard equipment includes power seats/locks/windows/mirrors (also heated), AM/FM radio with six-disc CD player and DVD/MP3 connectivity, rear-window defroster and remote keyless entry.

The test vehicle came with $6,000-plus in options including remote start and heated/cooled cupholder as part of a $505 electronics convenience group; heated, leather front seats part of a $1,095 luxury group; metal hardtop at $1,995; UConnect hands-free phone at $360; and a MyGIG multimedia radio with navigation system and voice-activated commands and a 20 gigabyte hard disc drive that includes Music Juke Box for organizing music and pictures on the hard drive, voice memo recording up to three minutes and radio screen to display movies when the vehicle isn’t in motion at $1,895.

Chrysler says the car is aimed at well-educated, 40-to-50-year-olds with median incomes of $90,000. But it’s for any age, any income, any person who enjoys having the wind toss his hair and the sun dance on his scalp while cruising during the day or watching the stars at night.

No sales estimates, but the car’s role is to lure bodies into the showroom so Sebring not only regains the sales lead it lost to the Mustang convertible in 2005 but also is a lure for the 300 sedans, PT Cruisers, Aspen SUVs, Pacifica crossovers and Town & Country minivans.

Rumors are that Sebring will be joined by a crossover derivative, but Chrysler is mum.

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2008 Chrysler Sebring Limited convertible

Price as tested: $36,170 *

THE STICKER

$31,670 Base

$1,810 MyGIG multimedia radio with navigation system

$1,095 Luxury group with heated front seats, 18-inch, chrome-clad aluminum wheels and windscreen

$505 Electronics convenience group with remote start, heated/cooled, front-console cupholder, automatic control air conditioning and self-dimming mirror

$425 Electronic stability control

$360 UConnect hands-free phone

$195 Sirius satellite radio

$40 Daytime running lamps

$40 Engine block heater

$30 Smoker’s group (ashtray)

* Add $675 for freight.

THE NUMBERS

Wheelbase: 108.9 inches

Length: 193.8 inches

Engine: 3.5-liter, 235-h.p. V-6

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 16 m.p.g. city/26 m.p.g. highway

PLUSES

– Redesign with larger dimensions for more cabin comfort.

– Choice of vinyl, cloth or new retractable hard top.

– Lower the top from inside or outside car.

– Trunk designed with two sets of golf clubs in mind.

MINUSES

– Not hard to run up the price.

– Make those two small sets of clubs.

jmateja@tribune.com