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Having the wind in your hair puts a smile on your face, and that’s especially true when you’re driving a convertible with a retractable hardtop.

A good friend who used to drive a LeBaron convertible was smitten with the new Sebring because it recalls the halcyon days of ragtops past while moving forward with high-tech options such as a weatherproof top that tucks into the trunk and a flex-fuel engine that can run on E85 ethanol.

The convertible’s base price is $26,145. Chrysler said that price is $645 less than the comparable outgoing model even though the new car has an additional $2,965 worth of content that includes seat-mounted side airbags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a tire-pressure monitoring system, power convertible top, a hard tonneau cover, an AM/FM stereo with six-disc CD player, six-way power front seats and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.

There are three models: base, Touring and Limited. The test vehicle was a Touring model, and it had a base price of $28,070. The retractable top is a $1,995 option.

From the front, the Sebring has a distinctive Chrysler-brand face that is accented by grooves stamped into the hood. The wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer, and the car is 3.5 inches taller and more than 2 inches wider than the vehicle it replaces. Its overall length also is 3 inches greater than the sedan.

The rather pronounced bustle looks bigger with the hardtop in place, but it has to be large enough to swallow the retractable top. Even with the top down, the trunk has room for a couple of overnight bags. The trunk is surprisingly spacious with the top up.

There are three engines from which to choose: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 173 horsepower, a 2.7-liter V-6 with 189 horsepower and a 3.5-liter V-6 with 235 horsepower. The 3.5-liter has a six-speed automatic transmission, while the other two engines have a four-speed automatic.

The test car’s 2.7-liter engine had decent acceleration, but more low-range and mid-range torque would give stronger throttle response. This engine can run on any grade of fuel or ethanol blend up to E85 ethanol, and it is rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway.

It’s normal for a convertible body structure to be slightly less rigid than a sedan, and the Sebring felt reasonably solid even over rough pavement.

In spite of the Sebring’s size, rear-seat legroom is still at a premium. My 4-year-old granddaughter hardly had room for her feet when riding in a child safety seat. Seat belts pull out of the center of the seat and latch on the outside, a feat that is very hard to do with a child seat.

In markets outside North America, Chrysler will offer the Sebring convertible with a diesel engine. It’s too bad the diesel won’t be offered here because it is considerably more efficient than the gasoline engine.

Price The base price of the test car was $28,070. Options included heated leather seats, fog lamps, steering-wheel audio controls, 18-inch wheels, windscreen and the retractable hardtop. The sticker price was $32,235.

Warranty Three years or 36,000 miles.