washingtonpost.com's view

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — IT WAS AN affordable car in a community of six-figure automobiles — an outsider in a neighborhood of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce addresses. But it was beautiful, and that’s all anyone in this tony enclave seemed to care about. The 1997 Chrysler Sebring LXi coupe, with its long nose and wing-emblazoned grille, drew a crowd just sitting still.

Had it remained in that position, it would have sustained the fantasy. But it was asked to take a trip up California’s Highway 1 to San Francisco. In the fast and often impolite traffic along that winding coastal road, the Sebring LXi coupe revealed its truth: It was just a Cinderella in nice clothes and makeup.

This was surprising. I’d driven a Sebring sibling, a base Sebring JX convertible, earlier this year. It too was a car with more show than go. But I found that understandable, because it was equipped with a 2.4-liter, 150-horsepower, inline four-cylinder engine.

But the new Sebring LXi coupe comes with more muscle — a 2.5-liter, 168-horsepower V-6. I expected it to kick butt. But it mostly ate dust.

My driving companion, Jean Halliday of Advertising Age, opined that the car hadn’t “been broken in, yet.” Give it some time and a few more miles, she said, and she might’ve been right. Maybe next year.

Background: The Chrysler Sebring was introduced in 1995 as what Chrysler’s publicists called the “Cure for the Common Coupe.” They had a point. Until then, many coupes were coops, which means they seated no more than two people and often did that poorly.

The Sebring, by comparison, offered ample space for five adults. It was comfortable and exceptionally stylish. It also offered lots of standard equipment, such as antilock power four-wheel disc brakes, at a reasonable price.

What it lacked was the power to match its sexy looks. But the looks sold — and sold well, which apparently is why the changes for the 1997 Sebring are mostly cosmetic.

Those revisions include a new front end accented by a new grille and a winged Chrysler emblem, the combination of which makes the car look rich and fast. The overall body is sleeker, and the rear end has received a new fascia and rear lamps.

The interior also has been freshened with new color schemes, such as black and tan, and some new equipment, such as an automatically dimming day/night rearview mirror.

It is a totally impressive automobile — for anyone who doesn’t want to drive much beyond 60 mph.

The problem is an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission that insists on overruling driver input. You put your foot on the accelerator and say, “Let’s go.” The transmission responds with the down-shifting equivalent of, “Hey, not so fast!” The condition is worse at high altitudes.

The 2.5 liter V-6 engine yields the same tangible result as the standard 2-liter, inline four in the base Sebring LX coupe and JX convertible.

Full specs on the 2.5-liter, 24-valve V-6 include a rating of 168 horsepower at 5,800 rpm with torque rated 130 pound-feet at 4,800 rpm.

Other Sebring LXi coupe standard equipment includes dual front air bags, remote keyless entry system, cruise control and power door locks.

Complaints: The relative slowness. Also, at speeds of 65 mph-plus, the front end seems to skitter.

Praise: An absolutely beautiful car that probably offers good enough all-around performance for people who are more interested in show than go.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent ride. Mediocre acceleration. Excellent handling, even in curves, at speeds up to 50 mph. Braking was excellent.

Head-turning quotient: The toast of Pebble Beach. The richies went ga-ga over this car.

Mileage: The environmentalists will likely go ga-ga, too. About 26 miles per gallon. Pretty darned good for a V-6. Fuel capacity is 15.9 gallons. Estimated range is 380 miles per gallon on usable volume of regular unleaded.

Sound system: O tional AM/FM stereo r adio, cassette and CD player. Chrysler Infinity sound system. Excellent, one of the best factory auto sound systems available.

Price: Preliminary 1997 pricing on the tested Sebring LXi: Base price is $20,300. Dealer invoice is $18,500. Price as tested is $22,165, including $1,330 in options and a $535 destination charge. Preliminary pricing means the price is likely to change before the ink is dry on this column.

Purse-strings note: Compare with Dodge Avenger, Toyota Celica and Nissan 240SX coupes.