2001 Chrysler Sebring Coupe Stylish new sports coupe is quick and affordable. By Bob Plunkett, New Car Test Drive .com

Chrysler has introduced a totally new Sebring Coupe for 2001. This new two-door replaces the previous coupe by the same name. But it rolls on a stiff new platform and is powered by bigger engines than the predecessor. It comes with a sleek new shell and an all-new interior.

The Sebring label also applies to a new four-door Chrysler sedan. Despite a shared name and similar styling, the sedan should not be confused with the coupe, as they do not share chassis, powertrains, or components. Instead, the Chrysler Sebring coupe shares components with the new Dodge Stratus coupe.

Consider the coupe variation of Sebring an entirely new product rigged for comfort. Powertrain choices provide two different flavors. The Sebring coupe comes out of a joint-venture assembly plant in Illinois that also produces the Stratus and the Mitsubishi Eclipse coupes; Sebring, Stratus and Eclipse use the same engines, chassis, and suspension designs.

Behind its smooth shell, the Sebring coupe provides a generous interior environment that adds a quality rare for a two-door sports coupe: Genuine legroom in the rear seat.

Another rare trait among sporty coupes concerns the bottom line, as Chrysler casts the Sebring coupe with a price that begins at $19,910.

Chrysler splits the Sebring two-door coupe into two models: LX and LXi.

The base LX coupe ($19,910) uses a single-cam 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 142 horsepower and links to a four-speed automatic transaxle.

The luxury version, Sebring LXi, starts at $21,475 with a 3.0-liter V6 charged to 200 horsepower. The V6 mates either to the standard five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic ($825) that can be rigged with Chrysler's AutoStick ($165) for no-clutch shift control. Optional safety equipment includes ABS ($565) for Sebring LX, or ABS with Traction Control ($740) on Sebring LXi when equipped with the automatic transmission.