Back in 1981, during what I affectionately refer to as "The Dark Ages of American Automobiles," my older brother and his best friend entered a demolition derby with a 1967 Chrysler 300 Sedan. The metallic gold "Chrysler Tank" had been purchased for less than $500 and featured a relatively straight body, a solid drivetrain with a 440 cubic engine, and a curb weight hovering around 5,000 pounds. In 1967, the 300 was no longer a performance car (that role having been taken over by various Dodge and Plymouth models), it was just another luxury trim level in the full-sized Chrysler lineup.
Since the vehicle was about to be turned into rolling scrap metal, it was painted with various, umm, shall we say creative monikers, including a large American flag and statements like "Long Live the Great American Boat" and "Iran is Next!" (Remember, this was 1981.) I've often thought that, despite a well-deserved and completely unexpected Chrysler Tank victory on that night so long ago, the Great American Boat died a slow, agonizing death. Throughout the '80s and early '90s it was replaced by underpowered, garish land yachts that lacked even a hint of style, performance or, perhaps that most crucial of American luxury car traits, elegance. If you don't agree, stop reading right now and try to think of a truly outstanding American luxury car made between 1984 and 1994. Pretty sad, huh?
Well, turn that frown upside down because the Great American Boat is with us once again. Chrysler's LHS Sedan, which made its first appearance on the previous LH platform in 1994, was completely redesigned for 1999 and has emerged with a near-perfect mix of classic luxury-car elements.
Starting with its upscale exterior appearance, the LHS exudes class (and classic) style. We're particularly fond of the clean, yet subtle bodylines, vintage chrome grille and black exterior mirrors. The rear window is smaller than on some other LH-platform cars like the Intrepid, adding further to this sedan's distinctiveness. The diminutive rear window, along with the large front-seat headrests, do contribute to sizeable blind spots around the C-pillars, but the LHS' exterior mirrors do an excellent job of covering this area. Our test car was coated with a platinum metallic sheen that we fell in love with immediately, making it hard for us to imagine a more fitting color for this vehicle.
After sliding behind the wheel we were instantly drawn to the bright white gauges with chrome bezels and classic font (the same setup is used in the current Chrysler 300). Besides adding to the LHS' vintage appeal, these instruments are easy to read and offer that cool Timex "Indiglo-like" lighting at night. Additional strong points included the wide and firm front seats with excellent hip bolstering and a multitude of adjustments.
Rear seating was equally impressive with acres of legroom, a fold-out center armrest with cupholders and easy trunk pass-through access. The rear seatback angle was a little too reclined for our tastes, and we feel a shoulder strap for the center passenger is not too much to expect in today's luxury sedans. There was also no adjustment for the climate-control vent angles located on the back of the rear console.
Interior materials scored high overall -- with soft-touch surfaces located throughout the LHS' cabin and very little plastic to be found. Only the leather seat covers, which were more Acura TL-like than Lexus or BMW caliber, failed to impress us. Front-seat cupholders, located inside the center console, could be larger and, because we know Chrysler offers them in its minivans, we'd like to see those slick ratcheting cupholder clamps in the LH cars as well.
Climate and radio controls are two more areas with room for improvement. The buttons for these systems all look the same and the individual labeling is rather tiny. Give us some large, simple dials and clearer identification points, please. Once we mastered its controls, the sound system performance had us rockin' to Queen's "We Will Rock You" with thundering bass, clean highs and excellent separation. Wow! Even stringent audiophiles will be pleased by the LHS' abilities.
Classic design and a roomy, functional interior are key elements to the Great American Boat recipe, but the final test comes when transporting multiple humans from point A to point B. It was here that we found the LHS' greatest strengths...and weaknesses. On the plus side, the LHS provided a quiet, stable and confident ride whether highway cruising or city-traffic crawling. Suspension calibration falls between sporty and slushy, keeping body roll to minimum while soaking up the majority of road irregularities without abusing passengers. The 3.5-liter V6 offers 253 horsepower, gets 18 to 27 mpg, and behaves well under most circumstances. Only when pushed into its upper rpm reaches does the V6 get a little rambunctious, sending a noticeable level of noise and vibration throughout the vehicle. More off-the-line torque would do wonders for the car's around town feel, but the LHS never felt winded or anemic and we genuinely like this drivetrain.
LHS weaknesses were limited to less-than-stellar brake-pedal feel and an excessive on-center dead spot in the steering. The braking issue is just a nitpick. The large sedan stopped quickly and confidently when asked, and we only mention pedal feel because it seems to be a common issue with Chryslers. The company's cars rarely have a real stopping problem, but they often don't send as much feedback through the pedal as we've come to expect in modern automobiles.
The much more serious problem came from the LHS' steering, or lack thereof. The big Chrysler exhibited a disconcerting level of slop when trying to keep it straight, especially at highway speeds. Once the steering wheel was off-center, it provided excellent feel and feedback. But going straight required constant attention and steering wheel correction. Since this is not a problem we've encountered with other LH cars, including our long-term Intrepid, it's likely that our test vehicle was suffering from a bad alignment, bent steering linkage, or some other enigma. This was truly unfortunate because, had the problem not existed, the LHS would have escaped our scrutiny with nary a significant complaint.
Steering issues aside, Chrysler's biggest sedan (OK, the Concorde is slightly longer, but the LHS has greater interior room and is taller) proves that a big luxury sedan doesn't have to be abrasive to the eyes, wallowy in the corners, costly at the gas pump, and gutless when you hit the "go" pedal. It also proves that you can have all this for less than $30K, which is perhaps its greatest tribute to classic American cars. And in 15 or 20 years, when it's old and tired, we bet it would make a hell of a demolition-derby candidate.
Since the vehicle was about to be turned into rolling scrap metal, it was painted with various, umm, shall we say creative monikers, including a large American flag and statements like "Long Live the Great American Boat" and "Iran is Next!" (Remember, this was 1981.) I've often thought that, despite a well-deserved and completely unexpected Chrysler Tank victory on that night so long ago, the Great American Boat died a slow, agonizing death. Throughout the '80s and early '90s it was replaced by underpowered, garish land yachts that lacked even a hint of style, performance or, perhaps that most crucial of American luxury car traits, elegance. If you don't agree, stop reading right now and try to think of a truly outstanding American luxury car made between 1984 and 1994. Pretty sad, huh?
Well, turn that frown upside down because the Great American Boat is with us once again. Chrysler's LHS Sedan, which made its first appearance on the previous LH platform in 1994, was completely redesigned for 1999 and has emerged with a near-perfect mix of classic luxury-car elements.
Starting with its upscale exterior appearance, the LHS exudes class (and classic) style. We're particularly fond of the clean, yet subtle bodylines, vintage chrome grille and black exterior mirrors. The rear window is smaller than on some other LH-platform cars like the Intrepid, adding further to this sedan's distinctiveness. The diminutive rear window, along with the large front-seat headrests, do contribute to sizeable blind spots around the C-pillars, but the LHS' exterior mirrors do an excellent job of covering this area. Our test car was coated with a platinum metallic sheen that we fell in love with immediately, making it hard for us to imagine a more fitting color for this vehicle.
After sliding behind the wheel we were instantly drawn to the bright white gauges with chrome bezels and classic font (the same setup is used in the current Chrysler 300). Besides adding to the LHS' vintage appeal, these instruments are easy to read and offer that cool Timex "Indiglo-like" lighting at night. Additional strong points included the wide and firm front seats with excellent hip bolstering and a multitude of adjustments.
Rear seating was equally impressive with acres of legroom, a fold-out center armrest with cupholders and easy trunk pass-through access. The rear seatback angle was a little too reclined for our tastes, and we feel a shoulder strap for the center passenger is not too much to expect in today's luxury sedans. There was also no adjustment for the climate-control vent angles located on the back of the rear console.
Interior materials scored high overall -- with soft-touch surfaces located throughout the LHS' cabin and very little plastic to be found. Only the leather seat covers, which were more Acura TL-like than Lexus or BMW caliber, failed to impress us. Front-seat cupholders, located inside the center console, could be larger and, because we know Chrysler offers them in its minivans, we'd like to see those slick ratcheting cupholder clamps in the LH cars as well.
Climate and radio controls are two more areas with room for improvement. The buttons for these systems all look the same and the individual labeling is rather tiny. Give us some large, simple dials and clearer identification points, please. Once we mastered its controls, the sound system performance had us rockin' to Queen's "We Will Rock You" with thundering bass, clean highs and excellent separation. Wow! Even stringent audiophiles will be pleased by the LHS' abilities.
Classic design and a roomy, functional interior are key elements to the Great American Boat recipe, but the final test comes when transporting multiple humans from point A to point B. It was here that we found the LHS' greatest strengths...and weaknesses. On the plus side, the LHS provided a quiet, stable and confident ride whether highway cruising or city-traffic crawling. Suspension calibration falls between sporty and slushy, keeping body roll to minimum while soaking up the majority of road irregularities without abusing passengers. The 3.5-liter V6 offers 253 horsepower, gets 18 to 27 mpg, and behaves well under most circumstances. Only when pushed into its upper rpm reaches does the V6 get a little rambunctious, sending a noticeable level of noise and vibration throughout the vehicle. More off-the-line torque would do wonders for the car's around town feel, but the LHS never felt winded or anemic and we genuinely like this drivetrain.
LHS weaknesses were limited to less-than-stellar brake-pedal feel and an excessive on-center dead spot in the steering. The braking issue is just a nitpick. The large sedan stopped quickly and confidently when asked, and we only mention pedal feel because it seems to be a common issue with Chryslers. The company's cars rarely have a real stopping problem, but they often don't send as much feedback through the pedal as we've come to expect in modern automobiles.
The much more serious problem came from the LHS' steering, or lack thereof. The big Chrysler exhibited a disconcerting level of slop when trying to keep it straight, especially at highway speeds. Once the steering wheel was off-center, it provided excellent feel and feedback. But going straight required constant attention and steering wheel correction. Since this is not a problem we've encountered with other LH cars, including our long-term Intrepid, it's likely that our test vehicle was suffering from a bad alignment, bent steering linkage, or some other enigma. This was truly unfortunate because, had the problem not existed, the LHS would have escaped our scrutiny with nary a significant complaint.
Steering issues aside, Chrysler's biggest sedan (OK, the Concorde is slightly longer, but the LHS has greater interior room and is taller) proves that a big luxury sedan doesn't have to be abrasive to the eyes, wallowy in the corners, costly at the gas pump, and gutless when you hit the "go" pedal. It also proves that you can have all this for less than $30K, which is perhaps its greatest tribute to classic American cars. And in 15 or 20 years, when it's old and tired, we bet it would make a hell of a demolition-derby candidate.
Add A Comment »