Chrysler revises lineup of three sedans

Chrysler, seeking to trim costs and boost demand after reporting a sharp drop in U.S. sales last month, is scrapping some versions of three sedans and is adding more standard equipment on the remaining models.

The affected models are the Chrysler Sebring, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Avenger, the Auburn Hills, Mich., company said Thursday. The third-largest U.S. automaker, which makes the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands, also said it would offer smaller engines in the most expensive versions of the affected sedans.

“This is ultimately about addressing what the market is asking for,” said Jim Hall, director of analysis for 2953 Analytics in Birmingham, Mich. “When you can address cost and a market need, that’s a win-win.”

Chrysler is trying to attract customers with more features and improved fuel economy after its U.S. sales in October fell 35%, its largest monthly drop and the worst performance of any major automaker.

Chrysler dropped the Sebring LX and Touring versions, leaving only the Limited model. The Limited, with standard features including heated seats and a leather interior, gets the Touring version’s $23,380 base price and offers a 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder engine, the automaker said.

The 300 is losing the entry-level LX. The Touring model, now the lowest-priced version, keeps its $27,415 base price while adding an interior and exterior package that had been optional, the company said. Also, the top-end 300C can now be bought with a V6 engine instead of only a V8.

Chrysler eliminated the entry-level Avenger SE. The top-end R/T is available with a 4-cylinder engine, or a V6 version that’s less expensive than the previous model.