This car is brilliant, if it's as good as its maker claims. American Specialty Cars, maker of the convertible Toyota Solara, has chopped the top off a four-door Chrysler 300C with plans to sell the idea to any automaker that wants to build a modern phaeton. Typical of ASC, it's much more than a chop-job, with a lattice-like structure featuring a cross-car bulkhead and a transmission tunnel doubler, which necessitates turning the five-seat 300 into a 2+2 with a front- and rear-seat console. Trunk space is compromised, but the trunklid and its wide opening are maintained. It looks like a factory-finished car, top up or down. ASC says the structure is rigid and that the 300 gains no more than 300 pounds with the extra bracing. It can build "easily 10,000 a year" within 24 months, to sticker for roughly $4000 more than the tin-top. Any maker of large rear-drive sedans may apply, but if Chrysler doesn't bite, we may just have to take that Car of the Year trophy back.
