Chrysler Crossfire Overview
The Crossfire, introduced in 2004 (with a roadster and SRT-6 version appearing in 2005), is a rear-wheel-drive two-seat sports coupe with a modern 18-valve, 3.2-liter V-6 (SOHC) engine with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces a moderate 215 hp, 229 lb-ft of torque - between the Chrysler 2.7 and 3.5 V6 outputs (200 and 250 respectively). With the supercharged V6, the engine goes up to a sportier 330 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The Crossfire was marketed as bringing the best of both DaimlerChrysler worlds, but its ad campaign may have turned off both domestic and foreign buyers; it promoted the superiority of German craftsmanship (ignoring Mercedes' sinking quality ratings, Chrysler's quality gains, the fact that it was the only Chrysler made in Germany, and other details) and American styling.
To many at Chrysler, the Crossfire represents the worst times of the "merger," as Mercedes insisted on having it made in Germany, with a Mercedes engine; and magazines generally said it was merely a restyled previous-generation Mercedes SLK. In reality, it was not that bad - Chrysler engineers did a substantial amount of retuning, so that even some German magazines consider the "American" version to be superior to the original. Given the changes that were made, it is not a previous-generation design. Still, sales seem to be lagging, as foreign-car buyers are turned off by the Chrysler label and domestic buyers are turned off by the German chassis. The car itself hardly seems to get a chance, and particularly in the case of the SRT-6, that's a shame. The design uses a front independent double wishbone front suspension and an independent five-link rear suspension with coil springs.
Dual center-mounted exhaust outlets give the car the appearance of a tail along with free-flowing exhaust. High performance Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires and wheels are used for summer driving; in front, they are on 18-inch wheels (P225/40), while in back, they are on 19-inch chrome rims (P255/35). Despite the extremely low profiles (most cars are in the 55-60 range) and large wheels (again, most cars have 16-17 inch wheels, and 14-15 inches were standard just a few years ago), the ride is well cushioned. The SRT-6 package includes stiffer spring rates (50% in the front, 42% in the rear, with higher jounce and rebound rates) and larger brake rotors, with vented rear discs. Oddly, there is no manual transmission available - a reversal from, say, the Spirit R/T, where the high-po version only came with a stick.
The Crossfire draws admiring looks, and we found the styling to be unusually attractive - sporty without being ugly, assertive but not aggressive. The interior is generally well executed; though the usual textured plastic dominates the upper dash, the most noticeable area is the silver-matte center stack, with silver knobs and buttons relieved only by the vents and the thin indicator dials on the climate control knobs. The gauges use the new Chrysler style with precise marketings and an elegant typeface, in matte silver rings (the 300M's shiny chrome rings and elegantly tapered pointers would increase the effect). The doors have chrome bars for grips, and door speakers and interior handles have chrome surrounds. In short, the interior looks good from the driver's seat, without venturing into the gaudy excess of the Audi TT.
Passengers get the short end of the stick, with a plain plastic glove compartment under a plain dark plastic dashboard top. The SRT-6 interior differs from the standard Crossfire in several ways, the most noticeable of which is the soft Alcantara suede for the seats, which has more cloth-like properties. Benefits of this include more friction (less sliding) and less temparature shock - it doesn't have the heat/cold problems of standard shiny leather, and if you're not wearing a shirt (sacrilege!), allows your skin to breathe. The other difference is in the gauge numbering: the speedometer is marked in 20 mph increments instead of 10 mph increments, perversely making it just a tad easier to read. At night, all switches are lit, and the gauges are very nicely backlit by strong green lighting. The result is that the Crossfire is equally attractive in day and night, and gauges are highly readable in all types of light.
Acceleration with the stock engine is fairly swift, belying the relatively low horsepower ratings of the 3.2 liter engine (figure a bit below 7 seconds to get to 60 mph, with the automatic), though the brute-force instant-on power of cars like the Corvette isn't there. (To be fair, it also is not an "rpm queen" that needs to be revving high to move.) Most drivers will probably appreciate the balance between speed and gas mileage, at least on the relatively thrifty automatic (yes, you read that right - the six-speed manual appears to have been designed with performance in mind, not economy). We found the automatic to sometimes be jerky, and at low speeds it seemed to want to avoid upshifting. In winter mode, not surprisingly, it felt spongy, but that goes with the territory. With the supercharged SRT-6 version, the engine has considerably more power, again without the instant-on brute force, but it certainly moves effectively and quickly.
