2004 Chrysler Crossfire Coupe Road Test

A Prodigal Sports Coupe is Born

Without giving away my age, I can tell you that when I first espied the rear lines of the Chrysler Crossfire I was instantly transported back to 1965 and my favorite car of that year, the Rambler Marlin. Some 39 years ago this sleek battler of Plymouths own fishy coupe, the Barracuda, caught everyones attention with its 2-door boattail fastback design.

The boattail design the Marlin featured narrowed as it met the rear bumper. And as with todays Crossfire, this design created wide shoulders that extended laterally over the rear wheels - not unlike a stretched version of todays Crossfire. And by the way, my passion for automobiles commenced at a very young age, so put the calculator away.

Now that we have verified that history repeats itself (just come over and look in my closet sometime) lets examine Chryslers recent dramatic entry into the sports coupe market. So move over Audi TT and Porsche Boxster, theres a new kid in town and hes as brash as an over-caffeinated news-reporter in a cheap suit.

The Crossfire is the first all-new vehicle to emerge from the union between auto giants Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, now known as DaimlerChrysler. Think of it as the first child of a new marriage. The Crossfires DNA is 39 percent Mercedes Benz and 61 percent Chrysler - just dont ask me which auto manufacturer represents Mama and which Papa. The Crossfire shares much of its chassis and running gear with the Mercedes SLK, which is a fine roadster in its own right. Therefore Chryslers new sports car exhibits a decidedly European character, but fortunately at a decidedly American price.

In my view Chrysler has done an outstanding job designing both the exterior and interior of the Crossfire. Outwardly, a 1960s theme is evident thanks in part to the six splines that run the length of the hood. Three on each side of a center spine design element that runs the length of the car and is even evident in the vehicles interior. The low-slung coupe drops off abruptly at the rear where the boattail fastback design dominates the rear architecture.

As Chryslers Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President of Design said, “in addition to romantic shapes and sleek, athletic lines, we gave Chrysler Crossfire a unique new glass-to-body proportion. We made the body sides tall while minimizing glass surfaces. We wanted to give the driver the feeling of being inside the cockpit of something very special, sporty and serious.”

And upon climbing or more accurately lowering oneself into the Crossfire, all of what Trevor Creed had to say becomes a reality. This is one tight fitting cockpit, at least in terms of headroom. As such the Crossfire has done more to ignite my NBA dreams than anything I could ever do on a court. This car could make Bill Gates feel tall. But after settling into the firm, supportive, although somewhat flat seats and adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors, I felt as if ensconced in a well-tailored Armani suit. Theres just the right amount of room for comfort, but no excess material to wrinkle, pleat or droop.

Chrysler has fashioned a very sharp looking interior to match the Crossfires eye-catching, sculpted exterior. Front and center in the Crossfires interior - and I mean that literally - is a dynamite center-stack console unit finished in a glossy metallic surface. The glossy finish appears much more durable than a similar design theme, sans gloss, found in the Mazda6 that I recently tested. The Mazda surface was highly susceptible to scratching too. Fortunately the Crossfires version appears much more durable.

As impressive as it is to look at, the center stack is not without its detractions - minor though they are. I found the many little buttons of the audio unit too small to use intuitively. Steering wheel mounted audio controls would relieve this irritation and be most welcomed by the constant radio station switchers among us. On the positive side, the audio system sounds sensational, one of the best I have ever sampled in such a small cabin.

Until one knows exactly which switch does what in the row of switches below the audio unit, it requires a keen eye to decipher the small symbols assigned to each switch. But as I said, these are minor quibbles. Overall the Crossfires clean, inspired cockpit is smartly laid-out and fits like a scuba diving wetsuit - which is exactly how it should.

But dont let the wetsuit analogy delude you into believing that the Crossfire performs like a boat. Nothing could be further from the neoprene. The rear-wheel drive coupe is fitted with a 3.2-liter, 18-valve SOHC engine that arouses 215 horsepower and a commendable 229 foot-pounds of torque - not bad for a coupe weighing in at only 3,060 pounds. Quite frankly, I was impressed with what the somewhat low horsepower rating could do for Chryslers sports car. Although some auto journalists have criticized the Crossfire, complaining - rather whining - that it is underpowered, I take the opposite view. Its a blast to drive. Power comes on immediately and stays as long as needed. I found this engine to be nothing short of enchanting. It pulls relentlessly and sounds like a 747 at take-off - what a great combination. Unless Corvette hunting is your thing, I doubt the Crossfire would disappoint in the acceleration department. Remember, its all about the power to weight ratio, ideal in the Crossfire. But as good as it is, Chrysler has an answer to those wanting Corvette levels of power. Hold on a short time because Chrysler will soon introduce the Crossfire SRT6, which will pump out a massive 330-horsepower from its supercharged version of the Crossfire 3.2-liter V6.

The spunky naturally aspirated V6 in my test car was hooked up to a 6-speed manual transmission. The short throws of this unit were enticing and the spacing of the gear ratios bang-on for the engines powerband. Unfortunately the shift actuation felt quite notchy, especially when returning to first gear. My guess is that some adjustment by a Chrysler tech would resolve the matter, which likely resulted from too many auto journalists constantly hammering through the gears. Of course I cant blame them, given the jet-like exhaust note and fortitude of the V6.

Well we know the Crossfire is a blast in a straight line, but what about cornering you ask? Well Im here to tell you that precise handling is the backbone of the brawny Crossfire. In fact its steering is so direct that running it through a set of curves reminds me of racing little slot cars on the figure-8 track I had as a kid - except it doesnt spin off the roadway when you get going too fast. A good thing.

Rather, the Crossfire can hold a line in all but the most challenging of direction changes. A lot has already been written about its handling, some of it negative in comparison to other premium sports cars and roadsters. But let me emphasize that such was not my experience. In real world driving there is absolutely nothing disappointing about the Crossfires ability to hold the road and communicate the goings-on to the driver. Handling is predictable and there are no surprises, such as a rear bumper wishing to overtake a front bumper when the cornering envelope is being pushed into next week.

If I have criticism of the Crossfire, it relates to the consequences of its short 94.5-inch wheelbase. Short wheelbase vehicles are notorious for becoming jittery and unglued when aggressively cornered over rough road surfaces. A short wheelbase also contributes to a tendency for the vehicle to follow ruts in the roadway. But neither of these afflictions was significant enough in the Crossfire to cause any real concern, especially when balanced against the handling benefits granted by a short chassis - remember the slot car comparison?

Regardless of its wheelbase brevity, the Crossfire manages to treat its passengers with kindness and consideration when rough surfaces are encountered. Given its exceptional handling dynamics, it rides reasonably well over all but the severest of road imperfections. This is not a bone-jarring ride by any stretch of the imagination, regardless of how sublime ones imagination may be.

The well controlled ride and superb handling is achieved with the use of an upper and lower “A” arm independent coil spring front suspension aided by gas charged shocks and a stabilizer bar. The rear of the Crossfire is held-in-check by the use of a five-link independent coil spring suspension, also aided by gas charged shocks and a stabilizer bar.

The Crossfires quick and precise steering requires only 3.1 turns to travel from lock-to-lock. It is power assisted, but only to the point of enabling parking chores to be undertaken without the need to thrust a dose of muscle generating spinach down ones throat. The steering assist allows plenty of road-feel to seep into the hands of a driver - further enhancing the Crossfires ability to please when the road less traveled is chosen.

And when that road comes to an end, the coupes 4-wheel antilock disc brakes anchor the ruffian to the tarmac in short order. Stopping is a snap thanks largely to its svelte body mass and notably large wheels. Up front Chrysler has mounted 18-inchers with a width of 7.5-inches to the Crossfire. Things grow even more spectacular at the rear, where Chrysler saw fit to up the wheel dimension ante to a staggering 19-inches of diameter and nine full inches of width. Shod with second generation Michelin Pilot Sport-2 run-flat tires means that there is plenty of high grade rubber meeting the road - or should I say gluing to the road.

With its four large contact patches the Crossfire is capable of very short, easily controlled stops. There is negligible pitch when the pedal is jumped on and braking force is easily modulated. The intervention of the antilock system presents itself at the appropriate point in the braking continuum, allowing the driver to use aggressive braking techniques without encountering unnecessary intervention. My test unit was capable of repeated hard stops with little to no appreciable brake fade. Once again, the Crossfires scant curb weight comes to the rescue.

A strong braking setup is the most basic of safety systems in any car. In the case of the Crossfire, this system is augmented with an electronic stability program, which integrates single wheel brake application with throttle intervention for yaw control. Ignition plus throttle intervention performs the traction control duties. If a loss of control is unavoidable, occupant protection is high on the list of Crossfire priorities. Both occupants receive front and side airbags, although the airbags on the passenger side can be deactivated when small ones are riding shotgun.

In addition to engineering safety into the Crossfire, the Chrysler engineers allowed their ingenuity to run a wee free - as evidenced by the discreet spoiler which presents itself to the wind at speeds greater than 60 mph and the cup holder which pops up from the center console. The retractable spoiler is electrically actuated and can be manually controlled should the desire arise. It is a great looking piece of hardware that is undetectable when not in use - what a great idea. I generally abhor spoilers plastered onto the rear of good-looking machines. I fully appreciate Chryslers spoiler discretion.

What I also appreciate, and admire for that matter, is the unique cup holder that many-a-journalist has bemoaned. Sure, this may not be the most practical or functional of designs, but thats not the point. The point - to those who get it - is that this apparatus is object-art. Thanks to some original design work and creative engineering, its two small fingers are capable of holding a sizeable traveling cup quite securely - while allowing most of the cup to remain visible, as if magically held in place. Sometimes its the small things that impress me the most.

But thats not to say that the Crossfire isnt impressive in its totality - I believe it is. This is a vehicle capable of raising the pulse of the dead. Living with the Crossfire is like living with a mysterious partner, pulling you closer each day. After becoming accustomed to the Crossfires mystery and distinctive personality, I didnt want to leave it alone. Few cars are as thrilling to drive. No, its not the fastest car for the money, but its one of the most fun.

DaimlerChryslers first offspring is certain to bring great joy to those lucky enough to adopt one. And most impressive is the anticipated drop in the price of adoption. Chrysler will soon price an entry level Crossfire at an eyebrow raising $29,920. This unit will hold all of the great handling and performance skills of its more expensive brethren, but scrimp somewhat on the fully appointed leather-clad cabin and exterior ornamentation of the brethren in order to achieve the price reduction.

Unlike the boattail fastback 1965 Rambler Marlin, I predict the boattail Chrysler Crossfire is here to stay. In the searing hot 2-seat sports car and roadster market, it takes a lot of value to keep a steady parade of customers barging through the dealers door. I have little doubt that the thrill-a-mile Crossfire has such value.

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