The announcement came during the introduction of the new Crossfire Roadster, a natural fit into the Crossfire lineup. The car features a power actuated cloth top that stows under a sculpted hard tonneau cover in a mere 22 seconds, looking as good up as it does down. A rigid chassis reportedly maintains the car's superb handling characteristics, while
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| The new Crossfire Roadster, is a natural fit into the Crossfire lineup. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Crossfire Roadster will only be available as a Limited model, almost fully loaded at $51,595. The optional 5-speed automatic with AutoStick manual-mode will be priced at $53,095. The only option for either model will be a navigation system at $1,500.
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| Once again Chrysler has set the price point for the Crossfire Roadster substantially less expensive than similarly equipped competitors. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Crossfire Roadster's price point undercuts most competitive roadsters by a wide margin, with only Honda's racecar-like S2000 available for slightly less, at $49,000. Nissan's 350Z roadster is priced at $52,900 but the addition of a $3,400 navigation system and extra cost paint can jump the price to $56,585.
The Audi TT roadster starts out for slightly less than the 350Z roadster at $52,775, but if equipped with similar power begins at $59,775. Add on its options, some of which include a navigation system and 18-inch wheels and tires which are standard on the Crossfire Roadster (actually the Crossfire features 19-inch rims standard in the rear, with the tires 225/40ZR18 up front and 255/35ZR19 at back), and the price jumps to 67480, still with a 4-cylinder engine. Add in the V6, slightly more powerful than the Crossfire's, and the price ranges from a base $64,950 to a stratospheric $74,255 - ouch! And that from a car derived from Volkswagen's most basic Golf architecture - remember, the Crossfire has been created from Mercedes-Benz components.