One of the poorest features of this car is the shifter: it was sometimes impossible to get into 2nd gear without pulling hard on the lever to convince it. Otherwise, it was easy to work through the rest of the gate, but precision is lacklustre as there is much play once in gear. The clutch pedal travel is very long and it is also heavy which makes it a chore to drive in traffic.
On the road
Handling is good and the ride is astonishingly well-behaved considering the size and profile of the tires but not so surprising when considering the quality of this great chassis. The engine note is sporty, not as deep-throated as the G35 for example. Brakes perform very well but I noticed some fade after a few minutes of spirited driving through some twisties. Steering duty is performed by a recirculating ball set-up which should translate into a lack of precision but, surprisingly, it is very responsive and brilliantly communicates the road to the driver. The car over-steers at the limit, but it is fairly easy to catch with a little bit of opposite lock.
Safety
The Crossfire comes standard with ABS brakes, traction control, stability control and brake force distribution. As well, there are front air bags with an on/off switch for the passenger side and door mounted air bags are included. The Crossfire received a 5 star driver and 4 star passenger frontal impact rating. It was also awarded 5 stars, the highest rating, for lateral impacts.
Conclusion
I spoke to a Chrysler sales representative out of the blue while I was testing this car and he straight out told me that he sold his Plymouth Prowler to get his hands on a Crossfire. Without actually using these words, he seemed to be hinting towards the fact that the Plymouth was inadequate with regards to space, power and reliability issues. In my few days behind the wheel of this car, I got a lot of looks. I was even able to show it off at an antique car show that had a few brand new Chrysler products on display. These two incidents clearly showed how much hype precedes this car's arrival and its desirability.
The Crossfire Convertible can be summed up this way: If you are shopping for a GT roadster, this is the one for you. If you are looking for something that has more of a performance edge, is less forgiving but more involving to drive, get a Honda S2000. In the end, it would be difficult to regret the purchase of the Crossfire Convertible.
The good stuff
Good engine
Great handling
Classic styling
The not so good stuff
Notchy shifter
Trunk size
On the road
Handling is good and the ride is astonishingly well-behaved considering the size and profile of the tires but not so surprising when considering the quality of this great chassis. The engine note is sporty, not as deep-throated as the G35 for example. Brakes perform very well but I noticed some fade after a few minutes of spirited driving through some twisties. Steering duty is performed by a recirculating ball set-up which should translate into a lack of precision but, surprisingly, it is very responsive and brilliantly communicates the road to the driver. The car over-steers at the limit, but it is fairly easy to catch with a little bit of opposite lock. Safety
The Crossfire comes standard with ABS brakes, traction control, stability control and brake force distribution. As well, there are front air bags with an on/off switch for the passenger side and door mounted air bags are included. The Crossfire received a 5 star driver and 4 star passenger frontal impact rating. It was also awarded 5 stars, the highest rating, for lateral impacts.
Conclusion
I spoke to a Chrysler sales representative out of the blue while I was testing this car and he straight out told me that he sold his Plymouth Prowler to get his hands on a Crossfire. Without actually using these words, he seemed to be hinting towards the fact that the Plymouth was inadequate with regards to space, power and reliability issues. In my few days behind the wheel of this car, I got a lot of looks. I was even able to show it off at an antique car show that had a few brand new Chrysler products on display. These two incidents clearly showed how much hype precedes this car's arrival and its desirability. The Crossfire Convertible can be summed up this way: If you are shopping for a GT roadster, this is the one for you. If you are looking for something that has more of a performance edge, is less forgiving but more involving to drive, get a Honda S2000. In the end, it would be difficult to regret the purchase of the Crossfire Convertible.
The good stuff
Good engine
Great handling
Classic styling
The not so good stuff
Notchy shifter
Trunk size
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