In today's (Nov.10) paper, I saw an article on the soon-to-be-introduced Chrysler Crossfire. I was completely blind-sided by this as I had never seen or heard of this car. Does anyone know about it? It's in our ballpark for size and price. It hasn't been discussed in our forums or in Car & Driver, but here it shows up in a general-interest newspaper article. I don't have a pic, and information was scanty, but it sums up this way: it's a coupe which will use the Benz SLK roadster V-6 (3.2 liter, 215hp). It looks like DIRECT competition for the 350 Z, even looks like it. It has the squashed,tank-slit greenhouse, bubble-car look of the 350, Lexus, Benz, and Audi TT. Actually, altho I only have a grainy newspaper photo to go by, it looks very nice, much better than the other bubble cars. Further information?

 

i saw it at the auto show last winter, looks wise looked fairly nice, but I honestly dont think crystler has enough experience in building how shall we say quick cars to realy threaten the S2k or anyother sports car.... in fact I wanta see how they do but my guess is a good old fashion type R will hand that car its ass.. as a disclaimer Im not to in the loop on the project, dont know if there gettin helped by bmw or someone..

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Phantom3jt
[B]i saw it at the auto show last winter, looks wise looked fairly nice, but I honestly dont think crystler has enough experience in building how shall we say quick cars to realy threaten the S2k or anyother sports car.... in fact I wanta see how they do but my guess is a good old fashion type R will hand that car its ass..

 

Two things:

1)
The turbo neon should be able to keep up or beat an S2000 w/o mods. IMO
2)
The crossfire as I believe it will be called may be pitted against the S2000 in another coupe comparison...

 

Car and Driver has featured the pre production one a couple times, it should be an interesting car.

 

I heard about this car back in 2000. I wanted to consider the car in 2001 when I purchased the S2000, but since production was another three (?) years away, I had to act. Chrysler currently is claiming to offer it for a 2004 model.

I'm pretty sure that I read an article talking about the car using some of Mercedes' chassis design/parts from the SLK class of cars.

Could be a very interesting car, however I fear that Chrysler will take the same marketing approach as the Prowler. Teaser prices relatively low, ($40k Prowler?) but dealers selling them for almost double that. Viper, ha! Only a lofty $83,795! Same thing for the PT Cruiser -- it was so exclusive that dealers were overcharging for the vehicles.

It is nice to see that Chrysler is planning to return to RWD for the LH platform of cars that include the 300, Intrepid, and LHS.

 

according to Automobile Magazine (they have a feature on the SRT-4 in their 12/02 edition), the SRT-4 does 0-60 in 5.4sec, and the quarter in 14 flat at 102mph. with "only" 215hp i'm a bit skeptical... but, oh wait, it has 245lb-ft (read: this is one quick bitch).

anyway, this neon could most likely take an unexperienced (or ignorant) S2000 driver at the dragstrip; i wouldn't be much surprised.

and Phantom: No, a good ol' Type-R will NOT hand this car its ass. not a stock R at least.

BPUKiller... hemi what? j/k...

 

yes, that is nice, but what chrysler needs to do is bring back the "letter cars" - the current 300M just does not live up to the name. like the current mustangs and monte carlos, the 300 is ruining the name. just my opinion

 

Unless you are into PT Cruiser.........



The interior is nice, very classic looking.
But then it is not a droptop, so it aint no S2K competition.

 

Thanks for the pics, Carlson; they show it a whole lot better than what I was looking at. The front quarter is really interesting as it flooded me with reminders of other Chrysler iron-- the 1930's "Airfoil", PT Cruiser, and somehow, the Prowler. Now it seems to look like all the other bubble cars with over-sized wheels: a kiddie car or cartoon car.