2005 Chrysler Crossfire
Summary
The Chrysler Crossfire is a two-seat sports car
that brings exciting styling to the class. For 2005, Chrysler is adding a
roadster for top-down motoring. Plus, a powerful new SRT-6 model is available,
both coupe and roadster body styles. The Crossfire combines American design with
German engineering. It's based heavily on the Mercedes-Benz SLK.
Full Review 2005
Chrysler excels at design and we love the
Crossfire's romantic shapes and sleek, athletic lines. The long hood and
fastback make the coupe instantly recognizable.
Not surprisingly, the Crossfire runs like a
Mercedes. The Crossfire is relatively light at just 3060 pounds. It's
performance is plenty thrilling enough for most drivers and its rear-wheel drive
gives it that classic sporty feel. To kick it up a notch, the new Crossfire
SRT-6 features a supercharged version of the V6 rated at 330 horsepower, a huge
jump from the standard 215-horsepower engine. The suspension and brakes are
upgraded for spirited driving. The big rear wing that comes on the SRT-6 models
detracts from the Crossfire's svelte styling, though.
Trims and Styling
The 2005 Chrysler Crossfire line has grown to
include eight variants. The standard Crossfire coupe ($29,045) comes with a
six-speed manual transmission, while the Crossfire Limited is available with a
choice of six-speed manual ($33,745) or five-speed automatic with AutoStick
($34,820). Similarly, the standard Crossfire Roadster ($34,085) comes with the
six-speed manual, while the Roadster Limited comes with manual ($38,045) or
automatic ($39,120).
The Crossfire SRT-6 coupe ($44,820) and SRT-6
Roadster ($49,120) come standard with the automatic.
The base coupe comes standard with power windows,
speed control, dual-zone temperature control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes with
brake assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), and all-speed traction
control. Limited models heated leather power seats, tire-pressure monitoring
system, touring gear, heated mirrors, fog lamps, and a universal garage door
opener. Options are limited to a navigation system ($1,200) and all-season tires
($185) in place of the standard high-performance tires. Crossfire comes in
Classic Yellow, Aero Blue, Alabaster, Black, Blaze Red, Graphite Metallic and
Sapphire Silver Blue.
The Crossfire originally appeared as a concept at
the 2001 Detroit auto show, while the roadster was revealed at the 2004 Detroit
show. The Crossfire still looks like a concept car, particularly when ordered in
one of the wilder colors like Classic Yellow.
The Chrysler Crossfire uses retro styling somewhat
like the Mini Cooper, PT Cruiser, or Beetle. Unlike those other cars, however,
Crossfire is patterned after parts of classic French Bugattis and Talbot Lagos
from the elegant pre-war period of auto design. Big-shouldered rear fenders and
a stunted rear end look sporty and classic at the same time. The roadster has a
more traditional profile than the distinctive fastback rear of the coupe, but we
like both designs. It looks good with the top up, with its short rear deck. And
it looks even better with the top down, the body colored panel behind the rear
seats looking like a classic sports car with raised humps behind each seat.
Chrysler says the name Crossfire is derived from the crossed lines of the front
and rear body sections.
Interior Features
Inside the Chrysler Crossfire is the familiar
Mercedes adjustable wheel and pedal arrangement with a low seating position
similar to the SLK roadster's. The Crossfire cockpit is tight and coddling like
a sports car's. Bins and cubbies are more prolific than you'll find in the
Mercedes SLK or even the top-dollar SL two-seaters.
The Roadster has a high-quality top with a glass
back light (rear windscreen) with a defroster. To drop the top, simply pull down
the handle on the windshield header, turn the handle, which releases the
convertible fabric top and lowers the power windows, and lift the front of the
top about eight inches.
First Drive 2005
The three-valve engine sounds mildly sporty. It
sounds louder and more purposeful than the same engine in various Mercedes
models, but not as sweet as a free-revving sports car engine should be. Chrysler
claims the Crossfire will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, and our
test car felt like that would not be a problem. We drove the Crossfire over
winding mountain roads east of San Diego, smoothly paved with lots of
combinations of tight bends and fast sweeping curves. The chassis of our
Crossfire felt stiffer than the Mercedes SLK roadsters, likely because the coupe
body of the Chrysler has a structural advantage. The Crossfire shares its
floorpan with the SLK, but in the Chrysler it's modified with extra tie bars and
frame gussets that prompt Chrysler to proclaim class-leading chassis stiffness.
The Crossfire corners as flat as a sports car. Chrysler says this is a function
of the car being tuned for more relaxed cruising than all-out sport driving. The
Crossfire sports huge 225/40 by 18-inch front and 255/35 by 19-inch rear tires.
The tires are relatively large for a car that is not intended to be an
uncompromised sports car, such as Nissan's 350Z, and we suspect the Crossfire's
large tires were specified for styling appeal.
The six-speed manual gearbox, a Mercedes unit,
somehow didn't seem to feel as direct and quick shifting as we remember from
previous Mercedes roadsters. We actually preferred the Crossfire with the
five-speed automatic, which worked flawlessly and felt perfectly matched to the
3.2-liter engine. It has a manual-shifting gate, which Chrysler calls AutoStick
on its cars.
The Crossfire can stop like a sports car, a result
of its large 11.8-inch vented front and 10.9-inch solid rear rotors matched with
massive tires. Like the SLK, the Crossfire makes use of a comprehensive
stability and traction control system. When engaged, this system makes the
Crossfire nearly impossible to upset in tricky conditions.
At 60 mph a rear spoiler pops up just under the
rear window, and it cuts slightly into rear vision, but noise from the spoiler's
motor was not intrusive. The roadster is surprisingly quiet when the top up.
It doesn't offer the performance and handling of a
true sports car, such as the Nissan Z, but the Mercedes V6 offers quick throttle
and the Crossfire accelerates with force. It corners flat, its Mercedes
suspension always feels controlled and it has the latest in Mercedes anti-skid
technology.
2005 Chrysler Crossfire
We really like driving the Crossfire, and we like
looking at it, and those are by far the two most important things you can say
about any car.
Its manners and drivability are the best part about
the Crossfire.
MotorTrend praises the new convertible option. It doesn't offer the performance and handling of a true sports
car, such as the Nissan Z, but the Mercedes V6 offers quick throttle and the
Crossfire accelerates with force. It corners flat, its Mercedes suspension
always feels controlled and it has the latest in Mercedes anti-skid technology.
For a different perspective on the Chrysler Crossfire check out
Edmunds.com. The SRT-6 models promise dramatically increased
performance and are aimed at driving enthusiasts.