Chrysler Crossfire
by Steve Laser

Chrysler has an enviable track record of turning its stellar auto show concepts into production vehicles. Following its debut last year in Detroit, it appeared that the Crossfire was the next logical choice to make the quantum leap and follow the PT Cruiser, Prowler and Dodge Viper to the showroom. However, how could a convincing business case be made for producing a two-seat sports car during difficult times at Chrysler?

The 2004 Crossfire is perhaps the best example to date of DaimlerChrysler’s marriage of diverse cultures. Rather than employing a carbon fiber body on an aluminum frame like the original concept, the production Crossfire uses a Mercedes-Benz platform and drivetrain. Wilhelm Karmann GmbH of Osnabrueck, Germany, a long-time DaimlerChrysler partner with nearly 100 years of manufacturing experience will build the new model for Chrysler to distribute in America, Europe and possibly points beyond. (The fact that Karmann also builds the M-B SLK-Class had a lot to do with the selection process.)

While the production Crossfire is clearly evocative of the concept, a few things have been lost in the transition. For instance, the front styling is more conservative, perhaps as a concession to platform sharing and real world crash testing. Gone are the large radius rounded forms, the vertically stacked headlamps and wraparound windshield with vertical mono-wiper.

“We wanted to give Crossfire more of a ’Chrysler’ look without making it too retro,” says Andrew Dyson, design manager of the Chrysler Group. “The front is dominated by the Chrysler signature grille with the wing badge and twin circular headlamps that are scalloped into the fascia.” Dyson asserts that the Crossfire’s new styling is 100 percent American, despite its Germanic underpinnings.

The 2004 model retains the distinctive tapered, “boat tail” appearance of the concept. The rear window is now wider, a spoiler that automatically pops up at highway speed is included and a European-size numberplate pocket has been added by necessity. The spine that runs from the hood to the rear deck has been carried over. The massive 21-inch rear wheels on the concept have been replaced with 19-inch units, while the fronts are reduced from 19 to 18 inches.

Chrysler selected the name Crossfire during the development of the vehicle to describe the character line that moves from front to rear. It crosses to a negative formation from a positive formation as it travels from the front through the rear fenders. The fenders are muscular and wide, concluding in the large, sculpted taillamps. The Crossfire’s side profile is detailed with metallic-finished side air louvers.

By combining American design with German engineering, the Crossfire will effectively expand Chrysler’s product portfolio and leverage its efforts to enhance the image of the brand. “In addition to romantic shapes and sleek, athletic lines, we gave the Crossfire a unique new glass-to-body proportion,” says Trevor Creed, senior vice president of design, Chrysler Group. “We made the bodysides tall while minimizing glass surfaces. We wanted to give the driver that special feeling of being inside the cockpit of something very sporty, serious and protective.”

The theme for the interior of the production model is “Machined Precision.” The snug two-passenger cockpit echoes the center spine shape of the exterior, appearing on the center console, shifter and instrument panel. From the driver’s seat, the center spine shape appears to run from the instrument panel through the windshield and on to the hood. Seats are trimmed in two-tone leather with Chrysler’s winged badge embossed into the headrests.

While the instrument panel looks fresh, it is clearly derived from the M-B SLK. The position of switchgear, audio head unit and HVAC controls are identical to the SLK. The instrument cluster and white-on-black gauges with chrome rings have a more lively appearance, but again, are obviously of German origin. Nevertheless, Chrysler has done an admirable job of adding some distinction, via the use of color, metallic accents and the absence of wood. (This is similar in execution to the route that Ford selected for the Thunderbird when it was forced by necessity to use the same instrument panel as the Lincoln LS.) Cargo capacity has not been announced, but the narrow hatchback reveals a rather shallow luggage compartment.

Doing a little detective work by comparing specifications reveals that the Crossfire does in fact share its 94.5-inch wheelbase, rear-wheel-drive platform with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It also “borrows” the SLK320’s 3.2-liter 90-degree SOHC 18-valve V6 engine, providing 215 horsepower and 229 lbs.-ft. of torque. This powerplant is mated to a choice of a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic gearbox. The M-B parts bin also supplies technological advancements like an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and all-speed traction control. Instead of the hard-riding American sports cars of the past, the Crossfire receives the SLK’s four-wheel independent suspension fitted with a double wishbone setup in front and a five-link arrangement bringing up the rear.

Although prices have yet to be announced, Chrysler is clearly trying to reduce costs for this project. When it goes on sale in early 2003, the Crossfire will compete in an expanding market of sporty two-seaters, including the Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette, Audi TT, Porsche Boxster and next generation BMW Z series. The Crossfire is a textbook case of how to leverage international connections to quickly bring a low-volume niche market vehicle to fruition. (We’re also reminded of the halcyon days of European coachbuilders when handcrafted bodies were applied to stock running gear for well-to-do clientele.)

Without a doubt, the Crossfire will become another aspirational vehicle for Chrysler, entering the showroom as the Prowler cruises into the sunset. The Mercedes-Benz components and German assembly should go a long way to help ensure a quality product. Yet on the fast track to production, one wishes that Chrysler could have retained a bit more of the masculinity and distinctiveness of the original design, created by then 25-year-old Erik Stoddard. Instead of fielding a competitor to the SLK, the Chrysler Crossfire will actually be a Benz of a different color.

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