Crossfire dead?
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There is a rumor floating around, mostly in Europe, about the death of the Crossfire.
Chrysler is trying to buy its way out of their contract with Karmann (at a cost of 100 million Euros) who is building the car for them.
The Crossfire came out in 2002. And was based on the stunning concept of the same name.
34 000 were sold in 2004. Around 12 500 last year.
The current contract with Karmann calls for 30 000 cars a year.
A tough spot for Chrysler.
I had the chance to drive one last year, and it is a great car. If you don’t mind the claustrophobic feeling inside. The combination of a very high beltline and a super low roof isn’t for everyone.
But a great car, and a bargain, for those who appreciate it.
the krauts killed it!
chrysler should have never tried to get these guys involved!
they did it on purpose to
assholes
Its an amazingly stylish design. Probably better suited for a super luxury car priced over $100,000.
the krauts made the crossfire even possible in the first place! i guess that chrysler would never have built it if they didn’t had the opportunity to use the old SLK’s chassis. And who says that a “only-chrysler” crossfire would have been more successful?
Meh not big on the sitting in the bottom of a bath tub feeling with slit windows you can bearly see out of if you squint. And the giant wheels just look dumb. RIP first gen SLK.
the crossfires problem is that it lacks power and quality likes every sports car before it other than the stealth rt, and viper. take the prowler the prowlers biggest problem was that sorry v6 that made it alot slower than it looked. now that there is a 345, and 425hp hemi there is no prowler. same thing with the crossfire just not enough power all looks and no go. with a low quality interior straight out of the slk which has been out for years.
The Krauts didn’t kill it. It was the American public who didn’t buy any who killed it… Idiot.
The ‘krauts’ are what helped give you the beloved 300C, Magnum, and many more. Without Daimler, Chrysler would be a company with a lot of minivans, some sorry cars (still have lots of those – read: Stratus, Sebring), and a great reputation for pitiful quality. They still have all that, but now they have a Hemi!
what killed it was that people didn’t know what to make of it. It was too luxorious to be from an “American” brand, but cheaper than the typical luxury sport coupes / roadsters out there. I think its a great looking car, definitely like the art-deco retro-futurism, but, not so big on the V6 powertrain and tranny combo. Still, this thing will be a bargain in a few years, especially SRT-6 guise.
I like the Crossfire, but also see that sales are really bad, and they have a lot of inventory. A Detroit dealer is selling them for $12,000 off sticker. At that price, making more is not in the future.
“the krauts made the crossfire even possible in the first place! “
that’s a load of shit and you know it!
Why? I don’t think Chrysler would have had enough money and a suiting platform to build their “own” Crossfire.
I know this is based on the MB SLK. But…It is still a chrysler and I really don’t see myself in a chrysler.
I think that explains the poor sales of this car… People that have the cash to spend on such two-seater don’t see themselves in a chrysler.