2007 Chrysler Crossfire

In 2004, Chrysler was owned by Mercedes-Benz. It was thought to be a good investment at the time and the Germans figured that if they gave the Americans some good ole' German parts and plenty of money, they could come up with a line of cars that would sell. A Mercedes SLK chassis and 3.2L V6 was given to Chrysler...and the Crossfire is what they came up with.

Thankfully, the Chrysler Crossfire was assembled in Germany, so you know every thing Werks. If it were assembled in America, build quality would've been a joke. Karmann was partly responsible for the design which is...well..."interesting". From the front it looks nice, but that bulbous rear on the coupe is well, hideous. The convertible however, looked like a proper roadster with an aggressive stance and flowing body lines.

Like the chassis and engine, the interior of the Crossfire was borrowed from an SLK, then mildly re-styled. The result is probably the best quality interior to ever go in a Chrysler. Materials are top-notch, fit and finish are excellent and the switchgear has that special German feel to it. This car was certainly not made in America.

As good as the interior is, taller drivers may find it a bit cramped. Headroom isn't great, rear visibility is a joke, but the trunk will hold a can of soda and a chocolate bar with room to spare. Jokes aside, the Crossfire is a decent 'Sporty Coupe'. While it may not be a full-on corner carver like a Z4 or Porsche Boxster, it is a fun cruiser. It's a car that you drive on a twisty country road...to admire the scenery.

Now don't get me wrong, this thing will corner like it's on rails. It is after all a Mercedes. 18" rubber in the front. Enormous 19" tires in the back and Mercedes' traction and skid controls along with Corner Assist Braking ensure that the Crossfire Will go where you point it. The only drawback is that the (wonderfully smooth) 3.2L V6 doesn't have the top-end power of a Porsche or Bimmer, which you tend to notice during spirited driving. But the engine does provide more than enough oomph to get around town in a hurry. All in all, the Crossfire is a pretty decent little car, and one heck of a bargain when compared to a similar SLK.

If you're considering a Chrysler Crossfire, look out for fluid leaks in the automatic transmission, which can be a bit expensive to repair. If you get a convertible, make sure that you allow the top to fully open or fully close before you release the switch. Otherwise, the control module can 'forget' where the top is and stop working, requiring a rather expensive, and pointless reprogramming.