Chrysler Crossfire

blacktalon

Well, it's not HP/dollar but performance/dollar.

According to C&D, the Crossfire does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. That's not bad, but it's also only 0.3 seconds faster than an RSX-S.

Now, there will be some who say, "If you want 0-60, then buy a Cobra," but that's not the point.

I like the Crossfire's handling. I like the Crossfire's style. I'd like to have a car with the Crossfire's handling and style that also does 0-60 in under 6.0 seconds. For $35K, I don't think that's too much to ask.

kevin111

C&D timed the RSX-S at 6.3 secs (In the under $25K pocket rocket comparison a few months back)

qbrozen

C&D also listed it at 6.1 secs in their 2002 10 Best.

but, personally, I don't find the RSX anywhere near luxurious.

gunit

Actually the new GTO is 5.3 seconds with a 350hp Vette engine and is cheaper then the Crossfire and has a semi-usable backseat to boot! The Holden is pretty well handling car as well based on it's Austrailan reviews. The 5.7 vette engine is easier/cheaper to mod then the 3.2 in the Crossfire. All though I do like the looks of the Crossfire better then the GTO... but looks aren't everything. The Crossfire is SLOW for it's price range. I have seen it rated as slow as 6.9 seconds 0-60.

350Z/G35 will spank it too for the same or less $$.

I would buy the GTO/350Z or G35 before the Crossfire.

I also have a stigma with spending $35k for a 215hp car that takes nearly 6.5 to 6.9 for 0-60 runs. I have seen the Crossfire rated as slow as 6.9 seconds 0-60.

I can buy a new Maxima that will run in the low 6 second range with manual shift with much more room and cheaper price then the Crossfire. Even the new GTP is 6.5 and can be had for under $28k..

Pretty embarrassing when a crossfire can barely keep up or lose to a family sedan like a Grand Prix GTP or Maxima.

gunit

More embarassing is that the new Honda Accord V6 Coupe with the 6spd manual tranny run a 6 second 0-60 mph time. Again easily spanking the Crossfires 6.5 to 6.9 times. Accord is cheaper and more reliable... LOL

I am NOT an Accord fan... but I just find that ludicrous.

The origina Xfire was supposed to make between 270-300hp, it's the 3/4 car... Should have been better, but I guess they didn't want to upstage Mercedes at that price range.

The Crossfire will cost alot more$$ to modify then a GTO will... 5.7L V8 is cheaper to modify and more parts available.

gunit

At least the GTO will have some storage space, the Xfire really doesn't. At 6'2 in height I have a hard time getting comfortable in the Xfire. If they dropped the price $5k on the xfire I might consider one, LOL. There are too many better choices out there like GTO and 350Z for less $$.

Only one cup holder and the sunvisors don't adjust to the side? yeah minor petty stuff, but it is stuff that you can get on a $15k Kia...

kevin111

While I would agree that there are faster cars to be had for the price of the Crossfire, for the person looking for a luxury coupe, with head-turning looks, a very refined vehicle, that can handle well, the Crossfire is not a bad choice.

Basically, I am under the impression that the Crossfire was built more as a luxury coupe with agile handling than a sports car.

If it means anything, the Thunderbird (as much if not more than the Crossfire, though it is a convertible) is slower and less agile.

qbrozen

Yeah, I'm just not getting all the comparisons here. A sportbike is faster and cheaper than all those listed. So what? An Ford SVT Lightning is faster. Yeah?

Ok, SOME things makes sense. I can see the G35 comparison holding water - but it still comes in at $35K for a premium packaged model, but it does outperform the Xfire. The 350, based on what I've read and heard, is rough around the edges and not, by any means, a luxury car. Same goes for the GTO - it is seriously lacking in the ammenities department. The Accord, while putting up very respectable numbers in straight lines and having a very livable interior, is still just an Accord (I could not bring myself to part with $28K for a 6-speed coupe when I think "its an Accord"). So i see one good comparison. And, of course, there is more to a car than just numbers and that is a race that might come down to what just "feels" better to you.

Mr_Shiftright

Do any of you agree with some of the auto magazines, which have said that the X-Fire's biggest obstacle would be that it seems somewhat overpriced for what you get? In other words, an interesting and capable car but not in the right price bracket? (let's say similar to what happened to those fast and furious Japanese coupes in the early 1990s?)

kevin111

But have also heard that the front seating is cramped for anyone 5'10" and over. This is a major problem as well, if this is the case.

If the car was priced under $30K, then the car would probably get a great deal more interest. If it was priced with an IS300, I could see it.

To me, it seems that the Crossfire is being sold as a very good handling and looking SLK320 hard-top. This is a Chrysler, and the company needs to price it down to get interest (sort of like what Subaru did with the WRX, keeping the base price under $25K to get interest).

At $35K, the only things the car has going for it are looks. There are better handling, faster, and maybe even better looking cars (such as maybe the G35 coupe) in this price bracket, and Chrysler does not have the name status of a Lexus, Mercedes, Infiniti, Acura, BMW, or others.

Seriously, would most people rather take 330i coupe or a Crossfire?

qbrozen

eh? the 330i coupe with similar equipment is about $40K.

hudrahead

Big quarter page ad in the paper yesterday and today from Chryco. "$399 per month for 39 months lease with $1900 down & $1800 "participation" from the dealer" (must be factory-to-dealer $$)If this is the case I bet we will see $3000 customer back money before summer IF the things don't start to move. One dealer in Orlando has 28 of these in stock as of last weekend.

Be patient MOPAR fans. Your day will come. Why buy a Huyandi when you can have a Xfire ? LOL !!

HUD :)

kevin111

"eh? the 330i coupe with similar equipment is about $40K. "

- After pricing the cars here on Edmunds, the 330ci coupe is about $2000 more than the Crossfire (including sports package, but without sunroof.).

Assuming there is a couple of thousand dollar difference between these two cars, I think it is safe to assume they would be cross-shopped. Hey, the G35 sports-coupe is less than the Crossfire, and it is often compared and cross-shopped with the 330ci!!!

bigmike5

Agree on the price thing. When I got the 99 M/T "Car of the Year" 300M in July 1998,it was new and hot looking. I got a reasonable deal for $27K which was $2K under sticker at the DC dealer locally. Still have the car, and still like it better than anything else I have owned in 45 years of driving. But, after 5 years, I was hot for the Crossfire until they dropped the HP to 215 from the original 275. I test drove a X-fire and found it spirited off the line and a nice driver. But having finished the test drive and then looking at that car and back at my 300M, I kept asking myself if I could justify [to myself--never could have to my wife] spending $11k more [$38K] for that car than I spent for the M. [Dealer was gouging at $3K over sticker at the time] I just could not pull the trigger on that kind of deal. If it had a ticket of $30K, or less, I might have considered it harder. But a new Vette is only a short hop up from that $38K--see: Kerbeck-on the net, and I don't think there is really any comparison between the X-fire and a Vette, except they are both 2 seaters.

graphicguy

I've done the "A,B, or C car" vs the Corvette many times. In a way, it's a testament to the Corvette's value equation. But, trying to compare something like the Crossfire to a Corvette is somewhat unfair. One is a fire breathing V8 muscle car. The other is a refined, good looking sport cruiser.

As hard as I've tried over the last couple of years, I've yet to be able to buy a Corvette for anything less than $40K+. So, the pricing is about 10%-15% more for a vette vs a Crossfire.

I made mention in another post that C&D did a comparo of the Crossfire vs the CLK 320. Aside from the Crossfire having a sunroof and the CLK being a convertible, they are essentially the same car performance wise. Side by side, the exteriors are different, but the interior differences are minor at best.

So, if the Xfire is overpriced, then the CLK is way overpriced.

I think the real issue, regardless of the similarities of the Xfire and the CLK, is if someone will pay mid $30K for a Chrysler sports car (that's in reality a Mercedes)?

As Mr. Shiftright and I have debated before, HP ratings vs $ spent is really a poor basis on which to decide how to spend your automotive budget.

A car, any car, should be viewed as a single entity, not the sum of it's individual parts.

The new Lotus Elise is a perfect example. By all reports, it will be a sterling sports car. It will also cost almost $40K when it hits these shores, yet will only have a 180 HP Toyota engine.

qbrozen

i added sport package, climate package (xfire has seat heaters), and leather. I actually added xenons to the bmw my first time around, so that made another $800 difference, but now that I look, I'm not sure the xfire comes with xenons. In any case, still quite a bit more than $2K difference.

kevin111

I did not add the heated seats (in SoCal, do not need them, and guessing the Crossfire many not come with it out here). I did not add the Bi-xenon (the 330i comes with one set of xenon and one set of reflective "highbeams".

I do not think I added leather. Was still able to get it for about $2000K. Even if it is $3k to $4k, that is still awfully close to the Crossfire's price! If you include the markup that bigmike was talking about, then it is even!!

kusheen

Not to nitpick (well, maybe a little) but the Toyota engine in the Lotus will be tuned up to 190 hp. In a 1900 lb car, that has at least a little significance.

About Crossfire value, the truth is that on the market right now it is not a $35K car. Dealers in Baltimore are advertising at under $33K for a new car. I've heard that CarMax dealers in Atlanta are advertising new Crossfires for $2600 under MSRP. The poster above who is calling it a $38K car is way off the mark, even if including taxes and tags.

The number of dealers doing markups on the Crossfires is dropping VERY fast. Most got to MSRP within a month of release, many more got to below MSRP quickly. Mine was $34K (500 under MSRP) in mid August.

A comparably equipped G35 or 350Z Track Version (well, you can only get the Z somewhat comparable, but not all that comes standard in the Xfire) will cost you mid-$30's.

There are cars that are quicker and better handling, to be sure. In the price range, there are VERY few than handle as well, though. It's a slot car.

Tall people have a legit 'gripe' about the cramped interior. It's the price of it's striking art deco design. As I posted earlier, though, there are several tall (6' +) current owners that post often on two crossfire dedicated boards that are quite comfortable in the car. It's all personal preferance and what you're used to. I'm 5' 8", and I think I'd probably have passed on the car if I was 6'.

Wow. GTO. THAT'S an overpriced car. OK, it has the hp, but it is an absolutely featureless car in terms of styling, costs more than the Xfire, has no where near the equipment and luxury features of the Xfire. If you want a tire squealing sleeper, ok. But there are much cheaper ways to go to accomplish that. The truth is, when folks spend mid/high 30's on a car, they'd like to have a car that people notice.

The Crossfire has some first year warts, no doubt. Not much you can do about the interior space, although I would suggest any tall person trying it out to really fiddle with the 8 way seats to see if you find a comfortable position.

For its warts, it also has some outstanding features that other cars in its class do not have, and it has refinement in many areas beyond its competition. In my view, in both spirit and unique design, I would consider the Audi TT to be the most comparable car.

hikerjim1

Fist off, thanks for all your good discussion about the Crossfire. It has helped me make my decision. I've loved it for many months and have finally pulled the trigger. I bought the standard trans with the all-season tires. It was very difficult to find that combo in the Chicago-area!

This car is fabulous. I've driven many fast cars (and some slow ones too) and this one is an 8 out of 10. I disagree with those who talk about HP like it was the only thing to consider. The better question is how does the car FEEL - is it underpowered, overpowered (!!) or does it feel "right"? The Crossfire feels right.

The car is fast. And the stick harnesses that power better than does the auto - and the auto is still a fast car.

But more importantly, this car is tight and it is quality. It handles well - better that I would have expected. It can be a bumpy ride across uneven surfaces, but on normal streets and the I-State, it is wonderful. On the tollway yesterday, I did 92 in 5th, shifted into 6th, and was shocked at how comfortable it was - combined with the thought that I really wasn't aware of my speed. THAT I'll have to watch.

The cupholder stinks, but it does hold a soda can very well!

Overall, with this kind of quality and performance at 34K, I couldn't resist. If you are on the fence like I was, be sure to find a good dealer and take a 30 min test drive - the longer the better.

I didn't seriously consider anything else expect a G35 and BMW 3-Series Coupe. I don't consider the G35 coupe attractive, but it is a good performer. I didn't feel it had the quality fit and finish of the Crossfire - it didn't feel as well put together (see how many times you can find things written in German in the Crossfire! I even found a Mercedes symbol in the car!) But the G35 is fast. The BMW was great, but very expensive and didn't seem to be as fast (although the specs say it is). The stick in the BMW is awesome, and it has of course the great handling one expects in a BMW.

For the money and the looks and the performance/handling, I couldn't pass this Crossfire thing up, and now my sedan sits in the driveway, out in the cold...

kusheen

Just to correct a couple of minor misstatements/misunderstandings in above posts:

Crossfire does NOT have a sunroof. Pity. Not really sure how they'd engineer it and keep the roof line, though.

Crossfire has heated seats for all markets, even Florida and California. They are assembled in Germany, and the ONLY option is the transmission. Otherwise, all the cars come fully equipped as is.

No Xenon's in the Xfire. Halogens, from what I'm told they're actually stock Hyundai items, but I don't know if that's true. That's a logical upgrade for the next model year.

And comparing the Vette to the Crossfire. True, they are far different cars. The one area they can be compared is style. Again, personal preference. I've personally never much liked the style of the current Vette. I've always thought the guy who designed the front never consulted with the guy who designed the back...they don't look like they should go together, to me.

The Crossfire, with its unique looks and rarity (perhaps for the wrong reasons, though) gets far more attention than any Vette on the road or in a parking lot.

That will change if it ever becomes a common sighting, but the way the sales are going that may never happen.

ezshift5

we're glad your Crossfire has turned you on. We drove the auto at the Chrysler World of Driving event....all the best.....ez

logic1

but I saw in TCC today where Chrysler will announce a convetible Crossfire at the NAIAS.

peccles

I find it strange that the 6 spd manual X-fire
gets 25/17 mpg while the 5 spd auto gets
28/21. I would figure the 6th gear would be
nice an tall for low RPM crusing and 30+mpg.
The X-fire weighs 100+lbs less than a Vette
and the Vette 6 speed gets 28/18 with a much
bigger and more powerful engine.

kusheen

The 5 speed auto/6 speed difference is puzzling. I own a 6 speed and havne't check the mileage yet. Doing a 250 round trip for a wedding today, anxious to see what it gets on the interstate.

About the Vette and Crossfire...true the Vette is heavier somewhat, with a bigger engine. The Crossfire, on the other hand, is an aerodynamic brick. With a drag coefficent of .37, it may be one of the least aerodyanmic sports cars/coupes on the market today. That most certainly plays a role with its highway mileage.

fastdriver

kusheen-

How about that little "thingy" that pops up in the back at highway speeds. Doesn't that help with aerodynamics/gas mileage or is it just for looks and something else to break?

fastdriver

kusheen

Hi,

The spoiler deploys at 57 mph, and folds itself back in when you drop back down under 40. You can manually deploy it at any speed with a button if you wish, but once above 57 you can NOT manually retract it. Why?

Because the car's natural shape is very unstable. The owner's manual actually says to not drive the car above 60 if the spoiler malfunctions and does not deploy...that the car could be unstable. The manual says the spoiler provides 40 lbs of downforce at 80 mph.

That said, the spoiler truly does offset the poor aerodynamcis in terms of stability and downforce. Recent videos on Speedvision and other sources show the car running rock smooth at 150 mph on the Autobahn, one even showing the test driver driving at that speed with only 2 or 3 fingers on the wheel, and they were dead still. Chrysler has also worked on the underside of the car to reduce lift, and if you look at the back of the car you'll see the defuser outlets on either side of the exhaust tips.

Having driven the car now 2100 miles, I can attest to it's rock solid stability at speed on the Interstates and its outstanding handling on back roads. Because I cannot drive it above 60 with the wing stowed, I can't attest to how different it is at speed that way. I choose not to tempt fate and pull the fuse, although another owner has told me an alarm sounds continuously if you do that.

The gas mileage issue is another matter. Even with the spoiler, it has poor aerodynamics in terms of drag. Drag and downforce are not exactly the same. Downforce DOES consist of drag, but it has a beneficial effect on handling and stability. THAT'S what the wing is for.

Non-downforce related drag (horizontal?) adds nothing to the car's performance, and works to slow it down, and in the case of a car with a cd of .37, worsen fuel economy.

Long winded, sorry. But yes, it's only a matter of time before the wing 'breaks.' It's a machine, and machines break.

fastdriver

kusheen-

WOW! So, it's a real important "thingy" for sure! Sure hope DC didn't skimp on the materials for that part since it plays such a major role in the handling of the car.

fastdriver

hudrahead

I question the validity of the highly touted Mercedes engineering when the vehicle is so unstable that it NEEDS a aero wing to keep it safe, especially @ such a realitive low seed as 60mph. I guess it would be a real handfull @ 150mph if that "fuse" blew or it just decided to lower due to a malfunction. I guess a emergency deployment of a drag chute would be a prudent back up in such cases, eh ? LOL !!

HUD :)

qbrozen

mercedes didnt style it

fastdriver

kusheen-

WOW!! This gets more interesting as this discussion goes on. Did you know about this wing and spare tire thing BEFORE you bought the car. I never read ANYTHING about this! Talk about decontenting! Man, the 300M owners have nothing to complain about. At least they have a spare tire! ;-))

fastdriver

hudrahead

I never said MB styled the thing, only engineered it. The styling is of course another lame attempt to be "dramatic" by the Chryco folks on this side of the pond.

HUD :)

qbrozen

sure you did, you said
I question the validity of the highly touted Mercedes engineering when the vehicle is so unstable that it NEEDS a aero wing to keep it safe

the unstability is a style issue as detailed above. It certainly has nothing to do with the Mercedes powertrain.

ruski

I attended a Chrysler Route 2003 test drive event and drove a Crossfire and a 300M Special. They encouraged us to drive hard. The course was laid out with cones with a lot of sharp tuns (way more than at a GM event I just went to), plus they had a little drag strip for full throttle acceleration and then standing on the brakes in order to stop at a stop sign.

Crossfire did pretty well, but I think I was able to take a 300M Special through the cones at a faster pace. Maybe because I am used to driving a 300M.

Speaking of the GM test drive event, the test course did not have that many turns and was shorter, but I did some impressive 50mph 90-degree turns in a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP CompG. But the icing on the cake (after a long waiting in line) was driving a Corvette. Others drove a Z06. Since I don't really know how to drive stick, I drove a somewhat less powerful automatic Corvette. But it was still a rush. The instructor encouraged to go fast, and instructed to add some power while going through a sharp S-turn.

I want a Corvette now.

hudrahead

gb: Sorry, but a car design that has such a lousy CD, .37 or so will offset by a large degree any "superior" chassis design / engineering. It looks like the boys in the wind tunnel won out to a quick fix in the form of the wing thing. I guess they thought it would look more Porsche- like. On the other hand the lowly VW beetle turbo has a wing thing too. Strange bedfellows indeed. They could have a wing from J C Whitney for a lot less money LOL !!

HUD :)

qbrozen

I'm not arguing anything. Just pointing out that you blamed MB at first and that was incorrect, that's all.

hudrahead

gb: We can disagree and still be friends.After all in the big scheme of things does it really matter anyway? If the Xfire was a little lower in price I'd buy one in a minute warts and all.

HUD :)

svevar

Chrysler has been touring the country, showing dealers and press its upcoming model line up. There will be a Crossfire SRT-6 coupe making 330HP (0-60 in just over 5 sec) and a Crossfire Roadster launched in May `04. The SRT-6 version of the roadster will launch in September `04. Here's the link:

http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0311/18/a01-328608.htm

qbrozen

srt-6 roadster? what you think? $50 large?

bigmike5

Now we are talking. I've been waiting to see if they would put a bigger power plant is that puppy. Will be interesting to see how much they tack onto the current sticker price to get the big engine. I would have been happy with the originally planned 275 h.p. engine, but 330 h.p., wow!! May have to hold off on an 04 Vette now til I get to see that SRT 6.

blacktalon

Now that sounds interesting, but if they raise the price too much, they'll be in direct competition with the C6 Corvette, not to mention the M3.

If they keep the price under $40K for the SRT 6 coupe, this could be a home run. If it starts edging up toward $50K, I think a lot of people will go for a C6 or M3 instead...

svevar

First of all, I thought that the SRT nomenclature was reserved for Dodge. I hope they come up with something better for the Chrysler. Also, I wish they'd just scrap the base engine and offer the 330HP version for the same price. If the SRT-6 Roadster were $50K, that would be a big mistake. I hope they hold it to $40-45K.

ruski

it should then do 0-60 more quickly than an M3, isn't M3 under 5 seconds?

kevin111

M3 - 0-60 ~ 4.7 seconds, Car and Driver.

Depends on weight, computer programming, RPM range of power output, and gearing to determine actual 0-60.

An example is the Jaguar S-TypeR making almost 400 hp, yet 0-60 is about 5.4 secs.

Mr_Shiftright

Where again does it say the car needs a spoiler even at 60 mph? Is that in the Chrysler literature? Could you quote it for us?

My impression has always been that spoilers don't produce serious downforce until much higher speeds than that. I just can't imagine any car having stability problems at 60 mph for lack of a spoiler. Seems so unlikely. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

Please elaborate for us.

kusheen

Page 71, Chrysler Crossfire Onwers Manual, Copyright 2003 DaimlerChrysler Corporation, reads:

"WARNING! Do not drive the vehical at speeds above 57 mph (92 km/h) if the red spoiler warning indicator is illuminated. You could have reduced vehicle stability and control."

Also, same page:

"Should a malfunction occur that prevents the spoiler from deploying automatically, a red warning light will illuminate in the override switch and an audible waring will sound."

There you have it. Remember, this car was a concept car designed to hit you in the face with it's styling. It was not, from the outset, designed as a sound aerodynamic vehicle. The spoiler, and undertub design/rear diffusers were incorporated out of necessity so that the original shape could be kept pretty much intact from concept. My guess is that it now has the headlight clusters as opposed to the stacked headlights on the concept car to try to clean it up aerodynamically as well.

The result is that is is now an obscenely stable car at high speeds, I would compare it favorably to the Lotus Turbo Esprit I owned.

Of course, as someone pointed out, unlikely though it may be (you'd know that if you examined the mechanism) IF the spoiler were to collapse while you're tooling along at triple digit speeds, you might have a problem.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, well, that doesn't mean the car goes out of control at 57 mph. All that means is that if it doesn't deploy when it should, then it won't deploy, so that if you do go 130 mph you'd be in trouble. That's how I read it anyway.

Now it makes sense to me. Thank you for posting that!

kevin111

If so, then that explains the warnings in the literature. It is the Lawyers speaking! This way, if there are any stability problems above 57, even if it takes 150 mph to do it, Chrysler no longer has any responsibility.

Heck, even a basic Kia Rio is stable at 57 mph!

kusheen

Can't say precisely at what point the spoiler deploys then folds in...supposedly out at 57, in under 40. It's electronically controlled, so I supposed it's fairly consistent.

BUT, I can tell you this, the car looks great, gets lots of attention, is well built, handles EXTREMELY well, accelarates, low horsepower and all, right there with everything in it's class except the 350Z (which it outhandles and outbrakes), has a GREAT exhaust note, has a great warranty and support, and I've gotten great service from the dealer at every step of the way (although other owners tell different stories about their dealers).

The cars are selling at discounts now, so my 'deal' looks less good if I want to look back. But...a look at today's car section of the Sunday paper shows big cash back/discounts/rebates on new Vettes, RX8's, TBirds, BMW Z4 3.0, Nissan Z's....the niche itself is hurting right now.

mlm4

A good friend of mine traded in her Miata for a new silver-blue Crossfire a few days ago. This is one beautiful car. Not only does it turn heads, but most people have no idea what it is! And so far nothing but positive comments about the styling.

I've had the opportunity to drive it a couple of times, and it's very impressive. It feels solid as a rock and sticks to the road like chewing gum. But it also feels heavy and slow. I got more of a kick in the pants out of my old 175-hp Camaro than I did with the Crossfire. My guess is that the engine management system is limiting how quickly the engine revs up when I stand on the gas, even with traction control off. I think this is a European philosophy, that the computer is smarter than the driver and has more authority. Certainly on its cars M-B programs the computer to intervene in a way that supposedly makes the car perform "optimally." My philosophy is that if the driver calls for Warp 7, then let the tires light up even if it isn't the most efficient way to get going. That's half the fun (and a very American thing to do)! (I also guess those fat sticky tires are hard to break loose.) This car should be able to take on a Mustang at the stop light.

I have read that tall people don't fit well into this car, but I'm 6'2" and with the seat all the way back the car fit me like a glove (although just barely). Very comfortable. I've been spoiled by the audio controls on the steering wheel of my Bonneville SSEi. The Crossfire should at least have the Autostick controls on the wheel. The radio is reachable but should be angled toward the driver. Also the display is illegible in the sun with polarized sunglasses.

If I had a pile of money burning a hole in my wallet, I'd have a Crossfire in my driveway right now (the closest dealer has 10 on the lot). I love this car but it should have at least 300 horses under the hood. This is a car meant to be driven, not for lugging groceries. Still, I commend DC for building this gorgeous car and hope that they stuff some more snort under the hood soon.

kusheen

Can't imagine that in an objective measurement, ie 0-60 or quarter mile times, the 175 hp Camaro you had coming out on top of the Xfire with equally skilled drivers. On top of the hp advantage, wouldn't the Xfire have the weight advantage as well?

Granting your evaluation, though, I would almost guarantee that when the road got a bit curvy, the Camaro would have to back off where the Xfire driver presses on.

ALL enthusiast cars are great!