The surprise of the Big & Tall list, the Crossfire is relatively tiny on the outside but reasonably comfortable on the inside.
When the Chrysler Crossfire concept was first introduced at the 2001 North American International Auto Show, there was genuine interest and excitement from both the motoring press and the public. Here was the first tantalizing fruit of the DaimlerChrysler merger that would combine German engineering and American style. A production model was announced, and the first Crossfires started to appear a few years later.
Available as a two-seat coupe or roadster, the Chrysler Crossfire is largely based on the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK. Its exterior design still turns heads, but the aged platform and unimpressive driving dynamics are major drawbacks. The Crossfire's steering response in particular is lackluster due to the use of the previous SLK's old-school recirculating-ball steering. Additionally, the vehicle's ride quality can often seem harsh, particularly on the SRT6 version.
Slow sales could also be attributed to an interior that didn't look as rich as the car's exterior styling would suggest. Finally, there's the Crossfire's lack of utility. While it'll always be a distinctly attractive vehicle to look at, the Chrysler Crossfire is simply outclassed by other vehicles in terms of luxury, brand cachet and/or performance. It's expected that 2008 will be the car's last year on sale.
Current Chrysler Crossfire
