2004 Chrysler Crossfire in Knoxville

Munich, Germany—
As you may recall, the Crossfire started life as a show car at the 2001 Detroit auto show. To hear Chrysler tell it, "Public response to our Chrysler Crossfire concept vehicle was overwhelming." Maybe so—although we weren't nearly as enamored of the split-windshield, stacked-headlight show car as we are of the production version. But even if faced with genuine public demand, does anyone think for a minute that back in 2001—with Chrysler awash in pink slips, red ink, and off-lease Grand Cherokees—Dieter Zetsche would have coughed up the money to develop an all-new two-seat sports coupe from the ground up? It would have been about as likely as his appearing before the next DaimlerChrysler shareholders' meeting with a shaved mustache and a sequinned ball gown, belting out "I Gotta Be Me." No, if the Crossfire was going to take root in hard times, the development team would have to seek out a novel solution.

A donor platform, in roughly the right size, with the proper driving wheels, was found in the Mercedes-Benz SLK and was adapted for the bespoke new body, which uses all its own sheetmetal. The mechanicals were all purloined, although retuned for this application. The interior was borrowed as well, then restyled to provide a unique appearance. In the face of complex stampings (such as the X-shaped crease on the doors, the deep rear quarter-panels, and the grooved hood) and production numbers of only 20,000 per year, manufacturing was farmed out to German coachbuilder Karmann.

Its origins are unusual, but the Crossfire is a different kind of Chrysler for other reasons.... Read full article