And.... part 5... (this whole 4 pics per post and limit on text is making this difficult..)
Crossfire’s wheels and tires are staggered in size, like those of a race car, narrower at the front for crisp steering and wider at the
rear to transmit more power to the road surface. Their large diameter (wheels are 18 inch front, 19 inch rear), and generous tire width, 225 mm front and 255 mm rear, give the car four giant ‘footprints’ or contact patches to generate immense grip and very high cornering forces - over 1.0 G lateral force on a dry surface.
Both traction control and Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) are standard equipment. Operative at all speeds, traction control senses rear-wheel spin and intervenes to stop the spin by individually braking the spinning wheel or by reducing engine power. ESP® compares the driver’s intended course, via steering angle and braking sensors, to the car’s actual course (through lateral acceleration, yaw and four individual wheel speed sensors) and applies a single wheel brake to a front or rear wheel, or reduces engine power, to restore the car to its original path.
The engine designers’ adoption of three valves per cylinder (two 1.4 in (36 mm) intake and a single 1.6 in (41mm) exhaust valve) allows the use of a single overhead camshaft per bank, provides room for two spark plugs per cylinder, and also allows them to create an extremely compact cylinder head. A balance shaft mounted above the crankshaft in the cylinder block rotates at engine speed but in the opposite direction, to compensate for the rocking motion inherent in all 90-degree V-6 configuration engines.
Extensive use of lightweight materials results in an engine that is 66 Lbs (30 kg) lighter than similar-sized competitor’s engines. Five elements of the design played a key role in the weight control program - die-cast aluminum cylinder block, cylinder liners in spray-compacted Silitec (silicon alloy), magnesium intake manifold and cylinder head covers, thin-wall air-gap exhaust manifolds, and a lightweight valve train with hollow camshafts.
The space between the cylinder banks allows the use of dual-length air intake manifolds, with long tubes to enhance low-speed torque and short tubes which operate above 3,700 rpm, feeding air to the two intake valves as the engine computer imperceptibly switches between long and short tubes.
Gasoline is delivered to the cylinders by multi-point electronic fuel injection that is optimized to provide the best combination of performance, economy and low exhaust emissions. Crossfire employs a drive-by-wire electronic throttle control, where the engine control computer interprets accelerator pedal movements and translates them into throttle positions.
Electronic, rather than physical control, allows engine power to be reduced (regardless of accelerator pedal position) when demanded by the traction control or Electronic Stability Program (ESP®).
Features of Crossfire engine design which enhance fuel economy and reduce exhaust emissions include two spark plugs per cylinder for a more complete combustion, a high compression ratio for faster combustion and an exhaust system which heats the catalytic converters to operating temperature within seconds of start up. Dual ignition cuts hydrocarbon emissions (unburned fuel) by 20 percent compared to single-ignition systems. Chrysler Crossfire complies with EPA, CA in the U.S. and EU4 emission standards in Europe.
Although the manual gearbox Crossfire has a high fuel-stretching sixth gear ratio, the five-speed automatic transmission model, with lock-up converter and sophisticated electronic control of gear-change points, returns even greater fuel economy. With fuel economy figures of 21/27 MPG (10.1 l/100km NEDC) (automatic) and 18/27 MPG (10.4 l/100km NEDC) (manual), Crossfire achieves a comfortable 350 Miles (560 kilometers) range from its 16 Gallons (60-liter) fuel tank.
TRANSMISSION & REAR AXLE
The standard transmission for Crossfire is a six-speed manual gearbox with top gear , an overdrive ratio for quiet, relaxed, fuel-efficient high-speed cruising. The gear change action is precise, with short, low-effort throws and all ratios, including reverse, are synchronized. Multi-cone synchronizers on gears 1-to-4 and low-inertia design of the gear clusters, help to minimize shift effort.
A satin silver-finish **** with Crossfire-signature, tops the gear lever which selects gears via rod linkages. The gear lever is spring-loaded to place ‘neutral’ in the 3/4 plane and reverse is selected by lifting the gear **** (to overcome the lockout-mechanism) and moving the lever left and back. The clutch is hydraulically operated. Crossfire buyers can choose the optional five-speed automatic transmission, which features a driver-adaptive shift logic, full automatic or AutoStick™ shiftless manual gear selection, a lock-up torque converter and selectable standard and winter modes. The basic settings of the driving programs are geared for sports-style driving, but the transmission control computer also adapts the shift points to suit individual driving styles, driving situations and road conditions.
The lock-up torque converter has a 1.8:1 starting torque ratio for brisk acceleration from standstill. Lock-up is available in third, fourth, and fifth gears only and is never complete, to eliminate driveline vibrations. With the selector lever in ‘Drive’, AutoStick™ turns the transmission into a sequential-manual transmission, allowing the driver to manually select the next higher or lower ratio by tapping the lever to the right (+) to change up, or left (-) to change down. The shift range [ P, R, N, D ] or gear range [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ] currently in use, is displayed in the instrument cluster.
A rocker switch beside the selector lever enables the driver to select standard or winter modes. In winter mode, starts are made in second gear and the higher of the two reverse gears available, is employed to reduce the likelihood of wheelspin on slippery surfaces. In this mode, upshifts also occur at lower vehicle speeds to reduce the risk of traction loss.
In both fully automatic and AutoStick™ operations, electronic safeguards ensure that selection of a particular gear ratio cannot over-rev the engine. A brake-park interlock requires the driver to apply the brakes while shifting out of Park. If an electronic system malfunction occurs, the transmission will select second gear when placed in Drive - allowing the driver to ‘limp home’ at reduced speed. The transmission fluid is engineered to last the entire service life of the car under normal operating conditions.
Drive is carried to the rear axle by a two-piece driveshaft (propshaft) with four constant-velocity universal joints (CVJs) to minimize vibrations. The final drive ratio is 3.27:1 and articulated half-shafts deliver power from the final drive unit to each rear wheel - also with CVJs to minimize vibrations.
SUSPENSION & STEERING
Building on the major attributes of a stiff body shell and evenly balanced weight distribution, the Chrysler Crossfire suspension and steering are calibrated to achieve high levels of cornering grip, with user-friendly handling characteristics while also giving the driver excellent feedback and allowing precise car control.
Crossfire’s fully independent front suspension uses double wishbones mounted on the bodyshell, with coil springs, gas-filled shock absorbers and a 1-in (25 mm) anti-roll bar. The suspension design features anti-squat and anti-dive geometry. This set-up achieves minimum toe and camber changes under hard acceleration and braking, and delivers good straight-line stability even on bumpy roads. Total wheel travel is 6.1-in (155 mm), which is unusually high for a sports coupe, and contributes towards the car’s superior ride quality.
A pressed-steel subframe serves as mounting for the rear suspension and final drive unit, and also isolates the body shell from road surface imperfections. The five-link suspension features coil springs, gas-filled shock absorbers and a 3/4 in (19 mm) anti-roll bar. Anti-squat and anti-dive geometry is employed and rear wheel travel is a generous 6.3-in (160 mm).
Power steering is standard, with a recirculating ball system. The steering ratio is 16.7:1 and the system requires 3.1 turns of the steering wheel from lock-to-lock. A hydraulic damper eliminates undesirable yaw motions and enhances straight-ahead steering feel for highway driving.