Originally Posted by Rapp's
Karmann owns the molds/equipment to manufacture parts for the FX. What if they sell it off to raise cash? Is the metal more valuable for scrap than what an investor would make by producing parts? Who ever bought it, would they be bound by any previous contracts by other companies? Would VW, if it purchases Karmann and the equipment, be obligated to do anything with it? Daimler Chrysler is no longer a company. Chrysler LLC was nearly bankrupt this past year. Daimler would rather push every Crossfire into the ocean than acknowledge it's gang rape of Chrysler.
BMW did similar things to Rover. And look where Rover is now - owned y a Chinese company. That new Mini owes very little to the Issigonis original. I suspect that BMW raided the plan chest for a few other projects too.
Originally Posted by Rapp's
"Enjoy em while ya got em" Other than buying a couple for parts it's a crap shoot.
Right - I see a few ways out of this, and it all depends on Chrysler’s long term plans for Crossfire spares.
1 - 3rd party spares - I believe that there are quite a few people here who know how to fabricate body parts. It would not be beyond the wit of those people to make moulds and make spares to order. Whether this is a financial method of suicide is for others to decide. Metal can generally be knocked into shape by a skilled panel beater, but the fibreglass panels could be easily copied by those skilled in this material.
2 - The Crossfire is Mercedes based, and as such the inner workings are easy to get bits for. However, the externals are the problem. The Crossfire could be the basis for a more ambitious customisation. I don’t know what the law in the USA is on self-build cars, but here in the UK, it’s allowed. The Crossfire mechanics could quite easily carry something even more eccentric.
I think option 2 is more extreme, and relies on Chrysler deciding that it’s going to walk away from the car and have no more to do with it. Option 1 is more feasible, and it’s possible to make custom parts that are still well within the Crossfire look. I’ve seen a few custom panels here, and they work well.