I traded in my 2004 Blaze Red Crossfire for an Aero Blue 2005 SRT about a month ago. Here are the major things that I have noticed in that time since I traded in my red one:

1. The sound of the SRT's exhaust is only slightly different than the standard, not sure which one was actually louder. Hard to quantify the actual sound...it is a strange feeling to have a car that sounds so quiet and yet still be so fast. The exhaust system physically is completely different. The exhaust pipes exiting the engine bay are noticeably larger in diameter, and it stays a dual exhaust further back...all the way to the back into a resonator (pre-muffler) that the non-SRT doesn't have. The only thing the same about the two exhausts are the exhaust tips.

2. The two models feel about the same on light throttle, the SRT only moderately quicker on part throttle applications...but a lot quicker when fully floored. Because it is so quiet, it surprises you as to how quick it actually is. I have a G-Tech Pro (measures 1/4 mile times, 0-60 mph, braking distances, etc...), and the 0-60 mph I measured was 4.7 seconds. My non-SRT measured 6.5 seconds, a full 1.8 seconds quicker to 60. That is a big, big difference. The 0-90 mph time I measured was 9.2 seconds vs 13.1 seconds, and the 1/4 miles times were 13.2 @ 108 mph vs 14.8 @ 95 mph. (both runs occurred with the outside air temp in the high 50s, late at night :-) of course). If you punch the throttle from a stop, it really lights up the tires and wags the tail quite a bit...in fact, on the G-tech runs I just mentioned I had to modulate the throttle almost all the way through 1st gear to prevent losing precious time and rubber. This car is fast! For comparison, the C5 vette (350 hp) runs about a 13.4 sec 1/4 mile and the new C6 Vette (400 hp) a 12.8 sec 1/4 mile, so the SRT is just a little bit quicker than the old Vette, but not really that close to the new.

3. I had a manual on my non-SRT, and I really miss it. When you become adept at a manual, even a good auto becomes a compromise. The auto is always shifting too early into the next gear, and is real hesitant to downshift when you push into the throttle. The shift into next gear too early issue can be solved by taking off quickly from a stop, but most of the time there is somebody in front of you preventing that! The auto is nice for leisurely driving, so that is one plus. It is nice at times to just sit back and relax. One thing that surprised me is how smooth the trans shifts, even at full throttle (it probably shouldn't have surprised me, it is a Mercedes…and I am used to 3 speed hot-rodded GM transmissions that shift harder than Babe Ruth slugging a home run). I find myself usually leaving it in third gear and shifting it into fourth when I get up to about 40 mph or so. Only on freeway driving do I usually move it into drive. For you gear-heads, it seems that this trans doesn't appear to have a lock-up converter, and the stall speed is fairly low (It really doesn't need much stall with the torque the little supercharged 3.2 puts out, but I personally like a little stall, even with low torque engines; it makes taking off a bit more fun!).

4. The gas mileage is a bit worse than I would have guessed. Again, I shouldn't be surprised since the engine is so much more powerful. My Red 2004 had the Borla exhaust and Upsolute Chip upgrades, and it averaged about 26 mpg's in pure 75-80 mph freeway driving (It was about 24 mpg before the chip/exhaust). The exact same driving in the SRT is giving me around 20 mpg's. I have even tried driving almost an entire tank at 65 mph instead of 75, and it still will not go over 23 mpg.

5. The larger brakes are very easy to detect. The non-SRT's seem perfectly fine, but a few quick stops in the SRT really shows you how much better larger rotors and calipers can help you stop. I think the actual performance data probably don't show much of a difference between the two, but they really do feel different. Also, the new one are said to be next to impossible to get into fade with…something that I didn't ever have a problem with on the non-SRT model, or something that anyone in normal driving will have to deal with. Auto-crossing would be a different story, though, but not one that I will probably ever see.

6. The suspension is S-T-I-F-F. The literature says 40% stiffer, and it sure feels every bit of it when the road is rough. Lucky for me, I live in Phoenix, and our roads here I believe are pretty good. When you are on a smooth road, the difference is not really noticeable. As the road gets rougher, the difference becomes greater. On really rough roads, the car will actually make your voice vibrate with the road, and it can be quite uncomfortable. Does the car handle better in turns? I really don't know. Subjectively, it feels about the same in "spirited" turns. I am sure at an Autocross event it would really shine.

7. The 15 spoke rims are an absolute bear to clean. It takes much longer to get in between all those spokes compared to the seven on the non-SRT model. I would say it takes about 30 minutes just to correctly detail the four rims versus about 10 minutes for the other ones. Which rims look better? It is a toss-up. The SRT rims are actually clear-coated non-painted aluminum, whereas the non-SRT rims are silver-painted and clear-coated. I prefer the SRT's rims more at this point only because they are the lesser seen on Crossfires, but I suspect that I would reverse that thought if the SRT had the seven spoke rims and the non-SRT the 15's.

8. The wing on the back is much better looking in person than in pictures. I now prefer the fixed over the deployable. Sure, it isn't as cool as the deployable, but it really is a work of art. It even has the same grooves and spine as the hood, very sweet. I have ended up changing my tune on it once I saw it. One plus is that it only barely intrudes into the rear-view mirror view out the back. I've quickly become accustomed to the look of it, and a non-deployed wing on a non-SRT now looks naked to me. I also believe, like my view on the rims, that I would think the opposite if the SRT had the deployable and the non-SRT the fixed…

9. Overall, how do I compare driving the two? Actually, most of the time I had more fun in the 6-speed non-SRT Crossfire. Why? In my opinion an automatic transmissioned car is just not as involving of a drive. With the manual, you are always rowing the gears, always at one with the vehicle. An automatic is like cruise control…you just set it and forget it. The only time I actually have more fun in the SRT is when the pedal is 2/3 depressed or more, and that is not often. The ride is stiff, the brakes are incredible, the engine is fast when pushed, the gas mileage is mediocre, and everything else is about the same.

That being said, I am still glad I did the trade. I like the fact that the SRT is a rare model on a vehicle that already is barely seen on the road. I am hoping that I own the car long enough to actually see an appreciation in value. That may be a long, long time.