FIREAMX: That would be funny if I did work for Consumer Reports. I got a big chuckle out of that! BTW, I bet a Consumer Reports employee is a bored employee....

About the interior, MAXXM is right: Alcantara Suede seats with "SRT" stitched into the headrest area for each seat (big enough to be seen from far away), "SRT" in the middle of the tachometer, and the deployable rear wing button now a non-marked, non-operating switch.

One more thing different in the interior is the 200 mph speedometer vs. the 160 mph in the non-SRT. I actually prefer the 160 mph version; it has more resolution: In the 160 version the minor graduation tick marks are easily read in one mph increments between each 10 mph major graduation marks (10, 20, 30, 40 mph with 10 individual easily seen marks in between each 10 mph). The SRT speedo is majorly graduated in 20 mph ticks and the minor ticks are very hard to see. For example, if you are going 32 mph in the SRT, you have to guess that it is a little more than half way between the 20 mph and the 40 mph marks (the 30 mph mark is not labeled, but there is a bigger tick mark there). In the 160 speedo, you can see the 30 mph mark as well as the one mph tickmarks, therefore it is not as ambiguous to read the exact mph. This is a small thing to critique, but it is a difference and if I had to choose one I would not choose the 200 mph SRT version.

About the seats, I had to go to Wikepedia.com to find out what Alcantara really is. Evidently it is a "man made suede". I learned that suede is actually a kind of leather and is reported to be less durable than plain leather, so that is a bummer. But maybe the "man made" part will make up for it! In the SRT, the Suede is very smooth to the touch and is classy looking. Several people have remarked (unsolicited) how nice the seats look and feel. The suede also grabs your pants better and you feel more firmly rooted on the seat.

The stitching in the seat and the steering wheel are also very slightly different. I had to go to some pictures of my old Crossfire to confirm what I have read, and that is the stitching is a light gray instead of a medium gray. A small difference, but does seem to make the interior slightly more classy. I don't think most people would even notice the difference though, so it really is no big deal.

AERO BLUE - I'll have to try out your Lambs Wool Duster idea for the rims. If indeed it works, $7 would be some of the best $7 I have spent!

MALCB - I think both the SRT and non-SRT automatics will shift to the next gear if you get too close to redline even though you have selected a specific gear in the autostick mode. I can't say this from experience, but from what I have read, the transmission may shift into the next gear if you keep the engine either too long and/or too close to the redline. Also, when you select a gear, this only prevents the transmission from going to a higher gear, but doesn't prevent the trans from shifting down to lower gears. For example let's say you have it in 3rd at 30 mph. As you slow down, it will go down to 2nd and finally down to 1st, but as you speed back up, it will not go any higher than 3rd. Only the "W/S" switch will stop the trans from shifting down…W keeps the trans in second gear when stopped, and S allows it to shift back down to 1st.

PATPUR: I would never personally call a non-SRT Crossfire a lesser car! I respect all Crossfires (and their owners) and would never think that mine is any better than someone else's. What is ironic is that as I am driving my 17-20 mpg SRT, I can't help but feel that my Crossfire is inferior to all the 24-27 mpg non-SRT's that are out there! In fact, while you are getting the superior gas mileage, you are also cruising in a much smoother riding vehicle than the SRT, so which car is better is an absolutely relative thing.


Overall, I agree with what a lot of people have said about this car: I really like the way the Crossfire makes me feel. It is unique, classy, and sharp looking (or dare I say, gorgeous?). I only drive mine on weekends, and the excitement I feel when I wake up on Saturday mornings to pull it out of the garage for a spin is worth the 5 day Monday to Friday wait...and I would say that for me it was equally true for both the SRT and non-SRT Crossfire!