Re: Measuring Up to the Competition
Don't think you can say it was a marketing flop with over 70,000 sold particularly if you do not know why it was produced in the first place or what the marketing goals were.
MSRPs were not that high for a luxury two seater, probably more sales were lost to people who could not easily enter and exit than to price. Also its lack of visible electronics thoroughly dated it to the last century
Particularly when other than the exterior sheet metal most of it was parts and tooling left over from earlier models. Cannot think of any other reason for the absurd gearing or a fairly mild engine that requires premium fuel.
I have seen the same thing happen in other low volume cars when elements like seats and powertrains are carried over from other cars and do not make much sense for the application particularly in this country. Guess we should be glad the coupe did not have a sunroof of headroom would have been nonexistent.
For me it was a matter of wanting a later Fiero GT and ceasing to be pure GM. Paid a little but not much more than for a late Fiero and really think I have a much better car.
Do suspect it was more a matter of Chrysler needing a halo car that was not quite as over the top as a Viper, more practical than a Prowler, and yet requiring the least amount of scarce engineering & tooling dollars.
Is interesting to think of what a more modern Crossfire would be like with a 305hp regular fuel DOHC Pentastar, a six speed with more appropriate ratios for American highways and a rear interior crossmember shortened by four inches so the seat could go all of the way back when reclined. Add an 8.4" display in the console with a digital dash and you would have something salable.