I had just gotten my coupe and was filling up the tank. I stepped back to admire it from a distance. I, then noticed a dude next to me who was also filling up and had also stepped back to admire his brand new Toyota FJ Cruiser. What an ugly vehicle, I thought. And yet, I bet he thinks his vehicle is every bit as beautiful as my Crossfire. In fact, he may even feel sorry for me owning the Crossfire...naaaah!

I parked my coupe next to a roadster in Gruene, Texas. We were parked on the main road. I decided to wait for the owner of the roadster, just to visit. Both of our cars were blaze red. I got out of my car and went to sit nearby. I think my coupe is much nicer than the roadster, if the truth be told. As I sat there, a young (30's) couple walked up to admire our similar cars. The man then said, I like the convertible better.

I went home.

 

Its a hard decision. That is why many here own more than one.

I preferred the coupe for traveling purposes. We roadtested several of both before buying.

James

 

I was in the same boat before i bought my coupe. Everyone was telling me they liked the coupe better but i like the convertible a little better. what helped me decide I couldnt find a convertible srt6 near where i live. I do like my coupe but love the convertible so my solution is I am going to put a big sunroof in it. best of both worlds.

 

It would have been nice if they made a hardtop convertible. lol

 

They did make a hardtop convertible, the SLK32AMG.
The SRT6 Roadster is an SLK32AMG with a different body.

 

Some know the history of my Crossfire ownership(s). The coupe definitely provides more cargo room in the back, but nothing beats a top down ride IMHO.

 

I'd have a FJ Cruiser in a New York minute if I had the garage space for it...it's a guy thing.

Having owned both the coupe and roadster, both have their pluses and minuses. I would not put one above the other.

 

The Crossfire is actually designed as a convertible with the coupe hardtop as an add on mod. So the convertible drives as stiff as the coupe. About a 100lb difference M/L in curb weight.
The coupe has more storage space but an inherent drone at highways speeds. The rag top has more wind noise. So, mostly the negatives of each are minor and cancel out.
There is nothing like the top down drive in a two seat roadster, any two seat roadster, over the hard top. But fair weather is not universal so the coupe is a more usable car in four season climates. or anywhere that has "weather.' I have a vert' The wife has a coupe but comparisons are unfair as she has the SRT to which there is no comparison with an NA.

I cannot say which I prefer but when push comes to shove, I will likely pick the rag top as best.

Roadster with a stick

"The way is should be"

 

I"m on my second limited roadster. My SRT may be a coupe, not sure yet.

The feel in a coupe is really different, yea there is more cargo space, and sure the blind spots are AWFUL - but the lines of the coupe, the exterior look, is - the only thing I can think of - is "pure".

There is a REASON so many of us have at least one of each.

 

According to the retired Chrysler Exec that gave a slideshow presentation of the XF at Woodward a few years back, just the opposite was true...

 

Personally, I favor the roadster for looks. IMHO.

 

Huh? That's news to me Franc. Please inform me if I'm wrong. All of Stoddard's concept sketches illustrate the Crossfire developed as a coupe ....which later morphed into a roadster, patented in 2004. As apposed to the Solstice/Sky which introduced as roadsters and later morphed into coupes just before the hammer came down on GM.

 

I think Franc was speaking philosophically.

 

Maybe Franc is speaking about the "original" chassis design that came from the SLK.
I do dissagree with the body stiffness statement.
There has been a XF roadster sitting in our garage all summer, and I've driven it several times with the top up and down, and the chassis stiffness doesn't compare to my coupe.
I think the XF roadster makes one of the best looking roadsters out there (with the top up). But I've always been a coupe man when it comes to looks.

XKE coupe
63/67 Corvette Coupe
Viper coupe
Porsche (any model) coupe
Ferrari (any model) coupe
Mercedes SL (Gull Wing)
ETC.

 

Well I have no doubt that the designers foresaw the roadster when they developed the coupe design.

 

From an SRT-6 perspective and having seen both in person to A-B each, I think both are great. In my opinion, the lines on the coupe are more "put together." The roadster looked a tad busy. There's a uniformity that the coupe has and it definitely looks like the roadster was cribbed from the coupe. I almost bought a black/black-cream LTD roadster back when you could still get them new from the dealer at huge discounts. In the end, obviously, I went with the super low mileage black SRT-6 and haven't looked back. I still think about that roadster from time to time. It was a beautiful car.

 

pizza guy slk32 i know has the same motor and other parts but the bodystyle is totally different. my neighbor has slk32. When his and mine park infront of each other my srt6 gets more looks and compliments. He even gave me a compliment on my srt6 knowing its the same car. slk32 you are paying for that mercedes sign on it. I will take srt6 over slk32 any day.

 

Why quibble? Have both in your stable and enjoy the best of both worlds...

 

I prefer the look of the coupe. But have nothing against the roadster. I would love to add an srt6 roadster to the stable.

 

At the risk of offending some coupe owners. The first Crossfire I saw was a coupe, and I didn't like it's looks. It was a couple of years later I saw a roadster and could not believe it was the same car, it was beautiful. I began the search, I wanted a roadster with SRT, but couldn't find one close enough to go see. I found the one I have and couldn't be happier. If they only made a coupe, I would be driving something else.