I had a new 2008 Sebring loaner. All I can say is: That car is an embarrasing POS! Sorry to be so blunt, but maybe Chrysler will hear all the negative criticism and do something quickly to save their ****!

The first thing I do when I get in a car is the touch test. I touch the materials to see if they make that horrible tick sound that you get with cheap, hard plastic. Yep, it was every where. The edges were so sharp that you could cut your finger on them if you weren't careful. The faux tortois shell plasti on the steering wheel had the clear covering peeling away, and you could see the pixles in the print. The engine was noisy and wheezy, and the wind noise was annoying. Compared to the recent Fords I've driven, the Sebring interior quality and engine noise is embarrasing. The new Taurus, Edge, heck, even the F150s are loaded with soft touch plastic, smooth edges, quality feeling switch gear, excellent sound damping, and smooth, quiet engines. Bravo Zulu Ford! Their cars may be somewhat bland, but they are refined and comfortable. Come to think of it, the new Saturns are too. I hate to say it, but the only reason I have a Chrysler vehicle sitting in my garage is because it's mostly not Chrsyler and has very un-Chrysler like materials and components. GM and Ford are getting their act together, why not Chrysler?

 

As I posted in a previous thread, the firepower is still rumored to be produced as of about a month ago. Read here:

http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f106...ml#post5624398

That thread also contains more information than you'll be able to digest in one sitting about future Chrysler LLC products. Having said that, recently there have been rumors that the Viper will be discontinued shortly, which would open the door for the firepower as it will more directly compete with the corvette, at least in my mind. HEMI V8, more refined features, etc.

Still keeping fingers crossed on a future demon purchase also.

 

Even with the Hemi 6.1 the Firepower would have a difficult time competing with the Corvette performance wise. But being an American designed car, built in America (assuming), and having a V-8 it would sell much better than the Crossfire. Unfortunately it would tank even further the value of the Crossfire.

 

I'm not sure where you get that idea. Straight from the chevy website says:

NEW standard 430-hp 6.2L LS3 V8 aluminum-block engine

The 6.1 is currently rated at 425 with the newly redesigned 5.7 making 380 hp/404 lb-ft for the '09 Ram. Would strictly come down to weight and driver with those numbers if you ask me.

But the srt6 crossfire would still be nearly as quick as the vette for 1/4 the price then instead of 1/2.

 

It's being built, just by a different company...

 

That Aston Martin is pure perfection!!

 

It really is, even if Chrysler produced a car as nice as the Firepower, they'd probably still give us they're Five Star Service. And on arrival to the Five Star rated dealerships, you'd probably still be asked by a salesperson, "What kind of car are you driving?"

 

I was thinking that if the Firepower replaced the Viper, it would have a difficult time competing against the Z06, which is the version the Viper is up against. But the Firepower could surpass the base Corvette in all measured performance catagories with the 6.1 hemi, updated suspension, etc. It just needs to be built first, and Chevy needs to leave the HP of the LS3 alone.

Too bad Chrysler didn't come up with the Firepower back in 2001 - 2002. Chrysler could have had a halo performance car with serious HP from the start. Sales would have been better (well, they couldn't have been any worse) than the Crossfire and Chrysler would have avoided the whole debacle with the Crossfire and Daimler. Now I wonder if the Firepower could even be marketed considering it's close visual relationship to the Crossfire.

I'll admit though that I'd be extremely tempted to replace my SRT-6 with a Firepower if it does get built. Then again, if it is built, I wouldn't be able to afford one anyway - especially if I was going to use the 6 as a trade in.

The Firepower should be easier for Chrysler dealers to work on since it will be built with Chrysler components - components the techs are already familiar with. But I agree with jpristel that your average Chrysler employee would be baffled by the Firepower.

 

Here's our lovely 5 Star service at work. This is the handy work of two certified Crossfire Techs trying to fix a seatbelt alarm. Replaced the instrument cluster, computer module, seatbelt switch, ruined much of my interior with tools and misplaced components, and this took them 2 months. Here's the kicker: The original problem still isn't fixed. I got a new interior out of it though! Total cost to Chrysler under warranty? $2300.00 not counting the labor they spent.

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