I went to a pretty big car show today with my old friend Sandman50, who drove his beautiful mildly customized 79 Vette. At least 450 to 500 cars showed up, maybe even more. Very diverse crowd, ranging in age from late teens to well into their 70's. It was overcast most of the day with sun poking thru the clowds every once in awhile, but at least there was no rain.
As it turned out, I had the ONLY Crossfire there, and I can honestly say my car got the most "lovin" from the crowds today than it ever has at any other show I've attended.
My car was parked between a beautiful red "all steel" 32 Ford coupe and a white 98 Vette convertible, and they might as well have been invisble, because at times it seemed as though everybody walkin by was stopping to check out the Crossfire.
If there only would have been a "Peoples Choice" award.
After going to car shows for over 35 years, and always driving something "rare" or out of the ordinary, nothing I've owned has ever drawn the crowds like this car.

 

Wow. Great story!
I am soooo tempted to go to enter our BIG car show this coming Saturday. After reading your experience I'm even more tempted. Dang! What to do?!

 

did you get alot of people asking what it is? I go to small shows around here (central MO) and have been the only crossfire in all of them. Its a great car for shows cause you can go in several different classes. Sure would feel like a small fish in a big pond with 500 cars

 

Surprisingly, I never got asked even once, "What is it"? Lots of people knew it was Mercedes powered too. Some even knew about the expensive oil changes.
Several people (my hight) asked me how did I fit into it, and I told them to get in and try it on for size. Even a judge asked me a dozen questions about it. (and I wasn't having it judged either).
Women (of all ages) just seem to be crazy about the Crossfire.
I got nothing but compliments on the hood, and lots of smiles.
Tighed1 I would say go for it. I came home feeling pretty good about owning my little $10k car, but then that happens eveytime I look at it, and especially when I drive it.

 

Great story! I have taken mine to many shows as well. Always snubbed by the judges and a good part of the other entrants. But, like you said, the "people" loved the Crossfire. It is a rejuvination vehicle for me, with the ladies at least. I swear it takes off 30 pounds, makes me grow a few inches (vertically - LOL}, erases 10-20 years and even whitens my smile

The last show I was at I parked next to a highly customized Harley (new paint job had just cost him $10K). His quite attactive very young wife kept coming over to me and expressed how much she would like to go for a ride in my Crossfire. This did not sit well with my biker buddy, fortunately he was too busy showing off his bike to other Harley owners than to be concerned about me.

Wherever we go the ladies seem to ask for a ride even when Mrs SRT SIX is around. Sort of makes me feel like I'm really driving a Hummer. LMAO

 

Great story Mike. Your car shows very well......

It's the hood I tell ya.

 

Mike's gonna have to get a convertible. By the time we left, his ego barely could fit in the coupe. They say this car is a chick car but I say it's a "CHICK MAGNET". The two vettes on one side and a 32 coupe and a Prowler on the other side should have stayed home.

My favorite was an older guy looking at the badging on the rear said "Oh that's and AMX, they don't make those anymore."

 

I just entered and won a hometown car show the weekend before last. First place in the stock class.

 

I was thinking of entering mine in a local car show later in the month. I didn't think there would really be any interest in my '05, but after reading this story, perhaps I should reconsider.......

Monty

 

The crossfire is definitely a unique piece of metal! It's the rarest, most unique, and affordable modern car you can buy today. I put my car in an all-german auto show and got some interesting reactions. The kids stayed with the VWs, BMWs, and Porsches, while the older folks came over and spoke very knowledgeably to me about the car. It's been an interesting experience owning this car.

 

I take my to car cruise-ins every friday night. My car gets crazy attention. My favorite thing to do is stand the hood straight up, raise the wing and walk away. People are all over it. If I am standing next to it then they always comment on how pretty the color is or ask if I have a custom interior. I think that taking my car to the shows reminds me all the time how freaking cool my XF is!!

 

It's moments like this that sustain me through out the work week. Co workers kid me about keeping a photo of my Nina posted at work but I tell you, this car gets me through some long tuff days If anyone has any doubt about entering I say do it! But beware, its addicting!

 

+fire - I have to agree with FP: score one for the scoop!!!
Good story, thanks for sharing !

 

Ditto! Great job.

 

Mike ,,you are the man. keep it up. there is no way you would lose at a car show with that car, i would vote for it, above my own,, in fact it is the best looking crossfire i have ever seen.
. jim

 

Thanks everybody for the "props" but remember, I didn't actually "win" anything. Just got an unusual amount of attention from the crowd that's all.
There are more than a few well detailed XF's here on the forum that rightly deserve car show accolades more than mine. I mean I don't even "detail" under my hood for crying out loud......But then if I opened my hood at a car show (especially at 90 degrees) nobody would see my scoop now would they.
These car certainly do make ya feel special though don't they?
One thing I forgot to mention was that I really wanted to park next to this one guy who had a pretty nice lookin dark grey 350Z with beautiful aftermarket wheels. (since they love poking fun at XF's so much on their forum). I didn't notice hardly anybody paying attention to his car at all. I know it would have drove him nuts seeing the crowd the Cross was drawing.

 

It's strange, I was feeling this summer that the origninal SLK was finally starting to become "old". I still feel it's a timeless design that still looks great 12 years later, but with every car company out there producing their own hardtop convertible it has lost its uniqueness. I didn't get nearly the attention this summer as usual.


The Crossfire will always be a very unique car. I think it's one of those designs that you just love or hate. Not much middle ground, which is a good thing for a cars value. It will be interesting to see what the public thinks 20-30 years from now.

 

I've been showing my Crossfire since 06, and won over 20 awards from 1st to 2nd these cars do draw attention and a lot of questions.
Mike seeing your car in person a number of times, you did a fantastic job on the hood.

 

Mike - I'm glad you had a most excellent time at the show. Sorry I couldn't come with, but the wife insisted that we drive to Virginia and who am I to say no to an 800 mile road trip in the Crossfire. Funny thing is that I got a lot of "nice car" comments whenever I stopped to pay the tolls on the Ohio and Pennsylvania turnpike. Perhaps it was our weekend to shine.

 

John, I missed you and Sue for sure. But if that beautiful ruby red Crossfire of yours had been there, (not to mention those two "hot" BLACK cars belonging too RickZ and Tom2112) maybe I wouldn't have garnered as much attention as I did.
Sort of reminds me of the old joke, "What's black, white and red all over"? A news paper? Yes, and the "North Coast Crossfire Organization" too.
Being there with my old high school buddy Gene (Sandman50) was great. I only get to see him a few times a year, and doing the car show thing just brings back memories of our misspent youth. lol
I have to admit though, a line of multi colored XF's showing up at a multi make car show would have been very impressive. Oh well, maybe next year.