I hope I am not breaking any copy write laws but, here is a good review by a quailty paper in the UK.

Stick that up your *** Mr Clarkson :twisted: :evil:


In the past few years, three cars have really put a smile on my face. The first was the Plymouth Prowler which with its menacing style might have been built for Cruella de Ville. It had wee boys jumping up and down on the pavements when it flowed past. Second was the PT Cruiser which was another Hollywood production but this time it was Bonnie and Clyde behind the wheel. Again, it was thumbs up all the way to the bank and back. Last week it was Crossfire that said cheese and each day I didn't really want to go to work, all I wanted to do was drive, drive, drive.

All these cars are built by Chrysler, a company to which much credit should be given for taking the concept that stage further and having the pluck to put it into production. Yet it doesn't seem so long ago that Chrysler had bought over Rootes at Linwood where the likes of the Hunter and Avenger were made. The cars had great engines; however, like so many other models of that era a sound heart is not much good when the rest of the car is liable to rot faster than a rhubarb leaf on the compost heap.

Global harmonisation has seen the company get into bed with Mercedes and its new title, DaimlerChrysler has a rather more noble ring to it. The first issue of the nuptials is Crossfire, a two- seater hard top which comes in one size with a 3.2-litre engine. It has a lot of Merc under its skin, uses the SLK running gear and is built at Osnabrueck in Germany. This will satisfy potential Crossfire customers more than anything as its main competitors are likely to be Porsche, Audi or BMW fans who jump ship.

Its American styling achieves film star status if pedestrian reaction is anything to go by. As she sped past, small boys tugged at their mothers' denims while older men, seeking a dose of automotive viagra, peered limply at her sheer beauty. Crossfire captures the eye and the attention. From the front it looks a tidy length because of its long grooved bonnet but from the side it looks quite a compact car because of its low roof and shallow windows. The keen observer will notice that the rear tyres are slightly larger than those at the front. A centrally mounted twin-exhaust cannon appears ready to light up in afterburn orange but this and other details such as the side gills make it look like a bit of a racer that can handle itself.

The speedometer goes up to 160mph which is not boastful because Crossfire claims a top speed of 155mph. It is pretty nippy too, getting off its mark and is well equipped to give carrion crows a fright when they are picking at their roadway meal.

At just over 60mph, a spoiler automatically rises out of the rear end. It hasn't been put there for the benefit of the constabulary throughout the UK to tell them you are exceeding the speed limit on A-roads. Its purpose is rather more serious as Chrysler points out: "the spoiler generates 356 Newtons of downforce to the rear of Crossfire at 80mph. Raised edges to the sides and trailing edge of the spoiler enhance its performance and it works in conjunction with the lower venturi created by the diffusers around the exhausts," wow.

Although on UK roads we won't get the full advantage of the spoiler, Crossfire is a car that should be taken seriously. Behind the wheel it feels wonderfully able and apart from its evident agility it has huge measures of refinement that gave me confidence in its build quality and potential long life. I also liked the steering which was not stiff or heavy but had a weighty, engineered feel about it.

This model was linked to its V6 engine by a five-speed sequential- manual gearbox. Although automatic could be used, the sequential change is a bit more fun, especially on roads where gear changing is regular. Higher or lower gears are selected by tapping the gear leaver to the right to go up or left to change down.

It possibly consumes more units of spirit per week than I could afford particularly when driven with some enthusiasm. Its 60-litre tank had to be topped up a couple of times while in my custodianship although official figures don't seem so bad if you consider 27.2mpg on combined to be OK.

Crossfire is a pure two-seater and its passenger cabin has a healthy amount of all-round space although at first my head was in the loft until I lowered the seat. The boot has a fairly narrow entrance but a couple of sets of golf clubs will fit if put at the diagonal. Crossfire doesn't have a spare wheel but instead you get a puncture repair kit.

Instrument dials behind the steering wheel are slightly towards the classic age but the star of this cabin is the centre console which looks like one large lick of platinum marshmallow in which audio, air con and various other controls are fitted. It is a real Yankee doodle dandy but it is not in the least cheap or tacky. My only challenge was the cruise control lever which I frequently adopted as a trafficator stalk, however, I did get out of the habit before it accidentally broke off.

One other issue with it was that I found it difficult to reverse, especially in darkened multi-storey car parks. It was rather like reversing a van that didn't have windows in its rear doors. Parking sensors would be a good option to have fitted or if that isn't possible a tow hook offers excellent protection.

If the purpose of this car is to put a smile on its owner's face then it has served its needs. At (pounds) 27,280 in manual form ((pounds) 28,520 auto), it is cheaper than any new Porsche Boxster and about the same price as the better Audi TTs. It is has well proven engineering and undoubted beauty and perhaps the only thing it really needs is a detachable roof, but that's coming to a showroom near you, soon.

 

a solid review indeed maybe the journalistic worm is turning

 

I wouldn't read too much into that Top Gear jackass. It was obvious he was getting a spiff for that bullshit.

 

it wasn't just him but most of the UK press but hey who cares, they all seem to love the roadster? starange all you had to do was remove the roof and some of the structural strength!