...for those who may not have seen it...

Caught in the Crossfire: Chrysler mulls future of slow-selling sports coupe



RICK KRANZ | Automotive News
Posted Date: 9/26/05
FRANKFURT -- Chrysler group executives are weighing the future of the slow-selling Chrysler Crossfire.

At issue is whether the two-passenger sports car will be redesigned and assembled in North America or merely fade into the sunset when its assembly contract with Wilhelm Karmann GmbH expires.

The rear-drive Crossfire shares Mercedes-Benz components and is assembled by Karmann in Osnabruck, Germany. Production began in 2003.

Without giving specifics, Hendrik Loetter, key account manager of Karmann U.S.A., said the contract to build the Crossfire was for approximately five years.

The Crossfire "has done an awful lot for the brand. It has helped redefine our design and engineering capabilities," said Joe Eberhardt, executive vice president of global sales and marketing. "I think as an industry and as a company, we have to get away from the fact that every new vehicle automatically has to have a replacement."

Asked if the Chrysler Firepower roadster concept, which was shown at this year's Detroit auto show, is the likely Crossfire successor, Eberhardt said "the two are not related."

When the Crossfire debuted in 2003, the intent was to create a halo vehicle for the Chrysler brand. The automaker set an annual U.S. sales target of 20,000 units. It sold 14,969 units in 2004.

Chrysler has sold 10,276 units through August, 166 units up from the year-ago period.

The special employee pricing program for everyone boosted July and August sales. In July, Chrysler sold 1,364 Crossfires, compared with 1,269 in July 2004. In August 1,262 units were sold, up from 1,205 for the year-ago month.

"If we continue at the current pace that we saw last month (August), I would be happy," said Eberhardt, who was interviewed on Sept. 13 at the Frankfurt auto show.

But Eberhardt added: the "Crossfire is certainly a challenge for us. It is no secret."

The 2006 Crossfire's sticker price ranges from $30,070 for the base coupe to $50,395 for the SRT-6 convertible. Prices include shipping.

"Pricing is an issue if you look at what else is out there in the market today in that segment," Eberhardt said.

Chrysler is talking to auto dealers to determine how sales can be increased.

 

They need to advertise, is anyone listening? Pontiac is advertising the Solstice and the new Mazda Miata I got a flyer in the mail!

Advertise! please!

 

How would you advertise it? I think it would be hard to explain to the public how it is part Chrysler and part Mercedes. Maybe some copyright stuff going on there.

 

It's not difficult you have a good looking guy in a Crossfire pick up a good looking girl and drive 150 mph off in the sunset. The Chrysler Crossfire "Powered by Mercedes" I don't think there is any trade mark issues they are now they same company anyway why wouldn't both companies want success? I would like to see demand high supply low, price holds high everyone wins even us.

 

I've seen Crossfire commercials on TV quite a few times. There were originally commercials featuring just the Crossfire, but the more recent commercials advertise the Crossfire along with a couple other discounted Chrysler vehicles. I've seen the Crossfire advertised on automotive websites such as Edmunds and even in advertisements for other products (Armor All I think was one). Then there were the Crossfire giveaways which are a form of advertising. Didn't Shell give away something like 30 of them for using their product and credit card? Crossfire roadsters make regular appearances on "The Price is Right." "The Apprentice" is a popular show and the Crossfire was advertised there for an entire season and the winner won a roadster. For a supposedly low-rate production car there has been plenty of advertising.

The other issue is with the connection to Mercedes. The Mercedes folks (and remember DC is more about Mercedes then Chrysler even though Chrysler is the one responsible for most of the company's recent profits) simply do not want to advertise the Mercedes componentry because it could hurt sales on the SLK and other MB cars. How do you explain to your loyal Benz buyer that the Crossfire is essentially similar to his SLK but $5-10K cheaper?

We've seen lots of posts over the last couple years related to a perceived lack of advertisement. I think that's mainly because to some degree we Crossfire owners are a little offended our car isn't a more popular seller. But an advertising blitz isn't going to put profits into the pockets of the car manufacturer unless there is a market (which there isn't) for tens or hundreds of thousands of the product.

 

Just park a new Crossfire next to all it's competition one at a time in a parking lot and film peoples reaction to the Crossfire vs the others then just say compare before you buy! For a TV add. And add 50 hp. haha.

 

solstice stripped roadster 20k with a/c and antilock $21,300 compare that to our base roadster of 35K sticker and you get the reason.