I value the opinion of all 6,000 + members of this forum and would like your input on the subject of promoting of the Crossfire in racing events. I've posted a poll to this thread and would like all of you to chime-in as well as responding with your written comments.

I was recently contacted by a DC representative regarding my track activities with the Crossfire and questioned about campaigning the car in SCCA events. He was interested in the potential marketing of a race spec. Crossfire that would "RACE ON SUNDAY, SELL ON MONDAY".

We discussed my minor modifications and the lack of affordable aftermarket performance parts for the car, as well as if the Crossfire could compete on a national level with other cars classed in the SCCA T3 category.

Our discussion was lengthy and in depth and left me with some hope that DC could possibly re-purpose (re-market) the car as a sports racer with additional support from aftermarket performance manufacturers, if the DC marketing department was onboard.

My question to all of my fellow forum members is;
1) Do you feel the car would be more appealing to you if it were raced in SCCA events and broadcast on TV ?
2) Would you be more likely to buy a Crossfire if you thought it was capable of "OUT OF THE BOX" road racing ?
3) If performance / products were readily available for the Crossfire, would you be more likely to purchase the car ?
4) Wouldn't you like the BRAG FACTOR?, "yeah it beats a Boxter, S2000, M3, Elise, EVO, WRX on a road course ? And I saw it on the SPEED Channel...

We may have an opportunity to show DC that the Crossfire can be a car to be proud of... Let me know your opinion...

 

1) No
2) No
3) Yes, if there was a decent aftermarket, I would haven't not gone through 2 srt-4's and a STi.
4) It would be neat but that is usually what slower cars brag about. And I really don't think the guy in the M3 would care if he loss to a XF. He is still driving home in a M3. Lol

 

1. yes

2. no not on the east coast.... don't think there are alot of enthusiasts who will buy an out of the box racer... not alot of places to take it to the track over here. west and mid america yes.

3. no if i were buying a car based on what the aftermarket has to offer... then that car manufacturer has the wrong marketing strategy in place

4a. bragging... depends on the age of the purchaser... as for me or anyone over 40 years old... i don't think bragging means all that much...!?!?!?

4b. to see it on the speed channel... yeah, that would be nice as well as it gaining exposure/popularity/and to make a name for itself in its true form... being frisky on the road!!!

HDDP... i really hope somehow some way that they will endorse crossfires on the circuit and or sponsor people like you who could choose other cars to race but chose the XF.

i just checked the D/C annuals and officially they have the 2008 XF scheduled as a "redesign"... a redesign can easily mean termination 2 make room for the firepower or...?

 

1.yes
2.yes
3.yes
4.yes

These elements have worked for Porsche for years. The Crossfire has an image problem and what you propose would take care of alot of that and add legitimacy. Ask the poor sap in the S2000 I raced if he'll disrespect the Xfire again.

 

1-4 maybe for others not myself, as for what DC should do!!! Put the 3.5 V6 in and some upgrades, seats, tranny, radio. Paint the SRT6s red, alabaster+ manual tranny! Add active suspension as option or dealer add-on. DO SOMETHING is better than nothing!!! Racing??? Not.

 

1) Do you feel the car would be more appealing to you if it were raced in SCCA events and broadcast on TV ?
- Yes. Seeing Corvettes and 350Z's racing on the Speed Channel definitely gives them more credibility as sports cars.

2) Would you be more likely to buy a Crossfire if you thought it was capable of "OUT OF THE BOX" road racing ?
- Yes. Even though I already own one, I'd have to say that when it comes to sales, performance matters. Just look at the Mitsubishi Evolution and the Subaru STi. Both look like they fell out of the Ugly Tree and hit every branch on the way down. Both tear up the track and get high marks from the auto magazines and thus, sell relatively well.


3) If performance / products were readily available for the Crossfire, would you be more likely to purchase the car ?
- Yes. The option to upgrade without buying a whole new vehicle is always good. Also, the option of purchasing a "sport" or "track" model of a vehicle is always a good thing.

4) Wouldn't you like to brag your friends, "yeah it beats a Boxter, S2000, M3, Elise, EVO, WRX on a road course ? And I saw it on the SPEED Channel...
Yes - As I said in my answer to question #1, seeing my model of car on the track gives it more credibility as a sports car.

I hope this works out for you Derek, especially since you put so much effort into the car.

 

^^^ bingo bingo bingo.

 

I'm glad you agree... Let's see what transpires...

 

1) yes,
2) yes, works very well for the 600 cc bikes, those things sell like hotcakes cause out of the box they are so close to AMA super sport spec.
3) only if the car was underpowered, but if it was blowing the doors out of other cars straight from the show room floor, then no.
4) yep, and racing and dominating in the 80's was how the M3/M5 became what it is today. A symbol of power and handling. Winning on sundays makes people believe your product is better.

chung

 

1. Yeah. I'd watch.
2. At what cost? The SRT-6 is a PERFORMANCE model. A cheaper one would be nice and maybe a manual but don't forget, it is AMG after all.
3. More options in aftermarket is never a bad thing. It forces companies to sell at a cheaper price with the bigger market. And who doesn't want to make their crossfire their own?
4. I already have the brag factor. "Sexy isn't she."

 

1) A little.
2) Not really.
3) Without a doubt.
4) I just want to be able to beat the Chevy Cobalt I saw on my way home from work.

There's just no reason why a $13k car could easily smoke any of the $30k+ cars on this board.

 

^^^ The difference being that a 13k car after 2 years of abuse is worth zero, squeaks and rattles like a drawer of silver ware, and has parts falling off all over the place. You pay for more than just speed ya know.

I mean, you can make anything go fast. Look at the Neon. A total POS with bolted on power and to tell you the truth I wouldn't take one except to beat the living crap out of it and leave it smoldering. Which is why that thing is built anyway. Go fast disposable car.

 

Another GREAT weekend on the track with the Crossfire... California Motor Speedway and lots of people asking questions about the car... I'll post videos later, but in the interim here's some photos.

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...3325#post73325

 

BTW: Sunday proved to me again that there is a huge interest in the Crossfire when I run it at the track... At least 50 people came over to me in the paddock and asked questions or took pictures... Are you paying attention DC ?

 

Darn this Cal Speedway video is GOOD... I'll post ASAP.

 

did you get to dyno it?? also any news on those headers??

 

How'd those brakes work?

 

The brakes were terrific, they gave me an additional 30-40 feet into the corners. I spoke with Gary Johnson from Dodge MotorSports and told him about my upgrade from the Limited to the SRT6 brakes and he recommended that I install the SRT6 master cylinder as well ($260) since I race the car, he was concerned that the MC reservoir on the limited may not handle the SRT6 dual piston caliper in extreme racing conditions... The pedal did get a little spongy after awhile, It might have been a bubble... I'll check them out next week...

The bias was perfect and that's where I made-up most of my time, was coming into and going through the corners... Once I hit the straights, I got pounded again...

I'll post some video when I get a chance, but I have to fly to San Francisco for a gig for the week...

 

Wrong track... the dyno is at ButtonWillow, so I didn't yet... Which headers ? the Custom Super Sprint, or the others ?

 

Great pics, and good to hear that the brake upgrade was worth the effort. Does the pedal feel any better and does the performance stay consistent after several laps? I find that after 10 laps or so on the stock brakes the pedal tends to get a bit softer (it always seems a bit soft normally anyway), although the stopping power still seems as good, you just start to feel a bit less confident with them.

EDIT Oops, just read the bit about the spongy brakes!

Its so frustrating when you have a quicker car through the twisty bits. You get held up trailing the slower car through the bend, which compromises your exit speed, then they disappear down the straight and you're screwed for the whole length of the straight with it all to do again. I even used to get this in the PT. I would move over on the straight to let an obviously faster car through only to baulked as they dawdled through the chicanes.

Simon.