Monday, June 14, 2004
Bill Delaney
Crossfire SRT-6 turns into respectable track vehicle with 330 hp engine and suspension tweaks.
Chrysler scores with high performance Crossfire
By John McCormick / Autos Insider
John McCormick / Autos InsiderDan Knott, SRT director with Crossfire SRT-6 at Willow Springs track
It's good to see hard-pressed Chrysler Group hitting some home runs. The company has made significant strides in manufacturing efficiency, as reflected in the Harbour report released last week. And early signs indicate that one of the first of its wave of new models, the controversially styled 300C, is flying out of showrooms.
Another positive development is evident in the form of the Crossfire SRT-6, which I drove recently in California. This high performance Crossfire is the first Chrysler-badged product to emerge from the company's SRT (Street Racing Technology) division, formerly known as PVO.
As such, the SRT-6 takes a more subtle approach than its brazen Dodge SRT brethren, the Neon SRT-4, Viper and Ram SRT-10.
The difference, says SRT's straight-talking director, Dan Knott, is that the SRT-6 driver can pull up to the light next to another car, confident that he can 'blow it off', yet not need to do so. In the same circumstance, the Dodge SRT driver will want to prove the point.
What I like about the SRT-6 is that it fulfills the promise of the standard version's excellent chassis. With 330 hp and 310 lb ft of torque from its supercharged V6, the SRT-6 has 55 percent more power than the original Crossfire. Chrysler claims the SRT-6 to be a sub-five second 0-60mph car, which puts it in fairly elite company.
Add to the power boost, dampers that are 40 percent stiffer and larger brakes, and you have the recipe for a sporting coupe that performs surprisingly well on the race track yet retains a civilized demeanor on public roads.
At the demanding Willow Springs track I had little trouble keeping up with a Viper, except on the straights. In fact, while the Viper is obviously a quicker car overall, I found the SRT-6 more rewarding to drive hard at the track than the Dodge sports car, which suffers from overly quick steering turn-in.
Subtle interior changes, including Alcantara suede seat trim in place of leather for better grip, improve the SRT-6's cabin appearance, but it's still far from Chrysler's best cockpit design, not least because of the cramped legroom. The biggest disappointment is the lack of a manual transmission. Knott says there is no shifter available that can handle the engine's torque and fit in the space available. That's too bad because although the five-speed automatic does a decent job of adapting its shift strategy to an aggressive driving style, it's still not a substitute for the real thing.
Compared to the closely related $56,000 Mercedes SLK32 (which provides much of the Crossfire's structure and powertrain), the SRT-6 is fairly good value at $45,695 for the coupe ($49,995 for the roadster version). But otherwise the SRT-6 pricing puts it in the same territory as some serious and very desirable competition, including the Porsche Boxster and Chevrolet Corvette.
Rather like Chrysler's 300C sedan, the Crossfire's styling evokes mixed reaction. I am not a huge fan of the design, but I am impressed that Chrysler has given this car the power and performance it deserves.
Although it's the first Chrysler to receive the SRT treatment, it's clearly not the last. I'm sure we can look forward to a hot version of the 300C with suitably sporty handling in the not-too-distant future.
John McCormick is a columnist for Autos Insider and can be reached at jmccormick@detnews.com
Chrysler scores with high performance SRT-6 Crossfire
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