First Crossfire Shipped to U.S. Chrysler Dealers
The '2' of Chrysler's 1-2 punch for the 2004-model year was scheduled to begin reaching U.S. dealers this past week - a welcome pick-me-up after the traumatic news of Chrysler Group's looming $1.2 billion loss for the second quarter. That second product punch is the Chrysler Crossfire roadster, a zesty-looking and performing car that shares Mercedes-Benz powertrains and other key components.
As an "image-builder" for the hard-pressed automaker and its nearly 3,000 Chrysler-brand dealers in the U.S., Crossfire's entrance couldn't be more timely. According to Automotive News, the Wilhelm Karmann GmbH plant that assembles Crossfires can build only about 8,700 units for the U.S. this year at its Osnabruck, Germany plant - a relative drop in the bucket if Crossfire becomes a 'gotta-have' road racer. So far, says Chrysler spokesperson Marc Henrietta, 1,850 Chrysler-brand dealers have signed up to handle the Crossfire. Unlike the first half of the 1-2 punch, the Pacifica crossover, which goes to all Chrysler stores, Chrysler Group required dealers to be "certified" for the 3.2-liter rear-drive Crossfire - ponying up $8,100 for tools, parts and technician training. The dealer discount of $2,500 per unit is only about 7 percent of Crossfire prices, a lower than average profit margin.
Chrysler had hoped the Pacifica would provide a roaring sendoff for Crossfire, but only 2,471 of the Windsor, Ontario-built Pacificas were sold in May, leaving dealers with a whopping 214-day inventory. The hope now is that, as dealers get their first Crossfires, shoppers will be drawn to Chrysler showrooms and look at Pacificas as well.
The Crossfire carries a maximum suggested retail price of $35,570 for the five-speed automatic transmission version and $34,495 for one with a six-speed manual transmission. High-volume Chrysler dealers have been promised three or four Crossfires by year-end, with each certified Crossfire dealer getting at least one. Eventually, Chrysler would like to sell 20,000 Crossfires a year in the U.S, and 2,500 in Europe. It's the first car since the Daimler-Benz/Chrysler Corp. 'merger' in 1998 sharing parts between products of the two entities. Next year's rear-drive successors to the Chrysler Concorde and Dodge Intrepid will also be rear-drives, tapping into the Mercedes parts bin. -Mac Gordon
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