When we tested the Chrysler Crossfire coupé, we concluded that its main strengths lay in its visual appeal, on account of styling unlike anything else’s on the road, and a welcome ability as a fast cruiser, albeit one marred by a fidgety ride. We were considerably less appreciative of its talents as a driver’s car, marking it well behind the Nissan 350Z and Mazda RX-8 for driver appeal.
Chopping the roof off the Crossfire would therefore seem to play to its strengths by making it even more desirable. So is the new Crossfire Roadster the last word in cool, or a wobbly version of a coupé that already misses the mark dynamically?
The transformation from coupé to roadster hasn’t softened the impact of the Crossfire’s design. It’s a better balanced shape, trading some of the more individual features of the coupé (such as the fastback roofline) for better proportions overall, particularly when viewed from the side.
The fabric roof requires manual unlatching before folding it at the touch of a button; the lever requires an awkward twist, especially when closing. Thankfully, the rest of the roof’s operation is slick, taking 22 seconds, and the fabric disappears completely beneath a hard tonneau with twin roll hoops.
To counter the loss of structural rigidity that comes with removing the roof, Chrysler has strengthened the Crossfire’s bodyshell, and the weight penalty is only an additional 36kg. The rest of the mechanicals are carried straight over from the coupé, which means the 3.2-litre Mercedes-Benz V6 producing 215bhp, double wishbone front suspension with multiple-links at the rear and the same giant 19in wheels at the back, with 18in rims up front.
Our test car came with the optional five-speed auto ’box instead of the obstructive six-speed manual, and features ‘Autostick’ – Chrysler-speak for the semi-automatic gear selection found in Mercedes models. Knocking the lever to the right changes up a gear; to the left, down a gear.