In a class that includes the 276bhp Nissan 350Z, 215bhp is always going to struggle and despite a fair 1338kg kerbweight, the Crossfire doesn’t exactly fly to the top of the performance tree. The track was wet, but a 0-60mph time of 7.0sec was still disappointing. Reckon on the Chrysler scoring below 6.5sec in the dry.
However, on the road the V6 shows its strength, with a broad, accessible torque band that flings the Crossfire forward. The figures – identical times of 3.6sec from 30-50, 40-60 and 50-70mph in third gear – tell their own story. This performance is accompanied by a sonorous V6 growl with a satisfying edge at full throttle. But it’s just as well this engine is tractable, because a gearbox that verges on the bloody minded does its best to spoil the performance. Obstructive when cold and unpleasantly notchy once warm, it punctuates a run through the gears with nagging pauses.
Sitting so far back within the Crossfire’s wheelbase does more than provide an unusual kerbside ornament. You sit close to the rear axle with not much car behind you and a fair proportion in front, which makes for a slightly different sensation when the car swivels beneath you. Despite its sporting intent, the Chrysler has surprisingly soft suspension, producing perceptible body roll and noticeable pitch, especially under heavy braking. The recirculating ball steering disappoints, providing very little feel and a characteristic deadness around the straight-ahead, and making it difficult to position the car accurately and harder to judge any oversteer allowed before the ESP intervenes.
So the Crossfire is most satisfying at speed on fast, open roads, where more measured steering inputs allow the body to settle before a corner’s apex is reached. Sadly, however, its cruising credentials are undermined by rear wheels that transmit surface imperfections with thumping resolve.