Although the Crossfire roadster might look the part, it doesn’t have the raw performance you might expect, reaching 60mph from rest in 7.1sec. That’s quick enough to shame the 180bhp Audi TT roadster, but almost certainly not enough to outgun the forthcoming Nissan 350Z roadster.
This engine’s strength is its torque, demonstrated by the consistency of the speed increments when accelerating through the gears. It’s happiest when pulling in the mid-range, with the exhaust bellowing in enthusiastic approval. The gearshift is smooth enough, but the Autostick function is only really useful as an aid to engine braking. And although we couldn’t fault the overall power of the brakes, their snatchiness made them hard to use and a nagging frustration in everyday driving.
It is its chassis that defines the Crossfire next to its rivals. The recirculating ball steering has a dead feeling around the straight ahead position and lacks the accuracy required to confidently place the car. The suspension is fairly soft, with noticeable pitch and roll. Drive the roadster hard and it becomes untidy, making it difficult to get into any rhythm. Sudden steering inputs cause the car to lurch and hitting a bump mid-corner can upset the body control quite severely.
As with the coupé, the driver sits near the rear axle with the bonnet stretching a long way in front. It’s an unusual feeling that has an impact on the way the car feels during cornering – turn the wheel and it’s as if the car is pivoting at a point ahead of you. It takes some getting used to.
The ride is much more impressive, thanks to that soft suspension which favours comfort over control, with only the jarring effect of the low-profile tyres causing problems in town over ridges and scarred surfaces.
You can only conclude that driving the Crossfire roadster is about enjoying the view rather than reaching anywhere in a hurry.