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Chrysler Crossfire: A European American
Written by: Jan Tuček

At first glance, the two-seat Chrysler Crossfire coupé proudly screams that it's an American sports car designed for pleasure. And yet this typical American is manufactured in Europe by DaimlerChrysler, in cooperation with the German body maker Karmann.

UNDER THE HOOD of this attractive, 4.06 meter-long coupé with markedly rounded lines there lurks a 3.2-liter, 215 hp (160 kW), V6 engine made by Mercedes-Benz. It comes with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic, and has rear-wheel drive. The six-cylinder engine provides over 90% of its maximum torque of 310 Nm at engine speeds from 2,600 to 5,300 rpm. The Crossfire features a painstakingly developed chassis with four-wheel independent suspension smoothed out by coil springs and stabilizers. Standard equipment includes an ABS anti-block braking system and BAS brake assist, as well as an ESP electronic chassis stabilization program. Its wheels are eighteen-inch up front and nineteen-inch in back, and it comes with low-profile Michelin Pilot Sport tires measuring 225/40 ZR 18 forward and 255/35 ZR 19 in the rear.

With a curb weight of 1,388 kg, the Crossfire can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, and on a German autobahn it can reach speeds of up to 242 km/h (an even 150 mph). Fitted with the manual transmission it burns an average of 10.4 liters of gasoline per 100 km but only 10.1 liters with the automatic, with the greater economy enjoyed mainly around town, where with the automatic it burns just 14.3 liters, while consumption rises to 15.4 liters with the standard. So the 60-liter gas tank is in no way oversized, as is also the case with the 215 liters of trunk space. Of the 20,000 cars produced annually only 3,000 will be sold outside of North American markets. In the Czech Republic the Chrysler Crossfire sells for CZK 1,299,000 with the standard transmission, and CZK 1,348,000 with the automatic.