First of all, the wonderful concept dubbed Firepower is a halo car of the highest order, not that Chrysler particularly needs one these days. After all,
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| The wonderful concept dubbed Firepower is a halo car of the highest order, not that Chrysler particularly needs one these days. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
while it's lovely little M-B SLK-based Crossfire coupe and roadster has more or less faded into obscurity behind the success of the 300 series sedan, and its Dodge derivatives named Magnum and Charger, a halo car is hardly needed. I mean, how much better can it get than to have a high-volume mainstream model become the poster child of "bling" among hip-hop and rap act videos? The 300 has been so successful that even a year after its launch it still drew massive crowds at the very same Detroit auto show where the Firepower was unveiled.
But the throng around the 300 wasn't near as big as those clambering to get close Chrysler's sports coupe concept, mind you. The solid wash of bodies was so deep that getting near it required an aggressiveness that was even over the top for me, camera held high, yelling photo, move out of the way please... my usual chant designed for parting crowds en route to popular new vehicle debuts. Even "real" photojournalists stare at me dumbfounded when I do this, and in shock get out of the way. I get my shots, climb inside the concepts to get a hands-on view necessary for delivering my up-close-and-personal story... however late it might hit the press.
So, back to Chrysler... the 300, especially in its "C" designation, is a halo car all on its own, but that doesn't mean Chrysler shouldn't keep building a
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| Does a person move up from a 425-horsepower 300C SRT8 to a 330-horsepower Crossfire SRT6? Possibly, but a 6.1L HEMI-powered Firepower seems the more logical progression. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
sport-oriented flagship, right? Still, there's a lot of question as to what that flagship should be? Should the V6-powered Crossfire, with its Mercedes-Benz sourced componentry, really be the ultimate "aspirational" vehicle for a brand that is wrapping its new image around the all-powerful HEMI V8 engine range? Does a person move up from a 425-horsepower 300C SRT8 to a 330-horsepower Crossfire SRT6? Possibly, but I for one would want a HEMI-powered Crossfire when my kids move out of the house, although being that this is hardly possible, not only because the kids who live in my house are all under five and no such car will exist in 15 to 20 years time unless on a classics lot, but also due to the challenge which would result in stuffing even the smaller 5.7-litre V8 into the Crossfire's diminutive engine bay. No, something entirely different should be at the top of Chrysler's sporting range.
