The manufacturer's supplied plenty of hype, but these babies ended up flopping

It is a good thing that Chrysler didn’t have to count on the Crossfire to help it revive its image in the new millennium. I thought that this European-built two-seater, based on Mercedes mechanicals, was doing well--15,000 sales per year--until I saw it being offered recently on a bargain basement Internet deal. Nor would I call the pricey Cadillac XLR roadster a flaming success, but then I wouldn’t call it a failure, either.

Among the halo failures of the recent past are the Buick Reatta, the Cadillac Allante, the Plymouth Prowler, the Isuzu VehiCross and the Chrysler TC by Maserati. A halo program needs perfect or near-perfect execution in order to be a success. Otherwise, it becomes an embarrassment. Take the Cadillac Allante, a $50,000 roadster (a lot of money back in ’94, when the car died) aimed at competing with the Mercedes SL. The Allante lacked a power roof, didn’t have enough of an engine and the top leaked, too. That is not the way to compete with Mercedes.

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phantom330 - 12/20/2005 2:45:02 PM

+1 Boost

The Crossfire is horrible, the XLR is okay, but for the price (or the segment it is trying to compete in) is just not touchable for a Caddy. Anybody looking for a performance drop top probably isn't going to consider a Caddy, at least I wouldn't.

rack - 12/21/2005 11:02:07 PM

+1 Boost

This car is prices out of its demographic as it the XLR. It's just another car that the people who like it either can't or won't spend the money to on it.

americanmuscle - 12/22/2005 10:42:57 PM

+1 Boost

THE XLR IS A VERY NICE CAR, AND IF IT WERE PRICED 45-50K THEY WOULD SELL A TON OF THEM, BESIDES THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE PRICED AT. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FOLLOWING OR THE REFINEMENT OF THE SL, AFTER THE XLR PROVES ITSELF IN YEARS TO COME THEN THEY CAN PUT THE BIG STICKER ON IT!!! HEY CADDY, YOU SHOULD DO THIS!!! A XLR WITH A 7.0 LS7 MOTOR FROM THE NEW Z06, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, INSTEAD OF SITTING ON YOUR ESCALADE WINNINGS!!!

americanmuscle - 12/22/2005 10:42:57 PM

+1 Boost

THE XLR IS A VERY NICE CAR, AND IF IT WERE PRICED 45-50K THEY WOULD SELL A TON OF THEM, BESIDES THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD BE PRICED AT. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FOLLOWING OR THE REFINEMENT OF THE SL, AFTER THE XLR PROVES ITSELF IN YEARS TO COME THEN THEY CAN PUT THE BIG STICKER ON IT!!! HEY CADDY, YOU SHOULD DO THIS!!! A XLR WITH A 7.0 LS7 MOTOR FROM THE NEW Z06, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, INSTEAD OF SITTING ON YOUR ESCALADE WINNINGS!!!

071011 - 11/10/2006 11:18:40 PM

+1 Boost

Crossfire Limited is just plain OK whne it comes to performance (not bad) still great on looks....but please SRT6 model is just IT!!! Perfomance and looks. Yes they are expensive (SRT6 model) but not for us who like toyz.