Good Looker Plus
by Alan Douglas (04 May 04)

What makes a head-turner? I’ve driven many cars which attract attention from other road users and pavement passers-by who would otherwise find what’s on the road objectionable rather than of interest. But undoubtedly top of the current league has to be Chrysler’s Crossfire.

Sitting at the wheel of one of these cool coupés I found myself, during an earlier test, the subject of much pointing and gesticulation - and that’s not because of the standard of my driving. Waiting at traffic lights, I spotted Enthusiast Man in the car behind highlighting the key points of the Crossfire to Generally Disinterested Accompanying Woman. Many are the back-seat children who turned round to gaze at the approaching Crossfire after front-seat comments which I imagine were along the lines of "Wow, look at what’s coming!"

The fact is the Crossfire has huge presence on the road, and the level of attention it gathers is not just because only 900 have been registered since its launch last November.

No, the car is a stunner, and its lucky owners are becoming used to attracting attention. But I have a word of warning. If you think the coupé is a looker, just wait till you see the soft-top roadster version which will be in dealer showrooms around the end of June. I drove one of the first European examples in the South of France where, even on the streets of St Tropez, it drew admiring glances and signs of approval normally reserved for heavenly bodies of a human, and generally female, nature.

True, the particular model I had my hands on was full frontal, finished in dazzling Classic Yellow, one of the new colours revealed for the roadster. So there was no way I could go discreetly, but even on roads where flash statements are the norm, this car really stood out. Chrysler unashamedly says it is one of the most beautiful cabriolets on the road today - and I have to agree.

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