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2005 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster Road Test

The Premium Sports Car Value Leader

There are few more enjoyable experiences than sharing a persons first visit to a town as overwhelmingly large and outrageously heterogeneous as Los Angeles. Such was the case during a recent trip to tinsel town, where I shared the cockpit of Chryslers new Crossfire Roadster with a first-timer from Quebec, Canada.

Hugues kept giggling, unable to hold back his exuberance, pinching himself that he was actually driving down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills with a Bvlgari store on one side and Tiffanys on the other, and then through Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard with the sun beaming down through towering palms into the cabin of our gorgeous convertible. Ive been to L.A. so many times now I had become almost

Driving a brand new Crossfire Roadster down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, with a Bvlgari store on one side and Tiffanys on the other, its hard not to smile. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

complacent. My friends unbridled joy made me appreciate just how lucky I was all over again.

Remembering back to a similar feeling, which with regards to L.A. was when I was about thirteen years old and in the back of the family wagon making my first trek to every North American childs Mecca, Disneyland, I most recently

L.A. was the ideal location to debut a car that will sell better here than anywhere else in the world. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

felt the travel buzz of excitement about four years ago while arriving in Manhattan for the first time ever. I thought I was a mature, sophisticated businessman cum journalist, but no, I succumbed to the Big Apples overwhelming presence like a kid at his first big screen movie, jaw agape while oohing and aahing at the Chrysler building through a yellow cab window.

Like New York, L.A. has its own magic,

Chrysler seems bound and determined to shake up the premium market by offering stunning cars like the Crossfire Roadster at affordable prices. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

the most plentiful being sunshine and heat. It was the ideal location to debut a car that will sell better here than anywhere else in the world. Case in point, were driving down Wilshire Ave. on the way to Santa Monica and a cool looking guy in a Saab Viggen convertible pulls up beside us and says, "When are those comin out?" I mention May and then he asks the obvious question, "How much?" I tell him the price of $35K and grinning from ear to ear

The Crossfire Roadster was best appreciated while running through the circuitous mountain roadways that twisted through the outskirts of L.A. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

he responds, "Are you serious?! Im gonna get one of those!" Sorry Saab, I didnt mean to cost you a customer.

But dont blame me; its all Chryslers fault. Theyre steadily shaking up the premium market by delivering passion-inducing styling, top-tier quality and superb performance, all for prices that cause momentary synapse short-circuits.

While the city is cool to drive through, with the sporty V6 engines sassy exhaust note bouncing off surrounding shop

The Roadsters 215-hp 3.2-liter V6 engine, available with either a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission, is impressive. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

windows, the Crossfire Roadster was best appreciated while running through the circuitous mountain roadways that course around the outlying area. We were actually staying in Laguna Beach, about 50 miles south of L.A., a beautiful upper crust town that clings to sandy cliffs along the waterfront.

But, while enjoyable, my job here in Southern California wasnt to take in the scenery, at least not from anywhere but behind the windshield of the new Crossfire Roadster. After turning inland from the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH1) onto the 133,

On most road surfaces the Crossfire is one of the smoothest riding sports cars available, without sacrificing handling. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

and driving for a few minutes past a variety of quirky shops and motels, a quick jaunt down the 405 leads to some fantastic roads.

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