I hate when the Crossfire is criticized for being "Underpowered". Underpowered compared to WHAT?
In an article which bestows the title "Best Muscle Car Ever" (http://www.mustangandfords.com/thehistoryof/19921/) , the GT350 is described as doing 0-60 in 6.8, a standing quarter in 15 flat, with a top speed of 135.

Apples and oranges, to be sure, but if my car is slow, what does that make Leno's $300,000.00 Ford?
Plus my air conditioner blows snowballs.

 

[face_applause]

Don't listen to the stupid straight line light to light racers. The car is distinguished, beautiful, quick, and handles like a dream. Forget those drag racing morons who would say a shopping cart that does the quarter in 11 seconds is better than the crossfire.

 

Dobro, I'm assuming when you say the Crossfire is criticized for being underpowered, you are referring to the many magazine road test articles, and the handful of televised road tests of the car. I have to agree with you, it does get rather "old" hearing that after awhile. I mean I don't remember the Corvette (in the late 60's) ever being called underpowered by any of the magazines of the day if it had a 300 hp 327 or 350 cu.in. V8.
Using the old "Gross H.P." form of measurement, (that was used until the 1972 model year) then the Crossfire would have registered something in excess of 300 hp. also.
The only thing that keeps the Limited Crossfire from winning drag races with other "supposedly" faster, and higher horse powered cars in its class, is the rather high gear ratio of 3.27:1. If it would have came with a 3.55, or better yet, a 3.73 gear ratio, I would have to speculate 14.5's for the automatic XF would be quite possible. Unfortunately, the extremely "low" first gear of the XFs 6 spd. transmission, would render 1st gear nearly useless if a lower final drive ratio were used. That is unless you have some "stumps" in the lower forty that need removed.
Personally, I would gladly give up the Crossfires 150+ mph capability for a much more useful real world "American Style" driving experience. Such as, winning stop light Grand Prix's, and better acceleration thru the gears, topping out at around 135 to 140 mph. Thanks to the overdrive, the lower final drive ratio wouldn't affect any of the Crossfires other sports car like attributes.

MAYAman, I'm not condoning "drag racing" on the street, I'm only suggesting how nice it would be to be able to pull a "hole-shot" on the other cars in our class by showing them some tail light at an intersection.
As the car sits right now, I'm still very pleased with my 04's performance, and if I wanted to go "crazy fast" I'd buy a Viper.

 

Fireamx, that's cool man. I refer to people that think that the straight line light to light crap is the only thing a car can do. I love taking cars with much more horsepower than my porsche and absolutely destroying them when I take them into the twisty back roads of Connecticut.

While I have my S2 almost sideways they are slamming on brakes and lunging all over the place. Nothing feels better than watching them get smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror while listening to Bach and knowing I just smoked an 8 cylinder with a 4 banger where it really counts and where real drivers play...THE TWISTY BITS.

 

+FireAMX, that's one of the best stated posts ever here!

 

Aero Blue, In the immortal words of Dobros alter ego, Thank You...Thank you very much.

 

the car is underpowered and does not have the correct gearing as you stated -- 3.73 would be nice or possibly 4.10...the xf will never be the true sports car that dc should have made...it should have a bare minimum of 250 hp...and it does need some more straight line speed, thats what holds the car back from being phenomenal, and being one of the best valued performance cars around.

 

Ummm, isn't that what the SRT-6 is for?

 

If I needed to drag race my XF I think I would supercharge it and do what ever else needed to be done to race but I don't view the XF as a dragster. As far as it being a Sports Car... to me it a FINE Sports Car but that's my opinion. When I test drove mine I knew just what I was buying and I believe I made a great choice. For those that want it to be something different, go for it. Hot rods are not usually production cars, they are built by the owners.

 

i agree that the limited is under powered. if it wasn’t for the srt6 i never would have bought a xf.

 

to start a logically argument please start with a legit point--the car is UNDERPOWERED put against its competing cars *350z, z4, s2k and g35...to name a few*. the srt6 cost damn near as much as a c6 so i would expect it to put up some good numbers.

you mentioned hot rods don't come from the factory--i didn't say i wanted a hot rod, i said i wanted a sports car with ample acceleration compared to others. For f**ks sake quite a bit of family sedans put more hp to the ground than the xf, so how can you consider a 2 seater car putting anywhere from 30-80 hp less than the maxima, or accord the soccer mom the next lane to you is spouting a "true sports car".

before you say go buy an srt-6 i considered it, and the answer was no due to lack of manual. i am getting a viper here pretty soon anyways.

 

JP, do yourself a favor and save $1,000's of dollars, and buy mine.

 

JP whatever you do please buy the Viper REAL soon, your starting to sound like a broken record (a broken CD for you younger folks)...hooah... It's all Love and Peace brother.

As for input on this subject here are my ideas if you want to kill a stock GT500 Mustang with your Crossfire Limited:

1. TB size enlargement.
2. Cam with real lobes.
3. Headers, uncap the headers for the kill.
4. Just remove all air filters and run open air RAM air induction tubes (smooth type) and I mean RAM air not cool air.
5. Fuel pump with higher pressure.
6. Rear end gearing size increase to 4:10 or better, nothing less.
7. Shave heads, or use thin head gaskets.
8. Replace belt under hood with one that will not include the Ac or Smog Pump pulleys.
9. Remap ECU.
10. Kill the TC system, doin a Dyno setup shut down on it.
11. Pull thermostat out of engine so the engine runs cooler and the sensors will feed it more gas.
12. Plug off EGR vacuum hose.
13. Have the radiator fan running at all times (cooler engine).
14. Keep windows rolled up tight.
15. Remove hood and second seat from car, while you are at it also take off the rear hatch door.
16. Replace heavy OEM wheels (52 pounds each) with wheels made of lighter weight material.
17. Install a real high stall torque converter.
18. Pack fuel lines and fuel rails in ice just before race, heII just cover the entire intake manifold with ice.
19. Now just before race time take the person driving the Mustang out for dinner and have him eat a 250 pound steak...

That should help in your efforts to kill a GT500 Mustang heads up from the light.

 

LOL... I actually "started" reading it as if it was written seriously...

 

really wanting an rt-10, but would consider a gts at the right price. how much are you wanting for it, how many miles, aftermarket parts, interior condition, year, ect.

as far as this comment, "JP whatever you do please buy the Viper REAL soon, your starting to sound like a broken record (a broken CD for you younger folks)...hooah... It's all Love and Peace brother." -- FirebaseD

i feel as if i am the only one on this board who realizes what this car IS, and what it ISN'T. you guys treat it like a highly sought after collector car that is on par in performance to its competitors. when in reality, it is a luxury 2 seater, with some performance attributes...i don't regret purchasing my xf, because in all honesty it is one of the BEST looking cars ever released bar none. but wish it had at least 3.73 gears, and at least 30 more hp, or the srt6 could be purchased manual tranny.

 

Mark Twain:

"When I was a boy of 14,
my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.
But when I got to be 21,
I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years".

 

i'm not sure what makes your post the most funny. the fact that your trying to say i'm ignorant and i won't feel the same in a few years, your avatar, or the fact we drive the same car and i'm half your age.

please before you start insulting, consider 2 things, i come from a different era...a 85 hp v8 is no longer a high performance engine, and the fact that not everyone shares the same opinion as you.

 

JP... Go to kleeman: (http://www.kleemann.dk/site/D73BB20B-EDF9-4B53-8260-FBAD205206BF) You can order a supercharger and go to 335 HP keeping your current trans. They have some cool stuff. I realize what my car is and realized what it was when I purchased it.
No insult intended from me but 85 hp? I had cars 35 years ago that you would not have been able to reach up and touch the dash when punched, a bit more than 85 hp.

 

i was more or less poking fun at the ford flathead engine. trust me i realize that their are plenty of muscle cars that have plenty of torque

as far as the supercharger no info is really given on it pricing, ease of installation, i would have to i assume lower compression, change out computer systems, and well theirs is no one in my local area who would have any damn idea what their doing so guess that makes me sol for that option.

 

Whoa woo whoa! I find it very hard to believe the S2K has more power than the Limited XF. I've raced one a couple months ago from a 30 mph roll, and all it did was make a lot of noise while it stayed right behind me for a at least a 1/4 mile. And I doubt it can take the Limited off the line from a dig.