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When the Alphera Dutton Rally returns to Greater Shepparton on August 6,
reigning champion Peter Gazzard will be behind the wheel of Chrysler’s dynamic
Crossfire Coupe.
Gazzard, a two-time winner of the event, said he is looking forward to
putting the striking Crossfire through its paces. “It’s a 3.2-litre engine
producing 160kW of power and 310Nm of torque, with a 0 to 100kmh time of 6.5
seconds. It will provide a great drive and a lot of fun,” he said.
Gazzard, who will co-drive with long time team mate Kurt Stiles, added “I’ve
driven many vehicles in my time, but none match the evocative styling of the
Crossfire. If it goes as good as it looks, we should post some respectable
times.”
Over three days (August 6-8), competitors will face more than 25 different
driving tests including motorkhanas, sprints, skid pan work and hillclimbs.
One of the features of the Crossfire that Gazzard will be relying on will be
the Coupe’s four giant ‘footprints’. The Crossfire’s wheels and tyres are
staggered in size, like those of a race car, narrower at the front for crisp
steering and wider at the rear to transmit more power to the road surface. Their
large diameter (wheels are 18-inch front, 19-inch rear), and generous tyre width
(225 mm front and 255 mm rear) give the car four giant ‘footprints’ or contact
patches to generate immense grip and very high cornering forces – over 1.0 G
lateral force on a dry surface.
Both traction control and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP®) are standard
fit should Gazzard get in any trouble.
Gazzard has competed in all of the five Dutton Rallies that have occurred
since the event started in 1999. The event brings together motoring aficionados
from around Australia of all skill levels, in standard, road-registered vehicles
and will see eighty prestige and exotic vehicles compete.
Included in the weekend’s host of motorsport and social activities is a
motorkhana held at the Shepparton Aerodrome, flying laps at Winton Raceway and a
charity auction to raise funds for Sunnyfield, which supports people with
intellectual disabilities.
Chrysler Crossfire comes fully-equipped with standard premium amenities
including heated electric seats and luxurious leather, power windows, cruise
control, dual-zone climate control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes with brake
assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), all-speed traction control, and
Chrysler's 3-year/100,000km warranty and 24hour Chrysler Care (roadside
assistance).
The 2004 Chrysler Crossfire Coupe with six-speed manual or five-speed
automatic transmission (at no additional cost), has a Recommended Retail Price
(RRP) of $69,990.
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