The Crossfire combines American design with German engineering. Look underneath and you'll find a lot of Mercedes parts, including the V6 engine, multilink suspension, and steering. It's based heavily on the Mercedes-Benz SLK.

Chrysler excels at design and we love the Crossfire's romantic shapes and sleek, athletic lines. The long hood and fastback make the coupe instantly recognizable.

Not surprisingly, the Crossfire runs like a Mercedes. It has a firm, but comfortable ride and precise steering that reminds us of the SLK. The 3.2-liter V6 feels and sounds like the engine from the previous-generation SLK. Though Chrysler points out that it has more torque than the BMW Z4 roadster, Porsche Boxster, and Audi TT Quattro, the three-valve Mercedes V6 simply does not offer the free-revving sportiness those other three deliver. Nor does it have the power of the Nissan 350Z or Infiniti G35 coupe. But that's okay. The Crossfire is relatively light at just 3060 pounds. It's performance is plenty thrilling enough for most drivers and its rear-wheel drive gives it that classic sporty feel. In short, it's fun to drive and delightful to ride around in.

To kick it up a notch, the new Crossfire SRT-6 features a supercharged version of the V6 rated at 330 horsepower, a huge jump from the standard 215-horsepower engine. Chrysler claims the SRT-6 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 5 seconds, which is very quick indeed. The suspension and brakes are upgraded for spirited driving. The big rear wing that comes on the SRT-6 models detracts from the Crossfire's svelte styling, though. Also new for 2005 is an entry-level coupe dropping the price of entry below $30,000.