The interior's SLK pieces are obvious, despite the Chrysler designers' restyling. Still, the Mercedes starting point gives the Crossfire hands down the best-quality interior of any Chrysler product in recent times.
There is a choice of two transmissions. Chrysler gives the five-speed automatic its AutoStick label, but in fact this is the superior Mercedes Touch Shift unit, which can be manually up- and downshifted without first moving the selector out of drive.
The eighteen-valve, 3.2-liter SOHC V-6 is a staple of the Mercedes lineup; in this application it makes 215 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque.
Peak torque comes on stream at 3000 rpm, which helps make the Crossfire sports car quick at low speeds. But open it up on the highway, and the rush doesn't continue with the same urgency. The four-wheel disc brakes—aided by Mercedes' Corner Brake Control and Brake Assist—do a commendable job hauling the Crossfire down from high speeds.