2005 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster Limited

With three different convertibles to sell (one more than any other domestic moniker), Chrysler hopes to be viewed as America's convertible brand--never mind that its latest offering is built in Germany. The Crossfire Roadster arrives on the heels of the 2004 Crossfire Coupe introduced last year and joins the value-priced PT Cruiser and the best-selling Sebring convertibles as a new, upmarket alternative.

While the Coupe bowed in a single trim level, the 2005 Coupe and Roadster will be offered in three. The lineup includes an entry-level Crossfire (exterior color offerings include black, black, and black) with cloth interior and manual transmission, a leather upholstered Crossfire Limited, and the supercharged Crossfire SRT-6, which launches later this year.

The Roadster's profile is less extreme than that of the fastback Coupe. It resembles the similarly proportioned Audi TT Roadster: wheels pushed to the corners, short, rounded overhangs, and silver sport bars arching each seat. A closer comparison reveals that the Crossfire's wheels are bigger, and the long hood/short deck is more rakish. Overall, it's more chiseled and geometric than the jellybean TT.

Chrysler touts the 229 pound-feet of torque on tap from the standard 3.2-liter V-6 as trumping that churned by the BMW Z4 3.0 or the Audi TT 1.8T--but the Crossfire is more handler than screamer. In Motor Trend's instrumented testing, the Coupe slaloms through the cones with some serious company at 66 mph. The Roadster is right behind. Chrysler engineers did an impressive job of stiffening the topless chassis, with reported top speed testing to 150. It's surprising they added less than 100 pounds of additional curb weight in the process.