Except that the SRT-6 is going to have its work cut out. Its lesser-powered coupe and convertible brothers are dynamically inept and with the Crossfire only just celebrating its first birthday, it's interesting to note that there isn't a waiting list - a bad sign when customers are still fighting to get their hands on the cheaper Nissan 350Z and Mazda RX-8.

So can this new SRT-6 (standing for Street and Racing Technology) revitalise the Crossfire? Its underbonnet credentials certainly show potential - the SRT-6 borrows the 330bhp, 3.2-litre, supercharged V6 engine from the previous SLK AMG. Turn the ignition key and the engine settles down to a deep burble that has you gunning it in tunnels just to hear the noise bounce back at you off the walls. And that stirring soundtrack is underpinned by claimed performance figures of 158mph and 0-60mph in a smidge over five seconds.

But don't get too excited. Yes, the SRT-6 is fearsomely rapid in a straight line and yes there's a seemingly bottomless pool of torque on offer, but as soon as the road veers from arrow-straight, the façade begins to slip. This is no sports car.

The Ark-era recirculating-ball steering is lifeless and seems to be attached to a bowl of Ambrosia's finest, while the ride was harsh even on our US-spec car. Don't bother trying to drive the SRT-6 with the enthusiasm that you might apply to a Boxster or 350Z because you're not going to unearth anything approaching genuine driver satisfaction.

Couple all these dynamic inadequacies to the usual Crossfire foibles of a cheap-looking interior, poor driving position for anyone over 6ft tall, and a roof mechanism on the Roadster that is Heath Robinson in the extreme, and there's little remaining with which to recommend the SRT-6 to anyone who cares even remotely about the quality of their time behind the wheel.