Crossfire will share much with the SLK 320, including its platform, 3.2-litre V6 18-valve engine and six-speed manual gearbox, which will give it 215bhp and 229lb ft. It will be built by Karmann alongside the Mercedes CLK in its factory at Osnabruck, Germany.

Crossfire is the most significant sign of co-operation between Chrysler and Mercedes since their merger back in 1998 and is an acknowledgement that the US brand needs to attract a wider audience to ensure profitability.

Chrysler knows the Crossfire has to be good to take on the TT ί¿½ a car that continues to captivate the public like few others ί¿½ and are working hard to exceed the dynamics of the SLK whose chassis it shares. The new coupe inherits double-wishbone front suspension and a five-link system at the rear which will be tuned to deliver an adjustable, entertaining drive. The TT is massively capable but a touch inert ί¿½ a weakness that the rear-drive Crossfire hopes to capitalise on.

Styling-wise, the Crossfire has had a few major changes since its tour of the shows, the most significant being the switch from vertical headlamps to a less-radical horizontal arrangement. Despite this the Crossfire retains its bold profile and should attract the image-conscious coupe buyer. Inside, stylists have worked hard to sex-up the SLK's conservative cabin architecture with extensive use of aluminium trim and brightly coloured leather. It will face stiff competition from the new Nissan Z-Car as well as a revised TT.

Prices have yet to be confirmed but Chrysler will want to undercut the 225bhp TT, which costs from ί¿½26,750. The big question is whether the supercharged version of the Mercedes V6 engine, featured in the AMG SLK, will make an appearance in the Crossfire. If demand is high enough, a 349bhp Crossfire could be ready by 2004 to take the fight to BMW's Z3M and the Porsche Boxster.