Inside the Chrysler Crossfire is the familiar Mercedes adjustable wheel and pedal arrangement with a low seating position similar to the SLK roadster's. It's tight inside for a six-footer, yet the driver's seat slides back far enough for an NBA hopeful. We found the seats outstanding, firm, comfortable and supportive. The instruments look classic and are easy to read. Just as in a Mercedes, we were constantly hitting the cruise control lever when we wanted to signal a turn; Mercedes owners adapt to this. Switches for the power windows are on the center console, less convenient than having them on the doors; they feature auto-down but not auto-up.

The Crossfire cockpit is tight and coddling like a sports car's. It's reminiscent of the SLK, yet has curiously tiny sun visors. Bins and cubbies are more prolific than you'll find in the Mercedes SLK or even the top-dollar SL two-seaters.

The Roadster has a high-quality top with a glass back light (rear windscreen) with a defroster. The top goes down in 22 seconds. To drop the top, simply pull down the handle on the windshield header, turn the handle, which releases the convertible fabric top and lowers the power windows, and lift the front of the top about eight inches. Then press the button on the center console and the hard tonneau opens up, the soft fabric top folds in, and the hard tonneau closes again.

Rearward visibility from both the coupe and Roadster is limited to a narrow slit in the rearview mirror, but the outside mirrors are generously sized.

The coupe offers 7.6 cubic feet of cargo space; it's deep and can swallow a fair amount of stuff, but the opening is relatively small and precludes big boxes. The roadster offers 6.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the top up, less with the top down; accessing the roadster's trunk is very easy, however, compared with some of the more awkward convertibles such as the PT Cruiser or Beetle. No key is needed to open the trunk when the Crossfire is unlocked, which is convenient.