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Somewhere between the retro-futurist concept car and the quiet dealer-lot discounting, Chrysler built a rear-drive roadster with a hand-built, supercharged Mercedes-AMG V6 under the hood. It was called the Crossfire SRT-6, and a black 2005 example with about 40,000 miles is live right now on Bring a Trailer with no reserve. The current bid is just $5,000, and the auction ends Monday, November 2 at 1:35 p.m.
If you had to look twice at that sentence, you are the audience for this car.
A Concept That Reached Production Almost Untouched
The Crossfire began life as a 2001 concept shown at the Detroit auto show, styled by Eric Stoddard. The production version debuted at the 2002 Los Angeles show and stayed unusually close to the concept: the boat-tail rear, the strong shoulder line and the sculpted fenders all survived. Underneath, it was far less exotic. This was the DaimlerChrysler era, and the Crossfire sat on the Mercedes-Benz R170 platform that also underpinned the first-generation SLK. Karmann assembled it in Osnabrück, Germany, and the first car rolled out in February 2003 as a 2004 model.
That Mercedes DNA was the whole pitch, and also the problem. Buyers who wanted an SLK could simply buy an SLK, and the Crossfire's cramped cabin and polarizing styling did not win many converts. Production slid from roughly 35,700 cars in 2003 to about 2,000 in 2007, and the last one was built that December, with the nameplate formally ending after 2008.
Then Chrysler Added a Supercharger
For 2005, the company's SRT performance group gave the car the thing it needed from the start. The SRT-6 swapped in a supercharged 3.2-liter V6 from Mercedes-AMG rated at 330 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, paired with a five-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. Chrysler quoted a 0-60 mph time around 4.8 seconds, which was properly quick for the mid-2000s. Staggered wheels, a fixed rear wing, AMG-built power and embroidered SRT-6 seats finished the job.
It did not move the needle at the dealership. Only about 4,000 SRT-6 cars were built across coupe and roadster form, with 2006 production limited to special orders, and the roadster is the rarer of the two body styles. The window sticker on this particular car lists a total price of $50,095, serious money for a Chrysler in 2005 and a number that helps explain why so many sat on lots.
What's Up for Bid
This Crossfire was delivered new to Royal Oaks Chrysler in St. Peters, Missouri, and wears Black Clearcoat over Dark Slate Gray leather and Alcantara. It has roughly 40,000 miles, with about 500 of those added by the current owner, who bought it in 2025. The seller says the intercooler has been replaced, and the car comes with its window sticker and a Missouri title in the seller's name. Be aware that the Carfax report shows an accident reported in November 2007, and that the commenters on the listing point to cosmetic wear and a soft top that is starting to show its age.
None of that has kept the watchers away. More than 300 people were following the auction at the time of writing, which says something about how much curiosity this oddball still generates. Check the listing for the full history before bidding.
Why It Disappeared
The Crossfire was a casualty of timing and identity. It arrived after Chrysler's retro-design moment, shared too much with a Mercedes that buyers already knew, and carried a sticker price that asked for brand loyalty the company had not earned in this segment. Then the corporate marriage that created it came apart, and with it went the logic for a Karmann-built, Mercedes-sourced Chrysler. Today it is mostly remembered by the people who still own one.
That is exactly what makes it appealing now. A supercharged AMG V6, a rear-drive layout and very few built is the sort of recipe that usually costs a lot more than the bidding suggests here. For another Chrysler oddity from the same stretch of automotive history, read about the Chrysler TC by Maserati, or see how a pair of Crossfire SRT6s fared when they crossed the block earlier. If forgotten flagships are your thing, we also looked at the 550-horsepower Cadillac CT6-V Blackwing and Hyundai's $58,000 Equus.
Source and photos: Bring a Trailer listing for the 2005 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 Roadster.
