I like the idea of acquiring an early production serial number. However I am concerned about production quality. Have there been major improvements as production progressed?

Regarding my test drive (of a more recent production number) I was amazed at the solidity of the car. I've read reviews of Mercedes claiming they felt as if "carved from a solid steel ingot" but have always found these claims exagerated. The Croassfire is the first "Mercedes" I have driven that has an astonishingly rigid feeling. The C5 vette hardtop and current 911 come close, but not close enough that the Crossfire doesn't have a noticible lead.

The other impressive aspect of the car is that the gear shift, steering, accelerator and brake complimented the solid mechanical feel of the chassis. It is an impressively unified concept and execution. Then came the engine note above 3k rpm, a beautifuly natural baritone sound unlike the Z4. This is truly one of the great automobiles available today.

I got it for my son because he doesn't do well driving SUVs and is much more provably competent a driver of small cars. This is a brilliantly handling and braking bank vault with side air bags. I know of nothing safer or "cooler" to put my teenage son in. He's currently driving a 5 speed beetle and never had an accident in it. With the lease expiring, I leased him a red with slate 6speed for which he will pay the difference, between the beetle lease cost and the crossfire, by working during the summer.