What's in a Name? Some interesting history.
The AC Cobras body and chassis was built in England by A.C. Bristol Co. had a Ford engine and drivetrain.
Everybody calls it a FORD.
The Pantera was built in Italy by the Detomaso Plant and only used a Ford engine.
Everybody referes to it as a FORD.
The Cadillac Allante was built by Pininfarina of Italy, and was flown to the U.S. in 747's where they installed the Caddy V8.
Everybody thinks it's a CADILLAC.
Probably the one car that shares the most similar convoluted build and distribution circumstances to the Crossfire, would be the Opel GT.
It was conceived by a General Motors and its subsidiary OPEL, built by a French contractor, Brissonneau & Lotz, and sold in America by the Buick Division. But even though they built over 100k of them, I don't remember anybody refering to them as a Buick.
That being said, why would a car conceived by Chrysler in a joint effort with Daimler Benz of Germany, built by a well know German manufacture, Karmann, using over 80% German parts from a Mercedes Benz, ever be considered anything but a Mercedes?