This car was plain and simple a marketing flop, a bad idea from a business perspective. The car was priced between $40K - $50K with the exception of the base model, which at that point were trying to adjust the price. Nobody was going to pay that kind of money for a car with a Chrysler badge when for a few more thousands you could get the SLK with the MB badge. I paid almost 50% list on my roadster, and knowing I was getting a MB for that kind of money, yet sexier was an easy choice. At the end we have a great car, and a great following. As I see it, we benefited from the blunder.
That may all be well and true but, the biggest issue with marketing was the breakup of Daimler and Chrysler. The car was a cyborg mongrel with it's creators in divorce court. And neither Chrysler or Benz wanted to support, much less pursue, the project.
Most car buyers have little knowledge or care about what is actually going on under the pretty skin. they depend on the source, the factory and it's dealers, to stand behind it and keep it running well. this arrangement was uncomfortable.
Only gear heads who understand the unique reality, as you described here, of the car's intrinsic value are seriously interested in the Crossfire for what it is.. I still hear sales people misspeak about the inner components of the car and it's percentage of MB vrs Chrysler components and heritage. I suspect a majority of buyers, especially today, have no idea of the car's true pedigree.
It's sporty and it's cheap. They buy it for what they believe it to be. Sporty and cheap.