Chrysler TC by Maserati

Chrysler TC by Maserati

Manufacturer	Chrysler Maserati
Production	1989–1991
Assembly	Torino, Italy (stamping) Sparone, Italy (assembly) Milan, Italy (final assembly)
Class	Grand tourer
Body style	2-door convertible
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Q-body
Engine	2.2 L Turbo II I4 2.2 L TC I4 3.0 L Mitsubishi 6G72 V6
Transmission	5-speed manual 3-speed A413 automatic 4-speed A604 automatic
Wheelbase	93.3 in (2,370 mm)
Length	175.8 in (4,465 mm)
Width	68.5 in (1,740 mm)
Height	51.9 in (1,318 mm)
Curb weight	3,033 lb (1,376 kg)

The Chrysler TC by Maserati was a Chrysler K platform grand tourer jointly developed by Chrysler and Maserati and introduced at the 1986 Los Angeles Auto Show. The TC became available in late 1989 and 7,300 examples were manufactured in Milan, Italy, by the time production ended in 1991.

Development

Lee Iacocca started a friendship with the late Alejandro de Tomaso while at Ford, which led to the De Tomaso Pantera. During the 1980s, Iacocca headed Chrysler while De Tomaso was owner of the historic Maserati brand. In 1984, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding to create a sport coupe, which ultimately became the TC.

The 1989 TC used a slightly detuned Daytona-spec turbocharged 2.2 L straight-4 Chrysler K engine . This intercooled version, known as the Turbo II, was coupled to an A413 three-speed automatic transaxle. The Turbo II was replaced by a Mitsubishi-sourced 3.0 L V6 engine for the 1990 and 1991 model years, with the automatic transaxle being upgraded to a four-speed A604 unit. 500 cars were built with an alternate drivetrain consisting of a Getrag manual transmission and a 16-valve Cosworth head version of the 2.2 L. This engine is often called the "Maserati" engine as it has Maserati on the valve cover.

The 2.2 "Maserati" engine's cylinder head was cast in England by Cosworth and finished in Italy by Maserati. The pistons came from Mahle GmbH in Germany, and a Japanese turbocharger was sourced from IHI. The camshafts were designed by Florida-based Crane Cams but were constructed by Maserati in Modena. The rest of the engine was made in the United States and was similar to the Turbo II. The normal Turbo II was used on automatic transmission-equipped cars.

The TC's platform was based on a shortened Dodge Daytona chassis with suspension and axles from the original model. The struts and shock absorbers were specially designed for the car by Fichtel and Sachs, and the ABS system was also a unique product from Teves. The special wheels were made in Italy by the Formula One supplier, Fondmetal.

Features

Chrysler TC by Maserati.

The TC featured a detachable hard top with opera windows and a manually operated cloth convertible top, which came in both tan and black. In 1989 interior leather colors included ginger or bordeaux. Exterior colors were yellow, red, and cabernet. The bourdeaux interior was only available with the cabernet exterior, both of which were dropped in 1990. However, at that time a black interior was added, as well as white and black exterior colors.

The TC's dash and door panels were covered in hand-stitched leather, and seats and armrests were finished in Italian leather. Inside door jambs were finished with stainless steel panels. The convertible boot, over which the hardtop rests, is a metal panel. Inside the interior storage compartment, the TC came with an umbrella, tool kit and small spare tire.

The only extra cost option available for the TC was a CD player that was a plug-in attachment to the standard Infinity AM/FM cassette stereo. This CD player was a belt driven unit, primitive by later standards.

Production and prices

Chrysler TC by Maserati, rear

Total production for each model year and base price. Note that the car was sold by only 300 selected Chrysler dealers.^[1]

• 1989 - 3,764 - $33,000 (USD)
• 1990 - 1,900 - $35,500
• 1991 - 1,636 - $37,000

Competition

The TC's competitors included the partially hand-built Buick Reatta,^{[citation needed]} a front-wheel drive six cylinder two-door hardtop and convertible, marketed simultaneously and outselling the TC. The Cadillac Allanté,^{[citation needed]} was Italian-designed and partially hand-built, though powered by a V8 engine and with final assembly in the U.S. (after the bodies built in Italy were shipped via special air cargo).

Reception

The idea of putting a Maserati body with a Chrysler engine meant taking the worst from each partner.^[2] The automotive press was critical of the Chrysler TC, observing its similarity to the Chrysler LeBaron GTS convertible that cost much less.^[1] Lee Iacocca was a proponent of the new model "to change the way the world looked at Chrysler" and to create a new image for the automaker.^[3] It was expected to achieve annual sales between 5,000 to 10,000 units.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Hyde, Charles K. (2003). Riding the Roller Coaster: A History of the Chrysler Corporation. Wayne State University Press. p. 272. ISBN 9780814330913. 
2. ^ Ingrassia, Paul; White, Joseph B. (1995). Comeback:The Fall and Rise of the American Automobile Industry. Touchstone. p. 186. ISBN 9780684804378. 
3. ^ Johnson, Richard A. (2005). Six Men Who Built the Modern Auto Industry. MBI Publishing Company. p. 253. ISBN 9780760319581. 

External links

• Lyons, Stephen. "Chrysler's TC by Maserati," Allpar.com, undated document, retrieved on 2009-09-01.
• "Chrysler's TC by Maserati," How Chrysler Works, by the auto editors of Consumer Guide, June 1, 2007, retrieved on 2009-09-01.