Chrysler TC by Maserati
Encyclopedia
The Chrysler TC by Maserati was a "Q" body based on 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.
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. Chrysler also became an investor in Maserati during that period.
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. 501 cars were built with an alternate drivetrain consisting of a German Getrag
manual transmission
and a 16-valve head version of the 2.2 L. This engine is often called the "Maserati" engine as it was assembled by Maserati and has a Maserati cast 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
. The camshafts were designed by Florida
-based Crane Cams and were manufactured by Maserati in Modena
. The "Maserati" engine used a non-common 2.2 block, upgraded crankshaft and rods. A Japan
ese turbocharger
was sourced from IHI. The rest of the engine used common Turbo II parts made in the United States
.
The TC's platform was based on a shortened Dodge Daytona
chassis with suspension
and axles from the original model(except for the 5 speed Getrag with "Maserati" engine). The strut
s and shock absorber
s were specially designed for the car by Fichtel and Sachs
, and a Teves ABS
system was standard. The special wheels were made in Italy by the famed Formula One
supplier, Fondmetal
.
s and a manually operated cloth lined 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 when black and white exterior colors were added along with a black leather interior.
The TC's dash, door panels, seats, armrest and rear facia panels were generously covered in hand-stitched Italian leather. Inside door jambs were finished with stainless steel panels and sill plates. The convertible boot, over which the hardtop rests, is a body colored metal panel. The interior storage compartment came with an umbrella, tool kit and small spare tire which allowed the use of a full sized trunk even with the top down. Standard equipment included a 10 speaker Infinity AM/FM cassette stereo, power windows, 6 way power seats, power door and trunk locks, map lights, puddle lamps, cruise control and tilt steering wheel.
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.
Total production for each model year and base price. Note that the car was sold by only 300 selected Chrysler dealers.
, a front-wheel drive six cylinder two-door hardtop or convertible, marketed simultaneously and outselling the TC. The Cadillac Allanté
, 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) at a price of more than $23,000 over the Maserati (1989).
GTS convertible that cost much less. 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. It was expected to achieve annual sales between 5,000 to 10,000 units.
Chrysler K platform
The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...
grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
jointly developed by Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
and introduced at the 1986 Los Angeles Auto Show. The TC became available in late 1989 and 7,300 examples were manufactured in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, by the time production ended in 1991.
Development
Lee IacoccaLee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
started a friendship with the late Alejandro de Tomaso
Alejandro de Tomaso
Alejandro de Tomaso was a racing driver and industrialist from Argentina. His name is sometimes seen in an Italianised form as Alessandro de Tomaso. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on January 13, 1957...
while at Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, which led to the De Tomaso Pantera
De Tomaso Pantera
The Pantera was a sports car produced by the De Tomaso car company of Italy from 1971 to 1991, the last one being delivered to a customer in 1992.The word "Pantera" is Italian for "Panther".-History:...
. 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. Chrysler also became an investor in Maserati during that period.
The 1989 TC used a slightly detuned Daytona-spec turbocharged 2.2 L straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
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
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
-sourced 3.0 L V6 engine
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
for the 1990 and 1991 model years, with the automatic transaxle being upgraded to a four-speed A604 unit. 501 cars were built with an alternate drivetrain consisting of a German Getrag
Getrag
Getrag is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG...
manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
and a 16-valve head version of the 2.2 L. This engine is often called the "Maserati" engine as it was assembled by Maserati and has a Maserati cast valve cover.
The 2.2 "Maserati" engine's cylinder head was cast in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
and finished in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
by Maserati. The pistons came from Mahle GmbH in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The camshafts were designed by Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
-based Crane Cams and were manufactured by Maserati in Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
. The "Maserati" engine used a non-common 2.2 block, upgraded crankshaft and rods. A Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
was sourced from IHI. The rest of the engine used common Turbo II parts made in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The TC's platform was based on a shortened Dodge Daytona
Dodge Daytona
The first car that carried the Daytona name was a sporty version of the Studebaker Lark which was produced from 1963 to 1966 with standard bucket seats and available with an optional Studebaker Avanti V8 high-performance engine....
chassis with suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
and axles from the original model(except for the 5 speed Getrag with "Maserati" engine). The strut
Strut
A strut is a structural component designed to resist longitudinal compression. Struts provide outwards-facing support in their lengthwise direction, which can be used to keep two other components separate, performing the opposite function of a tie...
s and shock absorber
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
s were specially designed for the car by Fichtel and Sachs
ZF Sachs
ZF Sachs AG is a German manufacturer of automotive parts, producing powertrain and suspension components. It was formerly known as Fichtel & Sachs, Mannesmann Sachs and Sachs...
, and a Teves ABS
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
system was standard. The special wheels were made in Italy by the famed Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
supplier, Fondmetal
Fondmetal
Fondmetal is a Italian wheel manufacturer, founded by Gabriele Rumi.It also was a Formula One constructor from 1991 through 1992, as well as a Formula One engine supplier in 2000 and sponsor of several teams throughout this period...
.
Features
The TC featured a detachable hard top with opera windowOpera window
Opera Windows are small porthole sized side windows in the C-pillar of some cars. Typically offered in unison with a vinyl roof, they were a very common design feature of American automobiles during the 1970s. The design was new at the time, "... and would prove to be very popular, indicated by its...
s and a manually operated cloth lined 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 when black and white exterior colors were added along with a black leather interior.
The TC's dash, door panels, seats, armrest and rear facia panels were generously covered in hand-stitched Italian leather. Inside door jambs were finished with stainless steel panels and sill plates. The convertible boot, over which the hardtop rests, is a body colored metal panel. The interior storage compartment came with an umbrella, tool kit and small spare tire which allowed the use of a full sized trunk even with the top down. Standard equipment included a 10 speaker Infinity AM/FM cassette stereo, power windows, 6 way power seats, power door and trunk locks, map lights, puddle lamps, cruise control and tilt steering wheel.
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.
Production and prices
- 1989 - 3,764 - $33,000 (USDUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) - 1990 - 1,900 - $35,500
- 1991 - 1,636 - $37,000
Competition
The TC's competitors included the partially hand-built Buick ReattaBuick Reatta
The Buick Reatta was the first car Buick advertised as a two-seater since the 1940 Buick model 46. It was a hand-made luxurious sports coupe produced at the Lansing Craft Centre in Lansing, Michigan and sold by the Buick division of American automaker General Motors from early 1988 to 1991...
, a front-wheel drive six cylinder two-door hardtop or convertible, marketed simultaneously and outselling the TC. The Cadillac Allanté
Cadillac Allanté
The Allanté was Cadillac's first venture into the ultra-luxury roadster market. The vehicle was sold from 1987 until 1993, with roughly 21,000 models built over its 7-year production run...
, was Italian-designed and partially hand-built, though powered by a V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
and with final assembly in the U.S. (after the bodies built in Italy were shipped via special air cargo) at a price of more than $23,000 over the Maserati (1989).
Reception
The idea of putting a Maserati body with a Chrysler engine was viewed by some as taking the worst from each partner. The automotive press was critical of the Chrysler TC, observing its similarity to the Chrysler LeBaronChrysler LeBaron
The Chrysler LeBaron was originally a classic luxury car of 1930s manufactured by Chrysler which competed with other luxury cars of the era such as Lincoln and Packard....
GTS convertible that cost much less. 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. It was expected to achieve annual sales between 5,000 to 10,000 units.
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.