Chrysler-Maserati TC

                         

Today's Car Disgust spotlight shines on a car so thoroughly compromised, so obviously a cynically mediocre car, that it embarrassed everybody involved four years before it even debuted.

When rumor began to circulate that the long friendship between mid-1980s Chrysler potentate Lee Iacocca and Maserati honcho Alejandro DeTomaso might result in a collaborative automotive project, everybody sat up to take notice--who would have guessed that one of Italy's most prominent luxury/performance automakers would deign to produce a car with the beleaguered American automaker?

It was, of course, a brilliant idea--why not combine all the frumpy styling sensibility of a mid-1980s Chrysler with the legendarily spotty reliability of a Maserati?

The Chrysler-Maserati TC failed to meet even those rock-bottom expectations.

AutoWeek debuted the car with a cover story in late 1985, with the cover blurb, "Let's hope it comes in more flavors than this." The opening line of the article was, "Maybe we expected too much."

The TC was based on Chrysler's creaky and flexible K-car chassis, which underpinned virtually all of Chrysler's vehicles at the time. The K-car chassis had debuted as the foundation of the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, two compact economy cars that had combined to bulldoze the already smoking wreckage of Chrysler's reputation.

The TC's styling was a lightly massaged version of the soon-to-debut Chrysler LeBaron convertible--but with saucy portholes in the rear quarter of the hardtop. Powertrain choices included Chrysler's 2.2-liter turbo four or a mysterious Maserati four-cylinder (more about that later), packaged with either a manual transmission or a three-speed automatic.

Minus the "Maserati" engine, these were the same basic underpinnings used by the rest of Chrysler's line; definitely not the stuff of a $30,000 sports luxury roadster. Making matters worse, Chrysler touted the TC as a competitor to the Mercedes-Benz 560SL--one of the finest cars on the road.

Maserati's DeTomaso was already distancing himself from the project at the press launch. When asked about the "Maserati" engine described by the Chrysler PR flacks, AutoWeek quotes DeTomaso as saying, "'It is not a Maserati engine. Who told you this?' When we told DeTomaso that a Chrysler-supplied specifications list identifies the engine as a '16V Maserati,' he expressed anger and disbelief."

Mind you, this is at the press launch, typically the home of very carefully spun promotion and breathless hype.

The Chrysler representative defended the TC's styling, saying, "Styling is very subjective--everybody likes something different. I think there are very legitimate statements one can make in a reasonable period of time ... and obviously, additional products can come forward at a future date that have different characteristics."

The TC was already a compromised debacle--and this was four years before the TC even hit the market. And, when it finally did debut in 1989, it did so against competition that was vastly more advanced than it had been in 1985.

All told, Chrysler lost a reported $500 million on the project, and I've noticed that many of the owner sites honoring the TC today are also subtly offering their cars for sale.

These pictures are from a TC up for sale for $6,500 (price reduced!). I haven't hyperlinked to it, as the links will no doubt be dead as soon as the car sells, but if you're looking for a TC to purchase, you should have little trouble.

--Chris H.

Comments

[Alex López on September 20, 2008 at 09:54 PM]

This car was so bad no one has bothered to post a comment.

[Steve on March 03, 2009 at 11:50 PM]

I bought an '89 TC w/ 2.2L, 3spd auto-trans (way back in Mar '91 at 20 yrs old) and have thoroughly enjoyed the car ever since! I am hoping to hang onto it for a long time; easy as many who have never driven this engine w/ royal plum (pearl), ALL tan leather combo do not value this car properly.

It is obscene to think that the Lebaron outshines or looks classier than this version of Chrsler's K-car. Maybe if you prefer the coupe (perm-hardtop) version of an '89 - '97 Lebaron (GTS/ GTC, etc.) It is a matter of preference, but then it wouldn't be a convertible. And the interior design/ material holds up well [aesthetic & tactile] against the better interiors of 2009. Please welcome more comments about this car (article).

[Gangsta on November 06, 2010 at 11:09 PM]

This car is super rare, dawg! Its the poor man's Bentley!

[kevIN on December 15, 2010 at 11:16 AM]

heh - I remember back then my mom's co-worker bragging about her Maserati! Turns out it was just a k-car.

[J on August 06, 2011 at 08:06 AM]

"I think there are very legitimate statements one can make in a reasonable period of time ... and obviously, additional products can come forward at a future date that have different characteristics."

How can I argue with that?