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Chrysler Tc By Maserati by qmqm wang
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Chrysler Tc By Maserati |
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Business,Business News,Business Opportunities
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Development
Lee Iacocca started a friendship with the late Alejandro de Tomaso while at Ford, which led to the successful De Tomaso Pantera. During the 1980s, Iacocca found himself at the helm of 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 Chrysler K engine I4. 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 was truly international: the 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, side
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 the interior could be manufactured with ginger or bordeaux colored leather. The exterior colors available for that year 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.
What makes the Chrysler TC unique from the Chrysler LeBaron (which the TC is always compared with) is the quality of its finish. In a car market that finds vinyl dashes and door panels acceptable, the TC has its dash and door panels covered in hand-stitched leather. Further, the inside door jambs are finished with stainless steel panels. The seats and armrest are finished in Italian leather, much thicker than the leather used in U.S. made vehicles. The convertible boot is a metal panel that the hardtop rests on instead of a vinyl boot. 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 that was primitive by today's 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.
1989 - 3,764 - $33,000 (USD)
1990 - 1,900 - $35,500
1991 - 1,636 - $37,000
Competition
The TC's main competitor was the Buick Reatta, a front-wheel drive six cylinder two-door car. It came in a hardtop and convertible, and like the TC it was partially hand-built. Both were on the market at the same time. The Reatta outsold the TC. Many car enthusiasts have also compared the TC to the Cadillac Allant, as both were Italian-designed and partially hand-built (the differences were that the Allant was powered by a V8 engine and its final assembly was in the U.S. after the bodies built in Italy were shipped via special air cargo).
Epilogue
The idea of putting a Maserati body with a Chrysler engine meant taking the worst from each partner. The automotive press was critical of the Chrysler TC: a common observation was that this model looked very similar to the "mechanically alike" Chrysler LeBaron GTS convertible or a Plymouth TC3 that cost much less. Lee Iacocca was a proponent the of the new model "to change the way the world looked at Chrysler" and to create a new image for the automaker. It was also expected to achieve annual sales between 5,000 to 10,000 units. This proved to be an utter failure, and in the end Iacocca had "squandered" the $500 million that was spent to develop this car.
References
^ a b c d Hyde, Charles K. (2003). Riding the Roller Coaster: A History of the Chrysler Corporation. Wayne State University Press. p. 272. ISBN 9780814330913.
^ Ingrassia, Paul; White, Joseph B. (1995). Comeback:The Fall and Rise of the American Automobile Industry. Touchstone. p. 186. ISBN 9780684804378.
^ Johnson, Richard A. (2005). Six Men Who Built the Modern Auto Industry. MBI Publishing Company. p. 253. ISBN 9780760319581.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Chrysler TC by Maserati
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.
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Chrysler timeline, 1970resent
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Sebring conv.
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See also: List of Chrysler vehicles
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Chrysler
Current
Cars
300 PT Cruiser Sebring (coupe sedan convertible) Cirrus (Mexico)
Vans / SUVs
Town and Country Voyager / Grand Voyager (outside USA)
Historic
Cars
300 series Chrysler 300 300M Airflow Airstream Cirrus Concorde Conquest Cordoba Crossfire E-Class Executive Fifth Avenue Imperial Imperial Parade Phaeton Laser LeBaron LHS Neon Newport New Yorker Prowler Royal Saratoga TC by Maserati Town and Country Turbine Car Windsor
Vans / SUVs
Aspen Pacifica TEVan Voyager
Concept
Cars
Airflite Akino Atlantic California Cruiser CCV Chronos Citadel Falcon Firepower Imperial Concept Java ME Four-Twelve Nassau Norseman Pacifica Concept Patriot Phaeton Pronto Cruizer
Category List of vehicles
Categories: Chrysler vehicles Maserati vehicles Front wheel drive vehicles Luxury vehicles Convertibles 1980s automobiles 1990s automobiles I am an expert from Cheap On Sales, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as sma cable assembly , step pulley.
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