conaero
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WHAT WAS IT? The Chrysler TC by Maserati of 1989-91 was a two-seat convertible that Chrysler's chairman, Lee A. Iacocca, saw as a halo car to compete with the Cadillac Allanté, Buick Reatta and, perhaps, Mercedes 560SL. Unlike those roadsters, the TC had a front-drive platform — from the sad-sack K-Car.
AND THE POINT WAS? After buying a stake in Maserati in the 1980s, Chrysler cut a deal for Maserati to assemble the TC in Milan. The car was the love child of two old pals, Mr. Iacocca and Alejandro de Tomaso, who had conceived the memorable De Tomaso Pantera sports car when Mr. Iacocca was at Ford.
REALITY CHECK Mr. Iacocca boasted that the TC was the prettiest Italian to reach the United States since his mother. But potential buyers recognized it as a $30,000 LeBaron look-alike with a removable hardtop that leaked around its goofy porthole window. The interior was particularly jarring, juxtaposing pleated Italian leather against cheap, ill-fitting plastic.
MARKET REACTION The TC was initially offered with a coarse 2.2-liter turbo 4-cylinder; a Mitsubishi V-6 was later added. There were few takers for a third powertrain: a 16-valve Cosworth-modified 4-cylinder with a five-speed manual transmission. Only 7,300 TCs were sold, the last ones lingering until dealers discounted them out the door.
THE ADS SAID “You can expect the finest European craftsmanship.†Copywriters didn't say whether they were referring to Western Europe or to the Eastern Bloc, home of the Yugo.
COLLECTORS SAY Actually, serious car people say very little about the TC. A rare 16-valve 5-speed might break $10,000 at auction. But TCs mostly inhabit eBay, where one sold last week for $2,850.
