1991 Maserati Coupe – Gran Turismo is leaking into reality again..

While I wait for my 2005 Subaru Impreza to sell, enjoy this – a 1991 Maserati Coupe in a lovely shade of warm cream mixed with just a hint of lime.

Mmm, doesn’t that just sound delicious!

Oh, did we mention it’s part Chrysler? Meet the worst of both worlds!

1991 Maserati Couple – aka the Chrysler TC by Maserati

So what happens when you put Maserati engineers and Chrysler engineers together to create something unique? Squabbling mainly, apparently lots of mismanagement and arguments back in a heady days of the 80s led to an infuriating five year delay in creating this thing. So with that going on in the background, it’s quite impressive that it wasn’t ultimately scrapped along the way like bad ideas have a tendency to do. The original plan was to create ‘a classier Chrysler.’:

In 1984, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding to create a sports coupe that ultimately became the TC, or “turbocharged coupe”, an “image builder” which carried the hopes that it might help overcome Chrysler’s blue-collar image and attract better-heeled customers to showrooms, and a revival of the luxury reputation they enjoyed during the late 1950s to mid-1960s with the Chrysler 300 letter series coupes and convertibles.


-Wikipedia

What probably didn’t help either was apathy from motoring journalists at the time who figured that a Maserati body mated to a Chrysler engine was ‘Taking the worst from each partner.’
That was if you had the Chrysler engine to begin with – which some did but there was also a Mitsubishi sourced V6 version and a limited run of ones with an actual Maserati assembled engine.

A high price tag also kept sales down very low and again the motoring journalists couldn’t help but point out that instead of a 1991 Maserati TC, you might opt for a Chrysler LeBaron GTC convertible which looked similar (and was far more affordable.) See exhibit A here.

At least the wheels match the stripes, sort of..

But inter company bickering and ultimately an end product that turned out to be far from sporty or luxurious aside, this piece of not working together in any state of harmony is currently for sale. And you’ll be happy to know that the current owner is ready to part ways with it:

1991 Maserati Coupe – Seller’s Description

Car runs great just want it gone Best offer! No lowballs !!

$5500 US (8,430.67 AUD)

Annnnnnd, that’s all folks. Apparently 12000 miles on the clock and body modified like money was no object back in the Gran Turismo 2 days on the original Playstation*, there’s no interior shots. No engine pics either so you can guess what’s under there, no history, nothing. But hey if you’re keen..

Also if you’re wondering what one might look like that hadn’t drifted through a lime and cream whip production factory and then hit by flying racing stripes, enjoy this smooth creamy one instead.

If you’re keen on this one (the one with the stripes) then it should be easily enough found on Facebook, if you poke your browsers around the Youngstown Ohio region of classifieds.

*For the keen Maserati fans who also love some gaming action, unfortunately this 1991 Maserati Coupe didn’t actually turn up in Gran Turismo 2. Actually it didn’t turn up in any of the GT game series but from Gran Turismo 5 and up, a couple of Maserati’s did become available (Like the Gran Turismo S and the Merek.) It looks like if you’re keen to modify this particular 1991 example, you’ll have to do it in real life. Maybe go easy on the racing stripes through.

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