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In 1989, Chrysler started selling a $33,000 Italian-built convertible with Maserati's name on it, and today hardly anyone remembers. This red 1991 Chrysler TC by Maserati is live on Bring a Trailer right now with 51,000 miles, a Mitsubishi-sourced V6, and no reserve. It was bid to $2,100 as of Wednesday, and the auction ends Monday, October 26, at 4:10 p.m. ET.
What Was the Chrysler TC by Maserati?
The TC was a luxury convertible built for three model years, 1989 through 1991, and it was one of Lee Iacocca's favorite pet projects. A 1984 agreement between Chrysler and Maserati kicked it off, helped along by Iacocca's friendship with Maserati owner Alejandro de Tomaso. Chrysler even bought into Maserati along the way. The idea was simple: give Chrysler a halo car with Italian pedigree, then watch the showroom traffic follow.
The cars were assembled in Milan, with bodywork from Innocenti, a De Tomaso subsidiary. Italian touches were everywhere: hand-stitched leather, Fondmetal wheels from a Formula 1 supplier, and a removable hardtop with round, beveled "opera windows." Underneath, the TC was shorter-wheelbase Chrysler K-car hardware, closely related to the Dodge Daytona.
A Dream Team That Did Not Add Up
The first cars used a detuned 2.2-liter turbo four rated around 160 horsepower and a three-speed automatic. For 1990 and 1991, most TCs switched to a Mitsubishi 3.0-liter V6 making 141 horsepower with a four-speed automatic. About 500 cars got the 200-horsepower, 16-valve 2.2 with a five-speed manual, and those are the ones collectors chase.
Prices climbed from $33,000 in 1989 to $37,000 by 1991, and that was the problem. The TC cost far more than the Chrysler LeBaron convertible it resembled, and the LeBaron offered more colors and similar equipment. Reviewers called the performance unremarkable. Chrysler wound up with 7,300 cars, which was the minimum its contract required: 3,764 for 1989, 1,900 for 1990, and just 1,636 for 1991.
Why the TC Disappeared
Bob Lutz later called the partnership a misadventure, and the math explains why. Chrysler reportedly lost about $600 million on the project, which works out to roughly $80,000 per car. Production ended in 1990, and the 1991 cars were all built before the line closed. Fiat took over Maserati in 1993 and eventually ended up owning Chrysler too, which is its own kind of ending.
The TC never became the halo car Iacocca wanted, and it never turned into the cult classic its cost suggested it might. It sat in the awkward middle, too expensive to be a Chrysler and too Chrysler to be a Maserati. If you want more of that era's forgotten Chrysler-family oddities, see the Dodge Spirit R/T, or the Mitsubishi Starion Chrysler sold as the Conquest.
About This 1991 Example
The seller bought this TC in 2023 and has added about 20,000 miles, bringing the odometer to 51,000. It is finished in Exotic Red over Ginger leather, with a body-color removable hardtop with opera windows and a beige convertible soft top. A quarter-inch blemish on the soft top is noted in the listing. Equipment includes power-adjustable seats, cruise control, a cassette stereo, and 15-inch lace-style alloy wheels with recently mounted tires.
The car has a clean Carfax report and a clean Oregon title in the seller's name. One thing to know before bidding: the listing says Dodge Daytona brake components were installed in place of the factory anti-lock system about 5,000 miles ago. The air conditioning was recharged in 2025, and the oil was changed in 2026.
Why This One Is Worth Watching
Motorious looked at a 1990 TC back in 2019 and called its rarity and quirkiness a bargain. That still holds. This is a three-year, 7,300-car oddity with real Italian content, a removable hardtop, and a Maserati name, offered with no reserve. If you prefer your Italian history with a bit more sparkle, here is a rare Maserati Quattroporte to compare.
See the full listing for the 1991 Chrysler TC by Maserati on Bring a Trailer before the auction ends Monday, October 26, at 4:10 p.m. ET.
