This short-lived joint-venture roadster was created during the late 1980s as an attempt to give Chrysler a more upscale, European-flavored halo car while also providing work for Maserati’s Italian production lines. The nameplate was introduced for the 1989 model year and remained on sale through 1991, although the car’s actual build run ended earlier and leftover vehicles were carried into the final model year.
The project blended American corporate ambition with Italian coachbuilding and assembly. It was conceived as a premium two-seat convertible with a more hand-finished presentation than the typical Detroit product of the era, and it was assembled in Italy. The car was positioned above Chrysler’s mainstream offerings and was marketed through select dealers as an exclusive, limited-production grand touring convertible rather than a mass-market roadster.
The model is best remembered for its unusual development history and for the way it sat between two worlds: part Chrysler luxury experiment, part Maserati-branded boutique performance car. Its styling and hardware drew heavily from contemporary Chrysler components, but the cabin and execution aimed at a more luxurious, European feel. That mismatch between expectations, pricing, and showroom reality ultimately made it one of the most talked-about niche cars of its era.
Although the program was commercially unsuccessful, it has become a cult favorite among collectors and enthusiasts because of its unusual transatlantic backstory, low production volume, and distinct place in late-1980s automotive history.