Wednesday 18th May 2011

Chrysler Engines For Maserati Saloons?

Seems likely - and there are going to be turbodiesel options, too...

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Not the new Quattroporte

Maserati looks set to use Chrysler engines for lower-spec versions of its new four-door cars, with Fiat and Chrysler's mutual ties growing ever stronger.

We say cars plural, because it's already been revealed that Maserati is not only working on a Quattroporte replacement, but that it is also working on a smaller saloon to takeo n the upper reaches of the BMW 5-series/Merc E-class segment.

But what about that engine? Well, US mag Car and Driver reckons that the Pininfarina/Fiat Centro Stile cars will get a version of Chrysler's 3.6-litre Pentastar V6. Which sounds a bit worrying, but it will at least get 400hp and Fiat's trick MultiAir tech, so perhaps we should be calling it the 'Cinquestella' engine...

In keeping with its push towards the mainstream, the two new saloons also look likely to be getting a 300hp turbodiesel option - a move that's still seen as pretty much essential to achieve decent volumes of sales in the European executive and luxury car market.

 

[Hendry]

This sounds alarming but, thinking about it, Bentley drivers don't seem to worried they have a VW engine under the bonnet. And it hasn't done Bentley's image too much harm.

[rix]

The fiat and Chrysler partnership is a strange one. Was at geneva this year and saw the lancia badged 300c and grand voyager... Very wrong!

[lgomgf]

i guess pushrod engines are wining the war againts high reving DOHC V8's.....

i dont mind as long as they keep the american price level also.... arfodable V8's are not a bad thing...

[Tom74]

I can't be the only one thinking that a Maserati Hemi would be a good thing? Or at least interesting!

[LuS1fer]

lgomgf said:

i guess pushrod engines are wining the war againts high reving DOHC V8's.....

i dont mind as long as they keep the american price level also.... arfodable V8's are not a bad thing...

The Pentastar V6 is a 3.6 litre chain-driven DOHC 24v 60-degree V6 with deep-skirt aluminum block and heads
Dual independent cam-torque actuated phasers. While the current applications have 280hp, the Challenger will get a 305hp version and they have single and twin turbo developments with up to 440hp in progress. These are competitive with the new Mustang/Camaro V6s.

The V8 is pushrod but has displacement on demand in the lower power versions. As an owner of cars fitted with the pushrod Chevy LS engine, the question surely has to be how do they justify the cost of complex V8s when a pushrod will achieve the same result.

[louismchuge]

Maserati diesel? That is a shame

[lionrampant]

Hendry said:

This sounds alarming but, thinking about it, Bentley drivers don't seem to worried they have a VW engine under the bonnet. And it hasn't done Bentley's image too much harm.

It bothered them enough that Bentley brought the 6.75 V8 unit back for the Mulsanne.

[BigS]

LuS1fer said:

The V8 is pushrod but has displacement on demand in the lower power versions.

Is that the cylinder deacticvation thing?

[Figo]

Tom74 said:

I can't be the only one thinking that a Maserati Hemi would be a good thing? Or at least interesting!

Technically most cars on the Market have hemispherical chambers these days. Stick on a Hemi badge to a lot of shopping carts and you wouldn't be lying..

[LuS1fer]

BigS said:

Is that the cylinder deactivation thing?

Yes, on the 5.7 V8 but I don't believe they have it on the SRT 6.1 version. Obviously good for emissions targets I would guess.

I don't believe the Chrysler is technically a Hemi either, seem to recall reading various articles about it being a bit of a liberty for historical reasons.

[BigS]

LuS1fer said:

Yes, on the 5.7 V8 but I don't believe they have it on the SRT 6.1 version. Obviously good for emissions targets I would guess.

I don't believe the Chrysler is technically a Hemi either, seem to recall reading various articles about it being a bit of a liberty for historical reasons.

I had it on a Chevy Suburban hire car last year, not sure how much of a difference it made to fuel economy, but was impressed by how seamless it was switching between running on 4 and 8 cylinders, in fact if it wasn't for there being an indicator alongside the instant fuel consumption on the trip computer saying either V4 or V8 I'd never have known.

[urbanf]

As a former Maserati owner and passionate supporter for 30 years, if this is true the only conclusion one can make is that the FIAT-CHRYSLER CEO Sergio Macchione doesn`t understand what moves Maserati around. It is very well to drive aggressive bottom line strategies, but this is taking it far too far, killing the core values of a brand.

[Luca Brasi]

A Maserati with a diesel engine?

[LuS1fer]

Luca Brasi said:

A Maserati with a diesel engine?

Didn't they say the same about Porsche and the Cayenne though. Also the Maserati brand was recent reinvention with the BiTurbo being a rather dull era of rather dull cars. I suppose Maserati are looking at what De Tomaso are doing and looking at porsche Cayenne and Panamera sales thinking they can do better.

[ZeeTacoe]

The Crack Fox said:

louismchuge said:

Maserati diesel? That is a shame

But inevitable, sadly.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Although a nice 6.1 SRT engined Quattroporte could be nice.

[crostonian]

I suppose it's get real time for Maserati. Fiat have realised they have a great brand that needs to reach downwards as their lesser marques have failed to reach upwards. The current range all run the same Ferrari derived V8 with frankly embarassing CO2/MPG ratings if they are going to survive they need to look at the bigger picture and this seems to be their only way out. Maser have always moved with the times hence the under rated Biturbo range from the 80s which actually sold well and kept them going.

[gareth.e]

[Esseesse]

Lets hope the top end Alfas get to overlap with the bottom end Maseratis. V8 powered 169 (concepts floated about a few years ago) please.

[Matt Harper]

LuS1fer said:

Yes, on the 5.7 V8 but I don't believe they have it on the SRT 6.1 version. Obviously good for emissions targets I would guess.

I don't believe the Chrysler is technically a Hemi either, seem to recall reading various articles about it being a bit of a liberty for historical reasons.

MDS is available on 5.7 and the new 6.4 (392ci) V8's. No such luck with the 6.1 - mine averages 15mpg and will easily dive into single figures with liberal use of the boot. Multiple displacement makes a quite significant improvement in overall mpg with the 5.7, in that it raises average combined consumption to a slightly less embarrasing 24mpg.

If you care to take the heads off, they are definitely hemispherical combustion chambers - even the old 426ci had a modicum of swirl shaping to facilititate a more complete burn. The current motors also have twin plugs per cyl in an attempt to stay something like efficient in the eyes of CAFE mandate.

They could hardly be described as efficient, it must be said. In contrast, they do deliver a lot of torque and horsepower, without any fuss or hystrionics.

[AndrewW-G]

Not really the first time this has happened is it chaps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_TC_by_Masera...