Mercedes and Chrysler was never a winning combination

Top Speed http://atu.ca/71d88

Lee Iacocca, the man who brought Chrysler back from the
brink in the 80s, wanted to merge Chrysler into a larger
company called Global Motors. He believed that taking U.S.
manufacturing strength, European style, and Japanese build
quality, would make the perfect cars. This is definitely
what he DIDN'T have in mind: http://atu.ca/MercedesChrysler

This is for those who’ve decided that the perfect car is
one that incorporates an almost twenty-year-old German
design with 80s American “we’re bring quality back,
really!” engineering. Although it looks like a Mercedes
600SL from the previous generation, it just a 1990 Chrysler
LeBaron with a bad German accent. The possible saving grace
of the car is it uses a 3.0-liter V6 engine from Mitsubishi
that Chrysler was passing off as its own.

While it may look tempting to pick this up for between one
and two thousand dollars, do a little more digging on the
internet. A genuine Mercedes 300SL from the same era can be
had for a few grand more. Those cars come with a 228 hp six-
cylinder (versus about 140 hp in the LeBaron)...

So before this car rattles off into the sunset, hopefully
to never be heard from again, let’s give it a fitting name.
How about Chrycedes? Mercesler? No wait…it’s definitely the
Red LeBaron.

 

Hey, how about that "Chrysler's TC by Maserati" huh? That WAS Lido's
creation, and a bomb to put it mildly.

 

It's also something neither Chrysler nor Daimler had in mind. It is,
as the listing says, "fully customized" -- so it's some numbnuts
owner's idea of what he wanted.

Yes, well, those of us who have owned vehicles powered by Mitsubishi
engines (in my case, the infamous 2.6) don't regard their engines as a
saving grace. To put it very, very politely.

I never understood why that one made it to market. When the concept
was first floated it seemed intriguing, but by the time it was out it
just looked like a Le Baron coupe with a body kit (yes, I know there
was a lot more to it than that. But the styling...).

And, let me mention, I owned a 1987 Le Baron turbo coupe for a long
time, and it was a lovely little car.

While I agree with you about the desirability of this car, please
don't blame it on the company(ies).

 

I also owned a 1987 Lebaron GTS 2.2L Turbo 4 Door Sedan. It was a blast to
drive, handled unbelievably, and got great mileage too. The electronics it
contained were way ahead of their time.

If Chrysler would simply bring that type of inexpensive performance vehicle
back out of mothballs and just update the body styling slightly to make it
more contemporary, I think they would have potential to rise from the grave
again.

Bob

 

From all I read, it seems their 4-cylinder engines then were smoother
and quieter than the ones now too. And a K-car was roomy; the H-cars
(Lancer, LeBaron hatchbacks) were roomy and good handling. You're
right -- Chrysler should do retro, and do it right!

 

That saving grace was part of Chrysler's engine problems.
Has Mitsubishi ever made a good engine?
Their 2.5 4 cyl and 3.0 V6 in friends Chrysler cars weren't even close
to my Chrysler engines that replaced them.

 

I agree. I had the 2.5L version of the GTS for 10 years.
It was an excellent package and would be lovely with todays drive train
enhancements.
I still see quite a few of them in the road, the body styling still
looks very good. It smokes the boxy 300's looks.

 

Was there a 2.5 Mitsu? The really infamouse Mitsu engine was the 2.6;
the 2.5 I remember was a bored Chrysler 2.2 with balance shafts.

 

What pisses me off is all the non-car schmucks out there that think
"Chrysler engines burn oil" because of those POS Mitsushitti engines
that went in Chrysler products for years. REAL Chrysler-designed engines
are damn near indestructible. Well, except for the 2.7, but even it's
doing pretty good these days.

 

There was a Mitsubishi 2.5L SIX cylinder in the late 90s, used mostly in
the "cloud" cars. It was ever-so-slightly less pathetic than the
Mitsubishi 3.0, and was replaced by the poorest Chrysler engine in
modern memory- but still better than any Mitsu- th 2.7L v6.

 

Except that invariably their exhaust valve seals go bad at around 120k
miles and they start exuding puffs of smoke out the exhaust. I
shouldn't complain though - my 2.7 has 210k miles on it - I just
replaced the water pump, oil pump, and timing chain as preventive
maintenance along with all 24 valve seals, so it will be good for
another 1/4 mil. So I shouldn't complain.

 

what about the Crossfire?
Merc engine, USA body