So now Maserati blocks are being cast by Chrysler. | FerrariChat

So now Maserati blocks are being cast by Chrysler.

Discussion in 'Maserati' started by staatsof, Sep 8, 2014.

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  1. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    http://www.autonews.com/article/20140908/OEM01/309089978/maseratis-secret-chrysler-makes-its-engine-blocks#

    Due to the demand outstripping Weber's (they were casting the blocks? who knew) capacity they've added or switched to Detroit.

    Now this is interesting because this engine may end up in Ferrari's and certainly the TT V8 will but the article doesn't mention the V8?

    All other machine work and assembly happens at Ferrari.

    "The engine blocks are a source of pride for workers at Trenton Engine, which has built some legendary Chrysler engines, such as the Slant Six, an inline six-cylinder engine, and the 440 -- the largest V-8 ever made by Chrysler. Workers have placed signs around the plant touting it as Ferrari-certified and displaying the brand's famous prancing horse logo."

    I'm certain the "Slant Six" association will thrill folks ...

    So they're swapping out Weber for Chrysler. Maybe not such a big deal.
     
  2. Sig. Roma

    Sig. Roma Formula 3
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    Just goes to show how much faith Fiat / Ferrari have in Chrysler's casting and machining ability.
     
  3. JCR

    JCR F1 Veteran
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    Interesting article. Good to know that the USA can do these engines just as well as the Italians as the Italian manufacturers have always done beautiful casting and machining work. Where Fiat really could use American help is with the sticky/melting plastic dashes/switchgear of Ferrari and Maserati. Chrysler has never had that issue.
     
  4. Maserati Blue

    Maserati Blue Formula Junior

    Dec 13, 2010
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    Well, Apple makes things in China. It is called globalization and in the current scheme of things, the automotive industry needs to do a lot more of that in order to remain competitive.

    Germans understood that they couldn't design beautiful and fashionable cars, so they took over an Italian design house. All current VW brands (Audio, VW, etc) are designed by Italians. VW/Audi uses Italian electrics (Magneti Marelli) and Italian brands use Bosch ECUs. Hey, even Japanese brands (Toyota) build cars in Europe (which is why quality of some of their components went down the drain). So on and so forth...

    Isn't the new mini-QP (so called Ghibli) partly a Chrysler 300 something?

    Globalize or die :)
     
  5. Quattroporte3

    Quattroporte3 Formula 3

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    With the economy in the state it's in, I would think people would applaud a major(-ish) manufacturer moving their production *to* the US, instead of away from it.
     
  6. tundraphile

    tundraphile F1 Veteran

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    I assume the castings are made both at Weber and at Chrysler, and that there will be some designation between the two somewhere cast into the block.

    What is interesting is they can make the numbers work to buy duplicate tooling and ship the blocks back to Italy for such a low-volume manufacturer like Maserati.

    Also, this must have been in the works for some time and just now announced. You don't just buy pressure-cast die tooling off the shelf.
     
  7. staatsof

    staatsof Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    You're probably correct and the not able to meet volume is a cover story. It is a sensitive issue.

    So is this the toe in the water?
     
  8. 71Satisfaction

    71Satisfaction Formula 3

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    Remember Maserati's goal of much, much higher unit sales volume?

    Makes a lot of sense to outsource increased supply, at least while analyzing what the factors are in the current high demand, and whether the analysis indicates it will continue (Is it the Ghilbli, is it good economic times, how long will it last - can it be sustained by a marketing push into the "mainstream" high-end market?).

    TRIVIA TIME!
    While the Slant Six isn't terribly glamorous, it was engineering cleverness applied to economy. Like V6's today, this segment is the bread-n-butter of any sales market. The tilt gave excellent flow efficiencies to the combustion chamber yielding 25mpg in 1960. Internal studies indicated the tilt of the block also evened out wear on the cylinder walls. It also featured shaft-aligned rockers, like all Chrysler engines. The /6 was one of the very first engines designed to be rigid in torsion, enough so that Chapman chose an 225cid /6 specifically to pioneer his use of the engine as a stressed chassis element in a Lotus 11 which became the fastest Lotus 11 on record; 170mph with "the reliability of a truck".

    Cheers!
    - Art
     
  9. GrayTA

    GrayTA F1 World Champ
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    Interesting....



    PDG
     
  10. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

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    Yep! You are correct.

    I was told at the Maserati dealership that the new Ghibli utilizes the Chrysler 300 frame.

    Who knew? :)

    Ciao,
    George
     
  11. andymont

    andymont Formula Junior

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    The frames of the two new sedans Maserati, M156 (long) and M157 (short) are both Maserati projects, expressly made for a family of premium cars, made of sedan cars and Suvs. So it will be used on the two new Alfas, now in project .
    The Chrysler 300 frame (Chrysler LX platform) is a 2005/2006 Chrysler project made during the partnership with Daimler Benz, it is currently used for the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Lancia Thema.

    Ciao

    Andrea
     
  12. redcaruser

    redcaruser Formula 3
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    That's correct, amen.
     
  13. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Hmm. Cast in cylinder liners. That's new. Not a great sign IMO. Makes the block a throw away if anything happens.
     
  14. JCR

    JCR F1 Veteran
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  15. REALZEUS

    REALZEUS F1 Veteran

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    The V6 block is also made by Chrysler, not the V8. Chrysler said they learnt a lot from the Italians regarding engines.
     

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