There's a rumor that has been circulating since the '80s about the 4 speed A-604 "Ultradrive" disaster that slung mud on CC at a time when it didn't need it. Pro-Chrysler forces blamed the oil companies and GM's roll-out of Dexron II, whereas the 7176E Chrsyler spec (ATF+3) was the only option for the A-604...AFTER all the trouble started happening. However, enough time's gone by to say with authority that there were MANY engineering bugs in the rollout year of the 604 that persisted for years. Here's the rumor...anyone heard it?
Supposedly, in a development management meeting in Auburn Hills, the subject at hand was the A-604 project, which was having tons of developmental problems. Engineering didn't want to put the thing in the new lineup due to reliability worries, but marketing said they were losing a ton of sales, since GM had already put their four speed
4T60 to go into its '86 "downsized" B-O-P cars, and the 4T80E in the new FWD Cadillac de Villes. Chrysler was still stuck with its A-413 3 speed and the A-904 for what was left of the M-body lineup. GM's B-O-Ps were turning in impressive (for the time, anyway) EPA highway figures, which CC couldn't match with the A-413, unless using instead (as with the RWD M-cars) unacceptably tall final drive ratios.Iacocca was, of course, in the driver's seat, and after hearing a rash of arguments as to why the A-604 couldn't make it for production next year and counter arguments as to how GM was kicking their asses in the FWD upscale market, he allegedly said to his people:
"I'm gonna go take a piss. When I come back, this goddamned thing had better be in production...."
True or false? Or at least...has anyone heard this in the old CC dealer organization?
We plan to challenge Mr. Iacocca to confirm or deny this rumor once and for all, but I need to know "who heard what when and where" first.