(as of 30 September 2023)
132-523: The Mitsubishi Mirage is a range of cars produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1978 until 2003 and again since 2012. The hatchback models produced between 1978 and 2003 were classified as subcompact cars , while the sedan and station wagon models, marketed prominently as the Mitsubishi Lancer , were the compact offerings. The liftback introduced in 1988 complemented
264-630: A coupé utility variant which came to fruition in 2002 as the Arena , lasting until 2010. The release of the fifth generation Mirage to Japan in October 1995 introduced a rationalized lineup as a result of the fragile post-bubble economy in Japan . Three body types were issued: first, the three-door hatchback and sedan, then in December 1995, the two-door coupé (Asti). While the sedan grew slightly in size,
396-925: A 10% stake in the company, until disposing of the last of its remaining shares in March 2003. The 1985 Hyundai Excel was sold in the United States as the Mitsubishi Precis between 1987 and 1994, whereas several other Mitsubishi models were rebadged as Hyundai, namely the Mitsubishi Chariot (as the Hyundai Santamo ), the Mitsubishi Pajero (as the Hyundai Galloper ) or the Mitsubishi Delica (as
528-829: A 15% share in the new company. Thanks to this deal, Chrysler began selling the Galant in the United States as the Dodge Colt (which was the first rebadged Mitsubishi product sold by Chrysler), pushing MMC's annual production beyond 250,000 vehicles. In 1977, the Galant was sold as the Chrysler Sigma in Australia. By 1977, a network of "Colt"-branded distribution and sales dealerships had been established across Europe, as Mitsubishi sought to begin selling vehicles directly. Annual production had by now grown from 500,000 vehicles in 1973 to 965,000 in 1978, when Chrysler began selling
660-482: A Mitsubishi takeover, which proved effective. Although sales of SUVs and light trucks were booming in the U.S., Japan's car manufacturers dismissed the idea that such a trend could occur in their own country. Nakamura, however, increased the budget for SUV product development, and his gamble paid off; Mitsubishi's wide line of four-wheel drive vehicles, from the Mitsubishi Pajero Mini kei car to
792-485: A four-speed manual with a second lever for "low" and "high" range; effectively making the transmission an eight-speed unit. The Super Shift was not originally planned. However, Mitsubishi engineers had to make use of the existing Orion engine designed for rear-wheel drive applications making use of the longitudinal engine orientation. In the Mirage, sizing constraints as a result of the front-wheel drive layout required
924-454: A fuel-injected 1.6-litre 4G32T engine which reappeared in the next-generation Colt. The facelifted model was also manufactured as the Colt by Mitsubishi Motors Australia at their Clovelly Park, South Australia plant from 1982 to late 1989, with sufficient inventory stockpiled not exhausting until 1990. Initially offered with the 1.4- and 1.6-liter engines in five-door hatchback form, the sedan
1056-581: A fuel-injected version of a new 1.5-liter engine from the Saturn family , the G31B. The transmissions were updated at the same time. In October 1986, the sedans and hatchbacks were rebadged "Mirage NOW" for the Japanese market. The change included better equipment and a revised lineup, going from the basic XF via the better equipped XL to the mildly sporty X1 X on top. The X1 X featured an Italvolanti steering wheel and alloy wheels by Porsche Design . Also new
1188-413: A gasoline V6 engine variant displacing just 1.6-liters was also offered, making it the smallest ever mass-produced V6. Many performance models were offered in this generation. The entry-level model is powered with 1.6-liter DOHC inline-four engine producing 145–175 PS (143–173 hp; 107–129 kW) was sold as "Mirage R, RS, Super R, Cyborg or Cyborg R" and "Lancer MR" in Japan. For export model,
1320-554: A going concern by International Motors (a firm previously known for launching Hyundai onto the UK market in 1981). Mitsubishi Motors plans to stop developing car platforms for the Japanese market and instead use vehicle bases made by ally Nissan Motor beginning around 2026. The Colt name appears frequently in Mitsubishi's history since its introduction as a rear-engined 600-cc sedan in the early 1960s. Today, it most commonly refers to
1452-799: A joint venture with Mitsubishi that started 1998. Models produced at the Tiruvallur , Tamil Nadu plant included the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (third generation) until 2016. Upon selling its Volvo Cars division to Ford in January 1999, Volvo Group purchased a 5% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in November of that same year, but sold its stake to shareholder DaimlerChrysler in March 2001. Mitsubishi has been allied with PSA Group since 1999, after they agreed to co-operate on
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#17327803311881584-428: A license to the fourth generation design from 1993 — it remained in produced in a distant form until 2010. The first variant produced, the sedan was badged Proton Wira (1993–2007) and was complemented by a Proton-designed five-door Wira hatchback (1993–2004). Malaysian manufacture of other variants commenced later, with the three-door Satria (1994–2005) and Putra coupé (1996–2000; and 2004–2005). Proton then developed
1716-604: A member of the Renault–Nissan Alliance (the "Alliance"). Nissan has said that they plan to share some car platforms and jointly develop future vehicles with Mitsubishi Motors. Nissan's acquisition of the 34% controlling interest in Mitsubishi Motors was completed in October 2016, when Carlos Ghosn , the chairman of Nissan, Renault , and the Alliance, also became chairman of Mitsubishi Motors. Ghosn remained chairman of Mitsubishi until his dismissal following his arrest by
1848-409: A new grille insert. The tail lights were larger, new firmer engine and transmission mounts were fitted, and a new, lighter and more rigid transmission case was developed. The dashboard was also updated, with rotating "satellite" buttons mounted within fingertip reach for light and wiper functions. Another new version for the Japanese market was the 1600SX, a well-equipped five-door automatic fitted with
1980-423: A new grille and reshaped inner-portions of the headlamps to better differentiate it from the Mirage donor model. Both the coupé and sedan benefited from redesigned tail lamps, whereas the three-door only received a redesigned front bumper incorporating a larger grille. In 1997, a classically styled version of the Mirage three-door hatchback became available in Japan, badged Mirage Modarc. The Modarc featured chrome for
2112-625: A response to the 1973 oil crisis . A five-door hatchback on a longer wheelbase arrived in September. Since most overseas markets did not have the Minica kei car , the Mirage was usually sold as Mitsubishi's entry-level model. Chassis codes were from A151 to 153 for the three-doors, with A155 and up used for the longer five-door version. Mirage featured four-wheel independent suspension , rack and pinion steering, plus front disc brakes . Power initially came from 1,244 and 1410 cc iterations of
2244-641: A small stake. Mitsubishi's automotive origins date back to 1917, when the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., introduced the Mitsubishi Model A , Japan's first series-production automobile. An entirely hand-built seven-seater sedan based on the Fiat Tipo 3, it proved expensive compared to its American and European mass-produced rivals, and was discontinued in 1921 after only 22 had been built. In 1934, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding
2376-485: A station wagon - Mitsubishi originally marketed the Mirage only as a three-door hatch through its own American dealers, despite the five-door model having repeatedly been rejected by Chrysler's marketing organization in favor of the Dodge Omni . The 1985 Mirage's equipment levels were Base, L, LS, and Turbo, with prices set a few hundred dollars beneath those of its Dodge/Plymouth equivalents. The well-equipped LS model
2508-531: A station wagon simply named Mitsubishi Libero . A turbocharged model named Libero GT was also available. The Libero was sold as the Lancer Wagon in most export markets, where its introduction coincided with a small update for 1993, featuring new bumpers and adjustments to the engine lineup. The Lancer wagon was sold until 2003 in the Australian and New Zealand markets, primarily for fleet buyers. The wagon
2640-468: A turbocharger, spoilers, and fat tires. It was not a thorough engineering job and the car was not able to fully handle the ample power made available. Some markets also received the 4WD Wagon with the larger 1.8-liter engine, although the diesel-powered 4WD remained available to Japanese customers only. Versions equipped with catalytic converters first became available in Europe in 1985, at the same time as
2772-596: A variant called the Mirage Panther. The four-door saloon version (known elsewhere as Lancer Fiore) was sold as the "Mirage Geneva" in New Zealand. Many export markets, such as Europe and Australia received the Mirage under the Colt name. In the United Kingdom, where Colt was the marque itself, it was called the Colt 1200 and Colt 1400, after the engine displacements . In most of Europe, it was sold as
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#17327803311882904-487: A very narrow single-port grille. Lancer variants diverged with more angular styling characterized by the more upright design. The Lancer also featured re-shaped fenders, less rounded headlamps, and a larger dual-port grille. Although both were built on the same platform, the Japanese-specification Lancer sedan received different sheet metal than the Mirage equivalent. More traditional in silhouette,
3036-490: A wholly owned subsidiary of MHI under the leadership of Tomio Kubo, a successful engineer from the aircraft division. The logo of three red diamonds, shared with over 40 other companies within the keiretsu , antedates Mitsubishi Motors itself by almost a century. It was chosen by Iwasaki Yatarō , the founder of Mitsubishi, as it was suggestive of the emblem of the Tosa clan who first employed him, and because his own family crest
3168-405: A ¥540-billion emergency rescue of Mitsubishi Motors in January 2005, in partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group . As part of the rescue, MHI acquired ¥50 billion of Mitsubishi Motors stock, increasing its ownership stake to 15% and making the automaker an affiliate again. The emergency rescue was carried out 4 years after a product recall scandal in Japan that
3300-620: Is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo , Japan. In 2011, Mitsubishi Motors was the sixth-largest Japanese automaker and the 19th-largest worldwide by production. Since October 2016, Mitsubishi has been one-third (34%) owned by Nissan , and included in the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance . Besides being part of the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, it
3432-467: Is also a part of Mitsubishi keiretsu , formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan. The company was originally formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries . Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation , which builds commercial-grade trucks, buses, and heavy construction equipment, was formerly a part of Mitsubishi Motors, but is now owned by German automotive corporation Daimler Truck , with Mitsubishi continuing to own
3564-531: Is an 8-valve SOHC design with an aluminium head and iron block. The engine has five main bearings. Power was 95–105 hp (71–78 kW) depending on which carburetor combo was used. An updated version with central-point electronic fuel injection was installed in Mirages and Lancers from 1986 on. A version for industrial use has 37 PS (27 kW) at 3000 rpm. Bore x Stroke: 74.5 mm × 86 mm (2.93 in × 3.39 in) In 1970,
3696-484: The 4G32 was introduced, and it displaces 1.6 L (1,597 cc). It is an eight-valve SOHC design with an aluminium head and iron block. The engine has five main bearings, a cross flow head and a single down draught carburetor. Firing order is 1-3-4-2. The GSR versions used two twin-barrel Mikuni -built Solex carburetors for a total of 110 hp (82 kW) ( SAE ). A version with an early iteration of Mitsubishi's MCA lean-burn system (MCA-IIB), fulfilling
3828-561: The CA series when introduced in 1988, adopting the CB designation for the 1990 facelift. The liftback continued to be sold in Australia alongside the fourth generation ( CC ) Mirage-derived Lancer from 1992 through to 1996. Confusingly, the carry-over liftback was also given this CC model designation. North American three-door and sedan sales occurred under the Mitsubishi Mirage name for
3960-643: The Colt T120SS light truck between 1991 and 2019 based on the Suzuki Carry . Despite the same bodywork, the fascia is unique to Mitsubishi and it is manufactured in the local Mitsubishi plant. The engine used is either Mitsubishi's 1.3 L (1,343 cc) carbureted 4G17 or the bigger 1.5 L (1,468 cc) fuel-injected 4G15 . In 2005, the alliance continued by rebadging the Suzuki APV to Mitsubishi Maven . Few styling changes were applied, and
4092-565: The DaimlerChrysler-Mitsubishi alliance from 2000 through to 2004, the license to the "Lancer" name was relinquished to Mitsubishi for usage in North America. Thus, after the fifth and final generation Mirage, replacement models in North America have adopted the new name. Mitsubishi introduced replacements for the fifth series of Mirage, starting in 2000 with a new generation of Lancer—now larger, having moved up to
Mitsubishi Mirage - Misplaced Pages Continue
4224-673: The Delica Space Gear passenger van, rode the wave of SUV-buying in Japan in the early to mid-1990s, and Mitsubishi saw its overall domestic share rise to 11.6% in 1995. In 1991, Chrysler sold its equity stake in Diamond-Star Motors to its partner Mitsubishi Motors, and from then on the two companies continued to share components and manufacturing on a contractual basis only. Chrysler decreased its interest in Mitsubishi Motors to less than 3% in 1992, and announced its decision to divest itself of all its remaining shares on
4356-523: The Henry J , an inexpensive American sedan built by Kaiser Motors , in knockdown kit (CKD) form in 1951, and continued to bring them to Japan for the remainder of the car's three-year production run. The same year, Central Japan Heavy-Industries concluded a similar contract with Willys (now owned by Kaiser) for CKD-assembled Jeep CJ-3Bs . This deal proved more durable, with licensed Mitsubishi Jeeps in production until 1998, 30 years after Willys had replaced
4488-656: The Hyundai Porter ) and Mitsubishi Proudia (as the Hyundai Equus ). The South African Motor Corporation ( Samcor ) (previously also called Sigma Corporation and MMI) was a joint venture created in 1985, which produced Ford , Mazda , and Mitsubishi vehicles for the local South African market, with the Mitsubishi Delica being rebadged as the Ford Husky minibus and the Mitsubishi Canter as
4620-536: The Lancer , Grandis , and Outlander . From 2010, they were superseded with Mitsubishi's self-developed 4N1 diesel engines. As of 2006, Mitsubishi had four joint ventures with Chinese partners: In December 2010, Mitsubishi and Nissan agreed to form a joint venture (later named " NMKV Co., Ltd.") to develop kei cars for the Japanese market. In 2016, Nissan uncovered evidence that Mitsubishi's fuel-economy testing numbers were erroneous and had been erroneous since
4752-571: The Minica kei car and the Colt 1000, the first of its Colt line of family cars, in 1963. In 1964, Mitsubishi introduced its largest passenger sedan, the Mitsubishi Debonair as a luxury car primarily for the Japanese market, and was used by senior Mitsubishi executives as a company car. West Japan Heavy-Industries (now renamed Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Engineering) and East Japan Heavy-Industries (now Mitsubishi Nihon Heavy-Industries) had also expanded their automotive departments in
4884-801: The Proton Inspira (the Proton Waja replacement) was again based on the Mitsubishi Lancer platform and officially launched on 10 November 2010. Mitsubishi participated in a joint venture with rival carmaker Volvo and the Dutch government at the former DAF plant in Born in 1991. The operation, branded NedCar , began producing the first-generation Mitsubishi Carisma alongside the Volvo S40/V40 in 1996. The factory later produced
5016-563: The Silver Pigeon were also developed. However, the zaibatsu (Japan's family-controlled industrial conglomerates) were ordered to be dismantled by the Allied powers in 1950, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was split into three regional companies, each with an involvement in motor-vehicle development: West Japan Heavy-Industries, Central Japan Heavy-Industries, and East Japan Heavy-Industries. East Japan Heavy-Industries began importing
5148-780: The Wira and Perdana were based on the Lancer/Colt and Galant/Eterna, respectively, before the company finally produced entirely self-developed vehicles, the Waja in 2000, and the Proton Gen-2 in 2004. At its peak, the Proton controlled 75% of its domestic market, even after Mitsubishi ended their 22-year partnership in 2005, selling their 7.9% stake for RM 384 million to Khazanah Nasional Berhad . However, in October 2008, Proton renewed its technology-transfer agreements with MMC, and
5280-422: The compact segment. Then in 2002, a subcompact five-door hatchback badged Colt globally became available. By 2003, the Mirage and its derivatives had been completely phased out of mainstream Japanese production. For the 2002-era Colt's replacement in 2012, Mitsubishi decided to resurrect the Mirage name internationally for a new sixth generation model. With the rising popularity of boxy subcompact SUVs in Japan,
5412-450: The "Mirage" nameplate worldwide. This is especially true of the hatchback and coupé which were not redesigned due to Mitsubishi's financial troubles. In other markets, the newer sedan often co-existed with the old as a more premium offering. Mitsubishi eventually replaced the three-door in 2005 for Europe only with the three-door Colt —the name previously used in many export markets to denote the Mirage from 1978 onwards. A five-door variant of
Mitsubishi Mirage - Misplaced Pages Continue
5544-411: The "Vie Saloon" suffix. Engines available were 1.3- and 1.5-liter Orion gasoline inline-fours and 1.8-liter Saturn gasoline inline-four. For Greece only, a 1.2-liter version of Orion engine available in the entry-level models outputted 48 kW (65 PS). The 1.8-liter Sirius diesel carried over from the previous shape. In Japan, four-wheel-drive versions were also available, fitted with
5676-406: The 1.4-liter engine was made available in Japan from the time of the facelift as the 1400 GT Turbo, originally only in the three-door hatchback. To handle the additional power, the suspension was made firmer, the brake servo was upgraded, and the driveshaft was changed to an equal-length design featuring a central bearing. The small turbocharger, of Mitsubishi's own manufacture, unusually sat between
5808-629: The 1.4-litre engine and a four-speed manual gearbox, stepping up to the 1.6-litre, GLX hatchback and sedan with five-speed manual or optional three-speed automatic. This model was also briefly exported to New Zealand in the late 1980s, where it shared showroom space with the locally assembled third generation models. Previously, local complete knock down (CKD) assembly of the Colt took place in Petone, Wellington under contract through Todd Motor Corporation (the NZ, Mitsubishi assembly franchise holders), including
5940-588: The 105 PS (77 kW) Turbo model, which arrived in late 1982. After the introduction of the second generation Mirage/Colt, the original model remained available in Belgium (at least) as the "Mitsubishi Magnum", only offered as a three-door with the smallest engine and bare-bones equipment. Mitsubishi launched the second generation Mirage to Japan in 1983, again splitting the range into Mirage (three- and five-door hatchback, plus four-door sedan) and Lancer Fiore (four-door sedan) models. A station wagon version of
6072-576: The 124 PS (91 kW), catalyzed 1600 GTi-16V was replaced by a 1.8-liter version with 136 PS (100 kW). A few months later, this version also became available with a non-catalyzed engine for those European markets that still eschewed emissions controls. The next generation Lancer did not include a five-door hatchback; since this was a popular bodystyle in Europe Mitsubishi kept offering this model until mid-1994. Beginning in June 1992,
6204-400: The 1600GT's 88-PS engine. At the same time as this facelift, Mitsubishi introduced a four-door sedan variant to Japan under the names Mirage Saloon and Lancer Fiore, which is not to be confused with the unrelated regular Lancer . The Fiore was often abbreviated to Lancer or Lancer F in international markets, eschewing the "Fiore" suffix. The sedan's backseat folded in a 60/40 split, just as for
6336-501: The 1800 L/EL/GL (diesel) three- or five-door. The Lancer sedan was available in the same trim levels as the hatchback model (including the 1200 engine), while the wagon versions were available as 1500 GLX and 1800 GL diesel only. The three-door Colt Turbo was also sold in Europe, with the 125 PS (92 kW) 1.6-liter ECI engine. The Colt Turbo fared badly in competition with its European GTi-class competitors, with period testers criticizing Mitsubishi for not doing much more than adding
6468-428: The 1950s, and the three were reintegrated as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1964. Within three years, its output was over 75,000 vehicles annually. Following the successful introduction of the first Galant in 1969 and similar growth with its commercial-vehicle division, the company decided to create a single operation to focus on the automotive industry. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) was formed on 22 April 1970, as
6600-620: The 1989 to 1992 model years. Badge engineered variants were also sold in the US as the Dodge/Plymouth Colt (three-door only), and Eagle Summit . In Canada, a Dodge/Plymouth sedan was also offered as the Mitsubishi brand did not operate in the market until the 2003 model year. For the Mitsubishi-badged versions, the top hatchback carried a 1.6-liter 4G61T turbocharged inline-four engine rated as 135 hp (101 kW). For
6732-417: The 1991 model year, the 1.5-liter 4G15 engine's new twelve valve heads (three valves per cylinder) boosted power from 81 to 92 hp (60 to 69 kW), and a new GS sedan offered the 1.6-liter 4G61 with 123 hp (92 kW) and a standard four-speed automatic transmission. In October 1991, the fourth generation Mirage made its debut for the Japanese market alongside the related Lancer. Departing from
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#17327803311886864-505: The 1994 model year, Mitsubishi introduced a driver's airbag, the LS sedan lost its optional anti-lock brakes, and the LS coupé gained the 1.8-liter engine previously exclusive to sedans. The 1994 model year was the last year of retail sales for Mirage sedans (which became limited to fleets) and for the Dodge and Plymouth Colts altogether (replaced by Chrysler's new, American-designed Neon ), although
6996-712: The 4G15 engine was used instead of Suzuki's G15A engine. The Maven was discontinued in 2009 due to poor sales. The Colt T120SS was discontinued in 2019 as the base vehicle, the Suzuki Carry was updated, and Mitsubishi was not interested in continuing the alliance. In Japan, Mitsubishi had rebadged the Suzuki Solio as the Delica D:2 and the Suzuki Every as the Minicab . Indian manufacturer Hindustan had
7128-410: The 4G32. The 4G3 displaces 1.4 L (1,440 cc) from a 73 mm × 86 mm (2.87 in × 3.39 in) bore and stroke. There was also an MCA-Jet equipped G33B developed to fulfill the 1978 Japanese emissions regulations. The 4G35 displaces 1.7 L (1,686 cc). It is an 8-valve SOHC design with an aluminium head and iron block. The engine has five main bearings. Power
7260-664: The Australian-built Mitsubishi Sigma to the UK as the Lonsdale YD41 in an attempt to circumvent British import quotas, but the new brand was unsuccessful. It then carried Mitsubishi Sigma badges in 1983–84 before abandoning this operation entirely. South Korean manufacturer Hyundai , built the Hyundai Pony in 1975 using MMC's Saturn engine and transmissions. Korea's first car, it remained in production for 13 years. Mitsubishi held up to
7392-650: The Colt had earlier been released in 2002. By 2003, the only Mirage sold in Japan was the coupé, now without the Asti designation. Mitsubishi did not tender a replacement for the coupé. European three-door CJO series models of this generation were sold between 1995 and 2001 as the Colt. Sedans and wagons sold as Lancers. Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Motors Corporation ( 三菱自動車工業株式会社 , Mitsubishi Jidōsha Kōgyō KK , lit. ' Mitsubishi Automotive Industry Company ' , / m ɪ t s ʊ ˈ b iː ʃ i / , Japanese pronunciation: [mitsɯꜜbiɕi] )
7524-601: The Eagle Summit sedan and coupé remained on sale alongside the Mirage coupé through to 1996. As a consequence, only S and LS Mirage coupés returned for model year 1995, and both benefitted from a new passenger's side airbag and covered center console (and therefore the deletion of the motorized front seatbelts). The 1995 Mirage LS coupé gained uprated 14-inch wheels, but deleted access to power windows, power door locks, and cruise control. Mitsubishi granted Proton in Malaysia
7656-403: The Eclipse and Galant were being explored in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Russia, where the company's bestselling dealership is located. Mitsubishi Motors has also been active in OEM production of cars for Nissan , and announced a similar partnership with Groupe PSA in July 2005 to manufacture an SUV on their behalf. Mitsubishi Motors reported its first profitable quarter in four years in
7788-422: The Ford Triton light truck. Samcor also made a version of the Mazda 323 for the UK market called the Sao Penza, which was a marque like Lonsdale YD41 , invented to get around British import quotas. Malaysian manufacturer Proton was initially very dependent on Mitsubishi Motors, assembling their 1985 Proton Saga using mostly MMC components at a newly established facility in Shah Alam . Subsequent models like
7920-443: The GSR available with automatic—three gears for the base coupé and sedan—and a four-speed unit for the remainder of the lineup. The GL coupé and sedan featured the 1.5-liter carbureted motor, with the 1.8-liter fuel-injected engine reserved for the rest of the series. All engines except in the GSR are single overhead camshaft design; the GSR featured double overhead camshafts, plus a turbocharger and intercooler. This model launched in
8052-428: The Galant as the Dodge Challenger and the Plymouth Sapporo . However, this expansion was beginning to cause friction; Chrysler saw their overseas markets for subcompacts as being directly encroached by their Japanese partners, while MMC felt the Americans were demanding too much say in their corporate decisions. Mitsubishi Motors finally achieved annual production of a million cars in 1980, but by this time, its ally
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#17327803311888184-401: The Japanese government in November 2018, when Mitsubishi Motors CEO Osamu Masuko assumed the chairmanship. By 2023, Renault Group began supplying Mitsubishi in Continental Europe, with the Renault Clio and Renault Captur rebadge as the Colt and ASX. The firm has no plans to sell any of the models in Britain or Ireland, as the Colt Car Company's Mitsubishi aftersales business was bought as
8316-419: The Lancer sedan (suffixed Vie Saloon) featured a simple four-window glasshouse, whereas the Mirage sedan adopted a more modern six-window glasshouse with abbreviated trunk . Naming of the various models for export was many and varied. As a Mitsubishi, the three-door was restricted to the Mirage and Colt names, but the Mirage Asti coupé was often badged Lancer as well. With the sedan, export markets only retailed
8448-413: The Mirage name for all five generations in Japan, with all but the first series badged as such in the United States. However, other markets often utilized the name Mitsubishi Colt and sedan variants of the Mirage have been widely sold as the Mitsubishi Lancer —including in Japan where the two retailed alongside one another. In Japan, the Mirage was sold at a specific retail chain called Car Plaza . In
8580-456: The Mirage nameplate was used on a domestic market-only model called the Mirage Dingo , from 1999. The Dingo was facelifted in 2001 and canceled in 2003. However, New Zealand sold a very different Mirage from 2002—a rebadged Dutch-manufactured Mitsubishi Space Star labeled Mirage Space Star. This vehicle was not very popular and was discontinued in 2003. Mitsubishi launched the Mirage as a front-wheel drive three-door hatchback in March 1978, as
8712-536: The Mirage was added in 1985, with a four-wheel drive wagon available from the fall of 1986 with the 1.8-liter gasoline engine. Many export markets sold the hatchbacks as Mirage or Colt, with the sedan and wagon commonly badged Lancer. This wagon model went on to become very popular in both the commercial and private sectors overseas as well as in Japan. C10-series chassis numbers denote front-wheel-drive models, while C30-series numbers are for four-wheel-drive versions (only station wagons). Uprated engines were deployed into
8844-452: The Mitsubishi Champ in 1983. Later the series was renamed Mitsubishi Champ II and Champ III, with the hatchback and 1.5-liter versions discontinued. This was also exported to Canada from January 1988 until the end of Champ production in 1994. In Indonesia, both the sedan and the 5-door hatchback were sold under the Lancer nameplate. Available in two trim levels, SL with 1.4-liter engine and GLX with 1.6-liter engine. The four-door sedan formed
8976-406: The Mitsubishi Colt subcompact in the company's line-up, but is also the name of MMC's import/distribution company in the United Kingdom, the Colt Car Company , established in 1974. For the first decade of its existence, before Far Eastern auto manufacturers had established their reputations, its cars carried the "Colt" badge in Britain instead of "Mitsubishi". In 1982 and 1983, Mitsubishi introduced
9108-459: The Mitsubishi Colt. The Lancer Fiore (sometimes called Lancer F) arrived in early 1983, which is also when the facelift appeared in Europe. European market models usually have the 1200 or the 1400 engine, with 55 or 70 PS (40 or 51 kW) on tap. Max power was reached at 5000 rather than 5500 rpm for the Japanese market models, and they were fitted with somewhat gentler cams for a less peaky power delivery. Some European markets also received
9240-435: The North America as the Dodge Colt and Plymouth Champ from late-1978 for the 1979 model year , in three-door form only until the 1982 model year when the five-door was added. Then from the 1983 model year, Plymouth retired the Champ and adopted the name Colt as well. 0-60 time was over 12 seconds, and the top speed was 90 MPH. The Mirage Turbo was sold as the Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo, only as a two-door hatchback and fitted with
9372-466: The United States and Canada, the first four generations were sold through a venture with Chrysler as the Dodge Colt and the similar Plymouth -badged Champ and Colt. Later, the venture brought the Eagle Vista and Summit branded models which sold alongside the aforementioned. Confusingly, Chrysler has also offered an unrelated Dodge Lancer at various stages between the 1950s and 1980s. However, when DaimlerChrysler briefly controlled Mitsubishi through
9504-528: The United States for the 1993 model year as the Mirage, with all variants now sourced from Japan (instead of Japan or Illinois as previously). The same body shapes were also sold as the Dodge and Plymouth Colt in both the United States and Canada. The six-window greenhouse sedan was sold in these countries as the Eagle Summit alongside a coupé of the same name. For the Mitsubishi branded versions sold only in
9636-471: The United States, the coupé and four-window sedan were offered in base, S, ES and LS trim levels. Five-speed manual transmission was standard, although an automatic was optional on all Mirages except the S coupé. Mitsubishi kept the preceding generation's base 1.5-liter 4G15 engine with 92 hp (69 kW), but fitted the ES and LS sedans with the new 1.8-liter 4G93 engine rated at 113 hp (84 kW). For
9768-584: The basis of the Proton Saga , Malaysia's first locally built car and manufactured between 1985 and 2008. Proton would later spin the Saga off into its own five-door hatchback called the Saga Aeroback in 1987 (longer, and styled differently from Mitsubishi's own five-door hatchback version). Mitsubishi introduced the more rounded, third-generation Mirage to Japan in October 1987. Masaru Furukawa headed
9900-527: The car was badged as " Colt or Lancer GTi", powered with 1.8-liter DOHC naturally aspirated engine rated at 140 PS (138 hp; 103 kW). The 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 195–205 PS (192–202 hp; 143–151 kW), was sold as a "Lancer GSR or RS" and from September 1993, formed the basis of the Lancer Evolution I that used the 2.0-liter 4G63 engine from the successful Galant VR-4 rally car. An electric version of
10032-457: The car. Mitsubishi made a 25-year licensing deal to use the "Mirage" name with Grand Touring Cars, Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona for use in the United States, as that company already owned the rights to the name for the Mirage race car series. While Dodge/Plymouth Colt-branded models were available with four-door sedan bodywork as well as a short-lived five-door hatchback - from model year 1988 also
10164-449: The carbureted 1.5 and fuel-injected 1.6-liter gasoline engines, or 1.8-liter diesel. The top Mirages in Japan were called the "Cyborg", featuring the turbocharged 1.6-liter motor developing 145 PS (107 kW) — the same unit as fitted to the GSR sedan. The third generation received a minor facelift in September 1989, with late models receiving the same modernized engines as were seen in
10296-636: The construction of a new manufacturing plant in Indonesia under a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation (40%) and a local company Krama Yudha Group (9%), with the maximum production capacity of 160,000 vehicles per year. In July 2015, the Mitsubishi Motors announced that it plans to end production at the Diamond-Star Motors plant in Normal, Illinois , US, as the plant has been operating well below capacity for several years. Operations at
10428-480: The coupé shrunk modestly. It was bumped from the subcompact class to compact in the United States. Whereas the previous Mirage sedan sold in Japan featured a six-window profile, the 1995 redesign shared its styling with the Lancer except for minor differences in trim. For the Lancer, these included a different trunk lid, amber front turn signal lamps, and a restyled grille garnish. No station wagon of this generation
10560-597: The crowded streets of Japan. Japanese media rumored in 1992 and 1993 that Mitsubishi Motors intended a hostile acquisition of Honda . While Mitsubishi was riding high off of profitable vehicles such as the Diamante and Pajero, Honda was caught off-guard with the SUV and truck boom, and was losing focus after the illness and later death of its founder . Honda CEO Nobuhiko Kawamoto took drastic steps, though, such as exiting Formula 1 and discontinuing unprofitable vehicles to avert
10692-591: The development of diesel engines using the Japanese company's gasoline direct injection technology. They united again in 2005 to develop the Peugeot 4007 and Citroën C-Crosser sport utility vehicles (SUVs), based on the Japanese company's Mitsubishi Outlander . Two further ties were established between the companies in 2008, first with the establishment of a jointly owned production facility in Kaluga , which will manufacture up to 160,000 Outlander-based SUVs for
10824-438: The engine to be mounted transversely , thus causing the carburetor to face forwards and run into icing issues . However, the primary implication of the Mirage's powertrain orientation — and the issue that demanded the unconventional transmission — was the mounting of the transmission beneath the engine. This required the gearbox to take power down from the clutch , an action not possible directly as this would have dictated that
10956-504: The facility ended in May 2016. The plant was sold to Maynards Industries, which sold the site to American electric vehicle startup Rivian in 2017. In May 2016, in the wake of the fuel-efficiency scandal uncovered by Nissan (discussed in "Fuel economy scandal" ), Nissan began the acquisition of a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors, with the aim of making Nissan the largest and controlling shareholder of Mitsubishi and turning Mitsubishi Motors into
11088-498: The familiar Orion engine, putting out 72 and 82 PS (53 and 60 kW), respectively. Of particular note, the 1410 cc variant featured "modulated displacement"—a system that could shut down cylinders under cruising or idle conditions to reduce fuel consumption. Mitsubishi added the moderately more powerful 1.6-liter Saturn engine to the range in March 1979, for the 88 PS (65 kW) 1600 GT model. The Mirage also debuted Mitsubishi's Super Shift transmission,
11220-401: The fast-growing Russian market. They were also collaborating in the research and development of electric powertrains for small urban vehicles. Japanese newspaper Nikkei claimed that PSA will sell the electric city car Mitsubishi i MIEV in Europe by 2011. In Europe, Mitsubishi Motors used diesel engines supplied by German manufacturer Volkswagen for some of its mid-sized cars, such as
11352-431: The four-window variation as a Mitsubishi, although this occurred under both the Lancer and Mirage names. Mitsubishi's powertrain choices were vast with this new platform. Front-wheel drive was most common, with all-wheel drive available for some models. Engines ranged from 1.3- to 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline inline-fours, 1.8 and 2.0-liter turbocharged versions of the same, plus 1.8 and 2.0-liter diesels. Notably,
11484-485: The gearbox rotate in the opposite direction to that required. To overcome this, the use of an extra "idle" transfer shaft was necessitated. It was subsequently realized that for a cost no more than developing a new five-speed transmission, this shaft could be modified as a separate two-speed gearbox controlled by a secondary shift lever mounted alongside the main lever inside the cabin. The ratios on this transfer transmission were, in effect, "underdrives"—consequently marked on
11616-558: The grille, side mirrors, door handles, and bumper strips; it also included fog lights and optional alloy wheels. In 2001, the Mirage-based models gained a chrome-trimmed grille insert in limited markets. Although a new, substantially larger and more expensive generation of Lancer sedan arrived in 2000, many export markets retained the Mirage-derived model up until 2003 when Japanese manufacture concluded and Mitsubishi retired
11748-586: The hatchback. With Mirage hatchback and sedan sales in Japan restricted to the Car Plaza dealerships, the Fiore was intended to duplicate the Mirage's success at the Galant Shop — Mitsubishi's second retail sales channel. Lancer Fiore received the same 1.2- and 1.4-liter engines, and as a Mirage-derived model line, was substantially smaller than the strict Lancer. Apart from the wider axle track dictated by
11880-490: The higher line models were fitted with the new 1.6 and 1.8-litre engines from the 4G9 engine family ; a 75 PS (55 kW) version of the 12-valve 1.3 was also on offer. Since first generation Mirages were still under Australian production as the Colt, all three third generation body types were sold under the Lancer name in that market. Initially, the Australian-specification models were designated as
12012-500: The intake and the twin-barrel carburetor . The engine was equipped with a knock sensor , enabling it to run on petrols of various octane ratings. The compression ratio was also unusual, fairly high for its time at 8.7 to 1. The Turbo also used the twin-range Super Shift transmission. In Japan, the Turbo was also available with the five-door hatchback bodywork, a version that was rarely exported (if at all). Japanese buyers could also opt for
12144-643: The intermediate Japanese exhaust regulations for 1975, was called G32A . This was built for less than one year, as the new MCA engine arrived in November 1975. Those with the later, cleaner yet, "MCA-Jet" system were called G32B . Later, the G32B also came in a fuel injected , turbocharged model. For competition, a version of the 4G32 engine was made with a DOHC eight-valve cylinder head, and fitted with two twin-choke 40 mm (1.6 in) Solex sidedraft carburettors. Bore x Stroke: 77 mm × 86 mm (3.03 in × 3.39 in) Turbocharged version of
12276-623: The latest Mitsubishi Colt and the related Smart Forfour (partner DaimlerChrysler cancelled its production in 2006). Production of European market-bound Mitsubishi Outlanders , and badge-engineered versions of this vehicle, were also manufactured in the Netherlands until 2012, when the company sold the plant to the Dutch industrial conglomerate VDL Groep . Mitsubishi Motors Europe 's headquarters and their European distribution center are still based in Born. In Indonesia, Mitsubishi offered
12408-409: The latest in computer control engine technology including electronic fuel injection . Power differed for cars with catalyzers, or for markets with lower octane fuel. Some European markets received a smaller 1.2-liter "tax special" as well, with 55 PS (40 kW). The car received a very mild facelift in early 1986, along with some new engine options for the Japanese domestic market. This included
12540-583: The model. By the beginning of the 1960s, Japan's economy was gearing up; wages were rising and the idea of family motoring was taking off. Central Japan Heavy-Industries, now known as Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, had already re-established an automotive department in its headquarters in 1953. Now, it was ready to introduce the Mitsubishi 500 , a mass-market sedan, to meet the new demand from consumers. It followed this in 1962 with
12672-749: The new turbocharged Lancer Fiore/Mirage Saloon 1400GT; all three of these turbo versions arrived in August 1982. Mitsubishi distinguished the 1400GT with a hood mounted air intake, unique interior, uprated suspension and brakes, and the equalization of the drive shaft lengths to reduce torque steering . In October 1982, the 1200EX Special (hatchbacks) and 1200EL Special (saloons) were launched in Japan; these were well equipped low-cost versions with heated rear windshields and other extras. The 1400MD Super and Marie limited editions were launched in December 1982. Japanese manufacture of all body variants ended in October 1983. Chrysler imported this generation of Mirage to
12804-521: The ongoing tensions between Chrysler and Mitsubishi, they agreed to unite in a vehicle manufacturing operation in Normal, Illinois . The 50/50 venture provided a way to circumvent the voluntary import restrictions, while providing a new line of compact and subcompact cars for Chrysler. Diamond-Star Motors (DSM)—from the parent companies' logos: three diamonds (Mitsubishi) and a pentastar (Chrysler)—was incorporated in October 1985, and in April 1986, ground
12936-406: The only one of Japan's 11 auto manufacturers to be privately held. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries agreed to reduce its share to 25%, retaining its position as largest single stockholder. Chrysler, meanwhile, increased its holding to over 20%. The capital raised by this initial offering enabled Mitsubishi to pay off part of its debts, as well as to expand its investments throughout Southeast Asia, where it
13068-499: The open market in 1993. The two companies then terminated their close alliance, with Mitsubishi Motors no longer supplying parts for engines and transmissions for Chrysler. After this period, the company sought alliances with many other automotive manufacturers in different areas of the world, as described under "other alliances" below, with its most economically significant alliance being with Nissan to develop and manufacture kei cars. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) participated in
13200-418: The previous model until the release of a new wagon on the fourth generation chassis. As before, Mirage, Colt, and Lancer naming varied between markets with different body shapes often having different titles in the same market. In Japan, sedans were available with the Mirage and Lancer nameplates, while the three-door was sold only as Mirage, and the liftback only as Lancer. Japanese Mirage sedans usually featured
13332-502: The previous series, the new Mirage adopted a much rounder body shape — a change duplicated by much of the automotive industry in the early-1990s. As before, the Japanese Mirage lineup comprised the three-door hatchback (now called Mirage Cyborg) and sedan (now with a six-window glasshouse), plus a new coupé body type suffixed Asti. Lancer variants sold in Japan offered unique body variants — a four-windowed sedan and, from May 1992,
13464-464: The sales channels have been combined into one franchise that sells all models, including kei cars and commercial delivery vehicles. Mitsubishi Saturn engine The Mitsubishi Saturn or 4G3 engine is series of overhead camshaft (OHC) straight-four internal combustion engines introduced by Mitsubishi Motors and saw first service in the 1969 Colt Galant . Displacement ranges from 1.2 to 1.8 L (1,239 to 1,755 cc), although there
13596-409: The second shift lever as a "power" mode due to increased performance granted by the lower gearing. In contrast, the higher overdrive setting was noted as "economy". Mitsubishi called this a unique selling proposition . In February 1982, Mitsubishi facelifted the Mirage range. Distinguished by the installation of flusher fitting headlamps that extended into the fender panels , stylists also designed
13728-467: The sedan as an additional compact offering, and the coupé of 1991 fitted in with the subcompact range. The current Mirage model is a subcompact hatchback and sedan and it replaces the Mitsubishi Colt sold between 2002 and 2012. The Mirage has a complicated marketing history, with a varied and much convoluted naming convention that differed substantially depending on the market. Mitsubishi used
13860-425: The series; 1.3- and 1.5-liter Orion gasoline engines replaced the previous 1.2- and 1.4-liter Orion units. Mitsubishi also released variants fitted with the 1.6 and 1.8-liter Sirius gasoline powerplants, and for the first time a 1.8-liter Sirius diesel was added. The 1.6-liter Sirius engine also included a turbocharged variant with between 105 PS (77 kW) and 125 PS (92 kW), featuring
13992-640: The start of the venture, affecting 625,000 cars produced by NMKV. The result of the "fuel economy scandal" was that Nissan acquired a controlling interest in Mitsubishi. In July 2024, Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan announced a partnership with Honda for the joint development of their future electric models. Mitsubishi Motors maintained two retail sales channels that sold specific models, called "Car Plaza" and "Galant Shop". Certain models were exclusive to either channel, while some models were available at both channels, as required by local Japanese market conditions. More recently, due to cancellation of larger sedans,
14124-502: The subsequent generation. In its most potent turbocharged variant, the new 4G61 engine produced 160 PS (118 kW) at 6000 rpm. European versions were available as the 1300 GL, 1500 GLX, 1600 GTi-16V, and 1800 diesels, with the three-door labelled Colt and the sedan and liftback called Lancer. Mitsubishi retailed a Colt "van" in select European markets, being the three-door body without rear side windows and therefore attracting reduced taxation in these jurisdictions. In March 1990,
14256-502: The switch to front-wheel drive, the original 1973-era Lancer offered a similar dimensional footprint. Unique to the four-door saloons was Mitsubishi's new "Modulated Displacement" (MD) engine, a short-lived technology which allowed the engine to run on only two cylinders while under light loads so as to save on petrol. The valves to cylinders 1 and 4 were disabled by means of hydraulic activators at low speeds and low loads. A more sporting turbocharged 105 PS (77 kW) version of
14388-486: The third Japanese manufacturer (after Daihatsu and Suzuki ) to begin assembly in China. Before receiving government approval for this project, Mitsubishi had to express contrition over "defective" Mitsubishi trucks imported to China in 1984 and 1985. By 1989, Mitsubishi's worldwide production, including its overseas affiliates, had reached 1.5 million units. Mitsubishi Motors went public in 1988, ending its status as
14520-400: The third generation Mirage beginning in 1989. Power outputs climbed by 12 horsepower for both petrol versions, to 79 and 85 PS (58 and 63 kW) in Japanese trim. The Mirage was available in Europe as the Colt in 1200 L, EL, and GL trims (mostly three-door models only, but a five-door GL was sold in some markets), as the 1300 GL three- and five-door, 1500 GLX three- and five-door, and as
14652-421: The third quarter of 2006, and returned to profitability by the end of the 2006 financial year, and sustained profitability and global sales of 1,524,000 through 2007 and later. In January 2011, the company announced its next midterm business plan to introduce eight hybrid and battery-powered models by 2015. It aimed to sell its first two plug-in hybrids by fiscal 2012. In March 2015, Mitsubishi Motors started
14784-477: The two countries' governments, had to be included among the 120,000 cars earmarked for Chrysler. A restricting element of Mitsubishi's deal with Chrysler was that Chrysler had the right of first refusal of any Mitsubishi automobiles in the US market until 1990. Toward the end of the 1980s, as MMC initiated a major push to increase its U.S. presence, it aired its first national television advertising campaign and made plans to increase its network to 340 dealers. Despite
14916-444: The vehicle design, with Yasukichi Akamatsu given the role of chief engineer. The basic model, a three-door hatchback with upright tailgate and large glasshouse arrived first. The sedan, released to Japan in January 1988 was stylistically distinct with almost vertical rear glass, influenced by the larger Galant . The range was complemented by a five-door liftback in June 1988, but without a station wagon variant, Mitsubishi persevered with
15048-539: The wagon was introduced. The two-seater commercial type was sold in the Netherlands simply as the "Mitsubishi Wagon", whereas the better equipped passenger version was called the Lancer Station Wagon. The Mirage was not sold in the United States by Mitsubishi until the 1985 model year. As the usual export name Colt was already used by Dodge and Plymouth, while Lancer was in use by Dodge on an unrelated car , Mitsubishi stuck to Mirage for their own version of
15180-554: The wagon was released to Japan named the "Lancer Libero EV" and utilizing a nickel–cadmium battery . Australian market versions of this generation were released in late 1992 and were officially referred to as the CC series Lancer. Buyers had the choice of the Lancer coupé (available in GL and GLXi equipment levels), sedan (GL, Executive, and GSR), and wagon (Executive). Five-speed manual transmission came fitted as standard, with all variants except
15312-622: The wagon was sold in New Zealand as the Mitsubishi Express, replacing an earlier model based on the Galant Sigma . The second generation Mirage range was also assembled in New Zealand, but was never sold in Australia, where the original version was kept in production until the third generation replaced it in 1988. Mitsubishi in Thailand released the three-door hatchback and four-door sedan models with 1.3- and 1.5-liter engine as
15444-580: Was 105–115 hp (78–86 kW) depending on which carburetor combo was used. Bore x Stroke: 79 mm × 86 mm (3.11 in × 3.39 in) Applications: The 4G36 displaces 1.2 L (1,239 cc). 73 mm × 74 mm (2.87 in × 2.91 in) bore and stroke. Applications: The 8-valve SOHC 4G37 displaces 1.8 L (1,755 cc). Bore x Stroke: 80.6 mm × 86 mm (3.17 in × 3.39 in) Compression Ratio: 9.5:1 Applications: By other brands: The 6G34 , referred to by Mitsubishi as
15576-545: Was also a rare 2-litre (1,994 cc) inline-six version built from 1970 until 1976. The early versions have chain driven valvetrain while the later versions are belt driven and equipped with balance shafts . The 4G30 displaces 1.3 L (1,289 cc). It is an 8-valve SOHC design with an aluminium head and iron block. The engine has five main bearings . Power was 87 hp (65 kW). Bore x Stroke: 73 mm × 77 mm (2.87 in × 3.03 in) The 4G31 displaces 1.5 L (1,499 cc). It
15708-700: Was broken on a 1.9-million-square-foot (177,000 m ) production facility in Normal. In 1987, the company was selling 67,000 cars a year in the U.S., but when the plant was completed in March 1988, it offered an annual capacity of 240,000 vehicles. Initially, three platform-sharing compact 2+2 coupés were released, the Mitsubishi Eclipse , Eagle Talon , and Plymouth Laser , with other models being introduced in subsequent years. In 1986 Mitsubishi reached an agreement with Liuzhou Automotive to assemble their Minicab kei van and truck there, making Mitsubishi
15840-686: Was by now operating in the Philippines , Malaysia , and Thailand . Hirokazu Nakamura became president of Mitsubishi Motors in 1989, and steered the company in some promising directions, with the advent of the Japanese asset price bubble " market correction " that led to the Lost Decade as a result of the Plaza Accord agreement signed in 1985. Sales of the company's new Pajero were bucking conventional wisdom by becoming popular even in
15972-528: Was dropped after the first model year, and in 1987 a four-door sedan was added to the lineup. For 1988, only the Turbo Sport hatchback and naturally aspirated standard 4-door sedan remained in price listings, as the new Mitsubishi Precis supplanted the basic hatchback Mirage. As with the Colts sold by Chrysler, the turbo gained a few horsepower for a total of 105 hp (78 kW). A commercial version of
16104-504: Was launched in 2007 and 2008. Slow-selling vehicles were eliminated from the U.S. market, purchase projections for the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance have been scaled back, and 10,000 jobs were shed to cut costs with 3,400 workers at its Australian plant and other loss-making operations still under threat. Meanwhile, in an effort to increase production at its U.S. facility, new export markets for
16236-524: Was merged with the Mitsubishi Aircraft Co., a company established in 1920 to manufacture aircraft engines and other parts. The unified company was known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and was the largest private company in Japan. MHI concentrated on manufacturing aircraft , ships , railroad cars and machinery, but in 1937 developed the PX33 , a prototype sedan for military use. It
16368-642: Was not so healthy; as part of its battle to avoid bankruptcy , Chrysler was forced to sell its Australian manufacturing division to MMC that year. The new Japanese owners renamed it Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd (MMAL). In 1982, the Mitsubishi brand was introduced to the American market for the first time. The Tredia sedan , and the Cordia and Starion coupés were initially sold through 70 dealers in 22 states, with an allocation of 30,000 vehicles among them. This quota , restricted by mutual agreement between
16500-485: Was offered, although the previous generation wagon continued over the entire fifth generation production run. While only the sedan formed part of the Lancer range in Japan, both the coupé and sedan were labeled as Mirage and Lancer in export markets. Between 1995 and 2004, the Mitsubishi Carisma supplanted the sedan in some European markets. A minor facelift arrived in 1997. Of note, the Lancer sedan featured
16632-406: Was produced from 1984. Australian Colts were given model codes RA (from November 1980), RB (October 1982), RC (April 1984), RD (October 1986), and RE (September 1988). The RE update was distinguished by revised wheel covers, body side projection mouldings, and grille, plus the addition of body colour bumpers. The SE model was dropped, with the range opening up with the fleet-focused XL hatchback with
16764-415: Was replaced in October 1987; the sedans were replaced in January 1988. The Wagon and Van versions were kept in production with some minor updates until 1991, as there was no station wagon of the third generation Mirage and Lancer. The diesel engine remained the 1.8-liter 4D65 (also available with four-wheel drive) while the petrol 4G13 and 4G15 were updated with the same new twelve-valve heads as were used on
16896-472: Was still listed on a dealer website until 2012 in Belize . The US specification with longer bumpers has drag coefficient of C d =0.29 (coupe) and C d =0.31 (sedan) respectively. Unlike prior generations, the Japanese market Lancer range co-existed with greater differentiation when compared to the Mirage. The Mirage with its sportier appearance and tapered hood , featured elliptical headlamps with
17028-449: Was the competitively priced and comprehensively equipped Marion version, only available in the three-door body with the 1.3-liter engine, aimed specifically at young female buyers. Meanwhile, the Van received additional safety equipment such as a laminated front windshield and ELR belts , while the 1500 CX Wagon gained power steering and bronze window tint. The second generation Mirage hatchback
17160-538: Was the first Japanese-built passenger car with full-time four-wheel drive , a technology the company would return to almost 50 years later in its quest for motorsport and sales success. Immediately following the end of the Second World War , the company returned to manufacturing vehicles. Fuso bus production resumed, while a small three-wheeled cargo vehicle called the Mizushima and a scooter called
17292-497: Was three rhombi stacked atop each other. The name Mitsubishi ( 三菱 ) consists of two parts – mitsu meaning "three" and hishi (which becomes " bishi " under rendaku ) meaning " water caltrop " (also called "water chestnut"), and hence "rhombus", which is reflected in the company's logo . Part of Tomio Kubo's expansion strategy was to increase exports by forging alliances with well-established foreign companies. Therefore, in 1971, MHI sold U.S. automotive giant Chrysler
17424-486: Was triggered by accusations of Mitsubishi Motors trying to systematically hide manufacturing defects to avoid recalls, and marketing problems in the US. After a starvation of new investment caused by lack of cashflow, the company introduced the award-winning Mitsubishi i kei car in 2006, its first new model in 29 months, while a revised Outlander has been introduced worldwide to compete in the popular XUV market niche. The next generation of its Lancer and Lancer Evolution
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