A REAL Mitsu
Remember the 1984 Dodge/Plymouth Colt Turbo? Or the 1989 Dodge/Plymouth Colt GT Turbo? How about the 1989 Dodge 2000GTX DOHC? Or the 1991 Eagle Talon TSi AWD? The 1992 Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo, perhaps?
Those were REAL Mitsubishis. High-tech, high-performance machinery, and all those were available on Canadian soil. Although they didn't wear the diamond logo on their front grille, they were all offered as Mitsubishis in the United States: the Colt was the Mirage, the 2000GTX was the Galant (which even had a VR4 version with the 195-hp turbo motor and four-wheel-drive), the Talon was the Eclipse, and the Stealth was the 3000GT.
Nowadays, as heads still seem to be getting scratched at Mitsubishi, wondering why their products aren't selling as well as they planned, it's important to mention that their products have pretty much nothing to do with the start of their sales woes. Bad decisions in the executive offices have led to a bruised and battered reputation for the company, such as covering up what would have resulted in recalls on home-market light trucks, and tolerating discrimination on women and African Americans in some U.S. assembly plants. All this has resulted in class-action lawsuits, hefty settlements, a tarnished image, and a revolving door on the CEO's office.
So, if Mitsubishi isn't doing as well as they should, it's not because their cars are bad, it's because they don't have the resources to develop new and exciting products, and people are scared to buy them, fearing that the brand will disappear from North America.
That's not gonna happen. Not in my opinion.
Within their current lineup of cars, there is only one model in our Canadian market that I think rekindles the spirit of past great Mitsus. Until we're blessed with the mighty Lancer Evolution and the promising new Outlander, which will probably both arrive here next year, that sole model is the Lancer Ralliart.
Why, you ask?
It's light, it's nimble, it's pretty powerful, and it's fun to drive. Yes, a car doesn't need to have 300 horsepower to be fun. The Ralliart is powered by a 2.4-litre 16-valve engine, good for 162 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. That's the same engine found in the Galant, the Eclipse and the Outlander, but it seems much more appropriate under this hood. A sweet-shifting 5-speed is included, with fairly short throws and a shifter knob that feels like a leather-wrapped golf ball. It's fairly
economical, too. I achieved between 9.9 L/100 km (spirited driving) and 10.6 L/100 km (no-holds-barred driving).
On the outside, you notice this car from far away in its cloak of red paint. The spoiler kit, the trunklid spoiler as well as the clear-lens taillights give it a sporty appearance without overdoing it like, say, a Chevy Cobalt SS with its giant rear wing or the Dodge SRT-4 with its 16 nostrils. The twin-spoke, 16-inch wheels look more expensive than they probably are.
 |
| 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
Those were REAL Mitsubishis. High-tech, high-performance machinery, and all those were available on Canadian soil. Although they didn't wear the diamond logo on their front grille, they were all offered as Mitsubishis in the United States: the Colt was the Mirage, the 2000GTX was the Galant (which even had a VR4 version with the 195-hp turbo motor and four-wheel-drive), the Talon was the Eclipse, and the Stealth was the 3000GT.
Nowadays, as heads still seem to be getting scratched at Mitsubishi, wondering why their products aren't selling as well as they planned, it's important to mention that their products have pretty much nothing to do with the start of their sales woes. Bad decisions in the executive offices have led to a bruised and battered reputation for the company, such as covering up what would have resulted in recalls on home-market light trucks, and tolerating discrimination on women and African Americans in some U.S. assembly plants. All this has resulted in class-action lawsuits, hefty settlements, a tarnished image, and a revolving door on the CEO's office.
 |
| 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
That's not gonna happen. Not in my opinion.
Within their current lineup of cars, there is only one model in our Canadian market that I think rekindles the spirit of past great Mitsus. Until we're blessed with the mighty Lancer Evolution and the promising new Outlander, which will probably both arrive here next year, that sole model is the Lancer Ralliart.
Why, you ask?
It's light, it's nimble, it's pretty powerful, and it's fun to drive. Yes, a car doesn't need to have 300 horsepower to be fun. The Ralliart is powered by a 2.4-litre 16-valve engine, good for 162 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. That's the same engine found in the Galant, the Eclipse and the Outlander, but it seems much more appropriate under this hood. A sweet-shifting 5-speed is included, with fairly short throws and a shifter knob that feels like a leather-wrapped golf ball. It's fairly
 |
| 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
On the outside, you notice this car from far away in its cloak of red paint. The spoiler kit, the trunklid spoiler as well as the clear-lens taillights give it a sporty appearance without overdoing it like, say, a Chevy Cobalt SS with its giant rear wing or the Dodge SRT-4 with its 16 nostrils. The twin-spoke, 16-inch wheels look more expensive than they probably are.