Mitsubishi Galant
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| Mitsubishi Galant | |
| Manufacturer: | Mitsubishi Motors<tr><th>Production:<td>1969–present</tr><tr><th>Assembly:<td>Normal, Illinois Okazaki, Aichi, Japan<tr><th>Class:<td>Compact (1969–98) Mid-size (1996–present) </tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>Sedan Hatchback Wagon</tr> |
|---|---|
The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. There have been nine distinct generations, and cumulative sales now exceed five million, making it the company's best-selling nameplate.<ref name="gal_za">History and profile of the Mitsubishi Galant, Mitsubishi Motors South Africa website</ref><ref>"Full Test: 1999 Mitsubishi Galant ES", Greg Anderson, Inside Line, Edmunds.com, January 1, 1999</ref> It began as a compact sedan, but over the course of its life has evolved into a larger mid-size car. Initial production was based only in Japan, but since 1994 the American market has been served by vehicles assembled at the former Diamond-Star Motors (DSM) facility in Normal, Illinois.
Contents |
[edit] First generation
| 1st generation<tr><th>Also called:<td>Colt Galant Dodge Colt</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1969–73</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>2-door hardtop sedan 4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>4G30 1.3 L 4G31 1.5 L</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>2420 mm</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>4080 mm</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>1560 mm</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>1370 mm</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Toyota Corona</tr> |
The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 (AI model) or 1.5 L (AII and AIII) configurations. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette.<ref name="gal_za"/> Initially only available as a four-door, a two-door hardtop variant was added in 1970, offering the unique stylistic feature of being the first Japanese production passenger car with full side windows and no side pillars. It became Mitsubishi's first car to be sold in the United States in 1971 when the Chrysler Corporation, the company's new partner and stakeholder, began importing the car as the Dodge Colt.
From 1970, a fastback coupé model was developed, the Galant GTO. Fashioned after contemporary American muscle cars, the hardtop GTO was available with a choice of three 4G32 'Saturn' engines, and was available until 1975. The nameplate was sufficiently highly regarded in Japan for it to be resurrected for the 1990 Mitsubishi GTO coupé.
A second coupé was introduced in 1971, the Galant FTO GI. Powered by the 4G41 1.4 L engine, it too would leave a legacy for the company to return to in the 1990s with the Mitsubishi FTO.
[edit] Second generation
| Second generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:11235b.jpg</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Chrysler Valiant Galant Dodge Colt Plymouth Cricket (Canada)</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1973–1975</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>2-door sedan 4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>Astron I4</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Datsun 510 Toyota Corona</tr> |
The second generation Galant sedan and GTO were more widely exported and was sold in Australia as the Chrysler Valiant Galant and in Europe as the Colt Galant. This model was more curvaceous, influenced by coke-bottle styling, and featured a larger, 1850 cc engine, as well as a new 2.0 L 'Astron' engine developing 125 PS. It was also offered as the Dodge Colt in the US.
[edit] Third generation
| Third generation<tr><th>Also called:<td>Mitsubishi Galant Sigma Dodge Colt Plymouth Champ Chrysler Sigma Mitsubishi Sigma</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1976–1979</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan 4-door station wagon</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.6 L 4-cylinder</tr><tr><th>Related:<td>Dodge Challenger Mitsubishi Scorpion Plymouth Sapporo</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Datsun 510 Honda Accord Toyota Corona</tr> |
The third-generation Galant, dating from 1976, was divided into two models: the Galant Sigma (for the sedan and wagon) and the Galant Lambda (the coupe). The former was sold in many markets as the Mitsubishi Galant (without the word 'Sigma') and in Australia as the Chrysler Sigma (until 1980, after which it became the Mitsubishi Sigma). Strangely, in New Zealand it was badged as 'Galant Sigma' but colloquially referred to as the 'Sigma', a name it formally adopted after 1980.
[edit] Sapporo
The coupé was sold in Europe as the Mitsubishi Sapporo, in Australia as the Chrysler (and later Mitsubishi) Sigma Scorpion, and in the United States as the Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge Challenger from 1978 to 1983. In the Japanese market, the car was known as the Mitsubishi Lambda. Initially available with Mitsubishi's Astron engine, the larger 2.6 L 4-cylinder engine was later optional. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard.
[edit] Fourth generation
| Fourth generation<tr><th>Also called:<td>Lonsdale Galant Mitsubishi Sigma</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1980–1983</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan 4-door station wagon</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Mazda 626 Toyota Corona</tr> |
A substantial facelift took place in 1980, though the rear end (from firewall back) of the wagon was retained. Mitsubishi officially considers this a new generation Galant (Sigma). It was Car of the Year in New Zealand in 1981. Production of the wagon model continued in Australia till 1987, when the Magna wagon came on stream. An anomaly of this Galant was that the sedan (all new body) was on a longer 2530 mm wheelbase than the wagon (previous generation body with new front sheetmetal), which used a slightly shorter 2515 mm wheelbase.
[edit] Lonsdale
From 1982 to 1983, some of the Australian Sigmas were exported to the United Kingdom with the Lonsdale badge, circumventing the voluntary 11 percent market restriction adopted by Japanese manufacturers. The car was unsuccessful. For its final year, 1983 to 1984, it carried Mitsubishi Sigma badges in the UK before meeting its demise.
[edit] Fifth generation
| Fifth generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:Mitsubishi Sigma 1990 V6 My Second Car.jpg</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Mitsubishi Sigma Mitsubishi V3000</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1984–1990</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>3.0 L 6G72 V6</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Nissan Stanza Toyota Camry</tr> |
A long-lived fifth-generation model shifted to front-wheel drive for the 1984 model year as a four-door sedan and hardtop (with different styling). This formed the basis of the widened Mitsubishi Magna in Australia for 1985, the same year in which Mitsubishi won the Golden Steering Wheel in Germany for the Galant and Wheels’ Car of the Year for the Magna. In 1988, the standard Galant was rereleased in the New Zealand market as the V3000 with a 3.0 L V6 engine (and the hardtop's front sheetmetal) and continued alongside the sixth-generation Galant until 1991. This generation was also sold in the United States as the Mitsubishi Sigma up until 1990.
[edit] Sixth generation
| Sixth generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:Mitsubishi Galant Pre-1993.JPG</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Dodge 2000GTX (Canada) Eagle 2000GTX (Canada) Mitsubishi Galant Eterna</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1987–1993</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Compact</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan 5-door hatchback</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.0L 102 hp I4 2.0L 135 hp I4 2.0L 197 hp turbocharged I4</tr><tr><th>Transmission:<td>4-Speed Automatic Overdrive 5-Speed Manual Overdrive</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>102.40 in.</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>183.90 in.</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>66.70 in.</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>53.50 in.</tr><tr><th>Related:<td>Eagle Talon Mitsubishi Eclipse Plymouth Laser</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Mazda 626 Nissan Stanza</tr> |
In 1987, the same platform was used for a sixth-generation model which adopted taller, rounded styling. This generation won Car of the Year Japan award in 1987 and the GS model became Motor Trend Import Car of the Year in 1989.
The Sigma designation disappeared but a new hardtop liftback model was added in 1988, called the Galant Eterna.
This generation was also sold in Canada as the Dodge 2000GTX and Eagle 2000GTX.
A limited edition based on the GTi-16v model was introduced in 1989, modified by German tuning company AMG (now owned by Mercedes-Benz),with mildly uprated engine (172PS) and unique bodykit, alloy wheels & leather interior. [1]
The sixth generation was also the first to see the introduction of the VR-4 variant, which was the basis for Mitsubishi's participation in the 1988-1992 World Rally Championships. The Galant's 4G63 two litre DOHC turbocharged engine and 4WD transmission was later adopted for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution almost without modification, and is still in production today.
[edit] Seventh generation
| Seventh generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:P1030389.JPG</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Mitsubishi Emeraude</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1992–1998</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Mid-size</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan 5-door hatchback</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.4L I4</tr><tr><th>Transmission:<td>5-speed manual 4-speed automatic</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>103.7 in.</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>187.0 in.</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>68.1 in.</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>53.1 in.</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Toyota Camry Nissan Maxima</tr> |
A new Galant debuted in 1992 (model year 1994 in America), available as a four-door sedan and five-door liftback (Eterna). A Japan-only hardtop model, the Emeraude, was launched in 1992 as well.
Because the Lancer Evo was now Mitsubishi's homologated rally car, the seventh generation VR-4 became a less overtly sporting vehicle, eschewing the old four-cylinder engine in favour of a smoother two litre V6 twin turbo. The four wheel drive transmission was retained. An intermediate spec VX-R was offered in 1993 with the MIVEC-MD engine similar to that found in the Mitsubishi FTO.
[edit] Eighth generation
| Eighth generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:Jagvars Galant.JPG</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Mitsubishi Legnum</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>1996–2006</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Mid-size</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.0 L I4 2.4 L 4G64 I4 2.5 L 6A13 V6 2.5 L 6A13TT V6 twin turbo 3.0 L 6G72 V6</tr><tr><th>Transmission:<td>4-speed automatic 5-speed manual 5-speed semi-automatic</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>103.7 in.</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>187.8 in.</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>68.5 in.</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>55.7 in.</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Mazda 626 Toyota Camry</tr> |
The eighth-generation 1996 model (1999 in America) continued the 1992 design themes but a station wagon (known in Japan as the Legnum) was added. The liftback was deleted. This model won the 1996–7 Japanese Car of the Year award. Despite it being superseded in the US from 2003, it remains on sale in numerous countries, including Japan itself as of May 2005. This arguably makes it one of the longest-running passenger cars currently on sale in Japan, with the exception of luxury models such as the Toyota Century.
Mitsubishi opted to further develop the technology in its range-topping VR-4, which was now powered by an enlarged 2.5 litre twin turbo, and the LS and GTZ models powered by a non-turbo 3.0 litre V6. The VR-4 could be had with either a conventional 5-speed manual or advanced, self-learning 5-speed tiptronic semi-automatic transmission known as "INVECS-II". The GTZ did not have the Tiptronic option and the LS was limited to an automatic transmission. Also, some models were fitted with the same advanced active yaw control (AYC) as the Lancer Evolution, to give it far greater agility than would be expected of such a large vehicle. Finally, as with the rest of the range, the VR4 could now be had either as a Galant sedan or as a Legnum station wagon. Due to flagging profits, Mitsubishi will discontinue production of the Galant in Japan in late 2006.
[edit] Ninth generation
| Ninth generation<tr><td colspan=2>Image:2004 Mitsubishi Galant.jpg</tr><tr><th>Also called:<td>Mitsubishi Galant Grunder</tr><tr><th>Production:<td>2003–present</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Mid-size</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Platform:<td>FF PS</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.4 L I4 3.8 L V6</tr><tr><th>Transmission:<td>4-speed automatic</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>108.3 in.</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>190.4 in.</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>72.4 in.</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>57.9 in.</tr><tr><th>Related:<td>Mitsubishi 380 Mitsubishi Eclipse Mitsubishi Endeavor</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Honda Accord Mazda6 Nissan Altima</tr><tr><th>Designer:<td>Olivier Boulay</tr> |
The United States has had the sedan-only ninth-generation PS platform model since 2003, announced at the New York International Auto Show in April of that year, for the 2004 model year. The ninth-generation United States-sourced model is available for sale only in a few regional markets, namely North America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Russia. Mitsubishi also assembles and markets a modified version of the ninth-generation Galant in Taiwan. In addition, this model is also sold in the Philippines.
Taiwan was one of the first regions outside the Americas to market the vehicle, when the Galant Grunder (now known simply as Grunder) was launched in December 2004 with a unique front end. All new Galants come with new gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines. Mitsubishi was the first car manufacturer to commercially use the GDI or stratified charge engine.
Russia began sourcing its Galants from the United States from 2006.
The rest of the world, besides the markets mentioned in this section, receive updated versions of the eighth-generation model. For 2007, the Galant gets a front-end facelift.
[edit] Near future
It became apparent that the non-American Galants will get a front fascia that resembles that of the Lancer and Diamante. The new front fascia was designed by its former design chief Olivier Boulay. It is equipped with a 2.4 L engine producing 162 bhp.
In Australia, starting in the 2006 model year, Mitsubishi are selling a modified version of the North American Galant as the 380, denoting its 3.8 L engine. The 380 is a successor to the Magna and the Verada large cars that also formed the basis for the North American Diamante. The 380 is a crucial car for Mitsubishi because this is the car that will determine the future of Mitsubishi's Australian manufacturing operations.
[edit] Special Edition
There is a rare late-year 2006 edition of the U.S. market Galant known as the SE (for Special Edition) which incorporates the GTS tail-lights (albeit a bit darker) which merge with a wing on the trunk lid. Other features of the SE are the GTS's information display which shows alot more information than the standard display including fuel economy maps, compass, tire pressure and CD/mp3 track information. This model is to satisfy buyers who wished to have GTS anemities (including leather interior) but in a 4cyl model. The top-line GTS was one of two models to have the 3.8L V6. As of this writing, there is no plans to copy this model into 2007, however, the top model in 2007 is the Ralliart hence the philosophy for offering the SE has already changed. Top line 2007 Ralliarts are to have navigation displays and are so far exclusive to the Ralliart.
[edit] United States production
The seventh-generation Galant's production was shifted to Normal, Illinois for the North American market. The very first seventh-generation U.S.-made 1994 Galant rolled off the assembly line on May 24, 1993. The eighth generation went into production there on July 7, 1998. The 2004 Galant began production on October 15, 2003.
Due to excess capacity at the plant and increasing demand for foreign cars in Russia, Mitsubishi began export of U.S.-sourced Galants in the second half of 2006 to that country.
[edit] External links
- Mitsubishi Galant at MMC's official global site
- Mitsubishi Galant at MMNA's official US site
- Mitsubishi Galant technical specifications
- The Galant Center – US-based club concentrating on USDM models
- Galants.org - US-based owners' club
[edit] Footnotes
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