Mitsubishi should be the dominant Japanese car producer. It was backed by a large parent company, it didn’t come to producing vehicles late in the game, and it produced good, dependable cars. Yet Mitsubishi Motors is essentially owned by one of those competitors it should have beaten - Nissan |and is being reduced to little more than a brand name selling cars that under the skin are essentially Nissans. So, even though it was born with a silver spoon in its mouth, why didn’t Mitsubishi dominate, despite producing some quite amazing cars?
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Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...
ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...
www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Colt
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Ca...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuso_(c...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_R...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond...
• Nissan Leaf - A "Free"...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-1...
www.autonews.com/article/2015...
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I really liked the look of Mitsubishi's cars from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. The Colt, Lancer and Galant looked superb.
Did you know there actually was a DODGE sedan called the "Lancer" which was sold in the 80's, before Mitsubishi started selling a car with the same name, but ironically, the Mitsubishi Lancer was NOT at all related to the Dodge Lancer, even though Mitsubishi was partially owned by Chrysler? Also, even more confusingly, did you realize there was a car called the Plymouth Laser (it was a Plymouth version of the Mitsubishi Eclipse from the early 90's) but the Plymouth Laser was actually completely unrelated to the CHRYSLER "Laser" which was a twin to the Dodge Daytona during the 80's? Interestingly there were a handful of years when both the Dodge Daytona and PLYMOUTH Laser were both in production at the same time, but the "Chrysler" Laser had been phased out already. The "Chrysler" Laser and the first-generation Dodge Daytona were really NOT different at all (even though cars with the Chrysler name were usually more luxurious than their Dodge and Plymouth twins) so in a way, the PLYMOUTH Laser could be considered a "replacement" for the CHRYSLER Laser, because both "Laser" cars were affordable sports coupes which were sold at Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships, and both "Laser" cars had Dodge (Daytona) twin models sold at the usually separate Dodge dealerships (traditionally there were separate Dodge dealerships and Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships in the same towns as one another, but some very rural towns always had dealerships that sold all the Chrysler Corporation brands, including Jeep and EAGLE once Chrysler bought American Motors in the 80's, long before DaimlerChrysler started merging Dodge dealerships with Chrysler-Jeep after Plymouth was phased out in the early 2000s)
Me too
@@trentpettit6336 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪😳😳😳😳😳😳😳 Thanks I THINK !!!!!
@@matthewc.419 Huh?
@@trentpettit6336 sorry i mean it was confusing to read just how many different vehicle variations there was Thank you .
The 3000gt was my dream car as a kid. I just loved how it looked
@@mightyhendo9828 the spyder is a convertible.
@@FXIIBeaver LOL someone likes their spyders, gotta love Eclipse Spyder😁
@@toliverjordan7466 personally I am a 91 fan. But the spyders look good.
absolutely. Fools in power ruined an awesome car company.
I'm driving a '91 Stealth ES right now and it's a fun little car. Not quite an RT or 3000GT but given it's age that's actually a good thing.
If they would just re-release the late 90's Eclipse body style with upgraded tech and engine, it would sell like crazy. One of the sickest bodystyles ever. It would be like a Jordan shoe re-issue.
I still have my 99 eclipse GST Spyder and love it.
No way, what you are missing is the past actually, car is just a vehicle of your minds
Ya'll still wouldn't buy it; certainly not enough to make Mitsubishi money.
Like the FD RX-7 and S15 Silvia/200SX. Won't pass crash test regulations, 5 people will buy it, rest are buying SUVs/CUVs. 90's were the golden age for Japanese cars.
I don't know how you figure it would sell like crazy. That's highly unlikely
My very first car was a Mitsubishi Galant which My parents purchased for me in the mid 90’s and I absolutely loved it. It was very comfortable, looked great and ran great. A great car. I drove it for about 11 years.
Mitsubishi met the same fate as Lancia. A once great manufacturer with amazing WRC history now a shell of itself
Ken Xiong..... Both had ties to Chrysler, the world's worst car company.
@@jeffhildreth9244 I agree. I don’t think any manufacturer has benefitted from co-ops with Chrysler. Just ask Mercedes and FIAT lol
thing is Lancia doesn't do refrigirators, elevators, construction sites and lots of other things.
@@Raikokz that’s irrelevant
At least Mitsubishi Motors still has some factories in overseas.
Mitsubishi wasn't always a reactive company though, offering firsts like direct fuel injection and "Trace Control" or what we know today as traction control, and engine balance shafts which even Porsche took to use from their expertise. Not to mention options like active and adjustable suspension for firmness and height, 4 wheel steering, and AWD on what was basic family sedans to active aero and exhaust noise settings on their 3000GT. Then there was the MiEV, first mass produced EV way ahead of the game. Basically it came down to poor management running an otherwise passionate and innovative engineering and design team.
Well said ....they were some truly impressive engineers ....as Big Car said ...they had all the advantages..... but managed very poorly ...
They are also the first to go to production of a GDI engine in a car and own several patents for this technology.
Saab used Mitsubishi’s balance shaft technology as well
It's ignorant to say Mitsubishi's Traction control was a first, it wasn't. Many older cars had it, but they all used different names. I'm not sure but early 70's Oldsmobiles had something like that.
@@vulekv93 He never said it's traction control. TCL(with trace control) is essentially traction control with early version of ESP.
I was really bothered by the lack of "send off" with the Shogun/Pajero. There was no news or ceremony of the last one that rolled off the line... it is obvious they ran out of passion. A defining vehicle with soul, the last dependable true off roader's car... just given a "whatever attitude" at the end. Carlos Ghosn said it best about what Mitsu currently is, "the typical zombie Japanese company: alive from outside but dead from inside."
Ye, never thought I'd hear somebody comparing mitsubishi to Toshiba, KyoAni or Gainax
My first experience with Mitsubishi was a '97 Dodge Stratus. The V6 was made by Mitsubishi. I got 240k miles out of it without a major repair. My next car was a 4 cylinder Galant. That one lasted 225k. Again, no major repairs. When I went to buy another car, Mitsu only had the Lancer and the Mirage left in their lineup for cars. I moved on to Honda.
We had a '91 Plymouth Sundance Duster (aka Dodge Shadow) with the 3.0L Mitsubishi V6 in it. That engine wasn't hugely powerful, but in the little Plymouth, it was more than enough to get it going pretty good. It was an awesome car, too bad my sister ended up driving it into the ground (I have no idea how she accomplished that).
Mitsubishi made a huge mistake by neglecting to update their popular models like the Pajero, Lancer and Galant in favour of replacing them with forgettable crossovers that even non car enthusiasts seems to rather ignore. This is of course without delving into their iconic sports cars like the Eclipse and Lancer Evolution. Mitsubishi L200 Pickups are just about the only thing from Mitsubishi Motors that still sells well over here.
The L200s are crap, they break in half
@@paulie-Gualtieri. Sounds about right.
Even the L200 doesn't sell well compared with the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Check out pickup truck sales figures in Australia and you'll see what I mean.
Sales charts beg to disagree. That is the problem; their modern crossovers and econoboxes sell much better than any of their iconic cars.
Mitsubishi could of updated their models every year and it wouldn’t of changed much. Mitsubishi didn’t do anything well to the point that made them stand out in any market. The only reason people have nostalgia for the brand was because of the import boom in the early 2000s but once the fad ended they had no identity. The Evo, Eclipse, Lancer never sold that well.
The 2022 Dallas Auto Show had four new Mitsubishi models on display, and a first generation 3000GT. Probably a 1994. Everyone came over to look at the awesome 3000GT; no one was looking at their current offerings.
First gen was 91-93 and the only gen with popup headlights. So if it didnt have those pop-up headlights it was second or third gen. And yes their current lineup made me sad. -source: Am gen 1 VR4 owner.
Exactly how it is lol they need to go back
@@firstname8736 I just found it in another youtube video. Was definitely a 1st gen. Was close to stock, but the owner did an HSX spoiler on the back and had me second guessing if it was in fact the old concept car (it isn't). 16:55 kzhead.info/sun/ZsaFd9l6oqBvlaM/bejne.html
@@firstname8736 It was definitely a first-gen. I stand corrected on the year. Thanks. It was so beautiful!!! It looked so out of place next to an econobox Mirage and the EclipseCross.
@@tetchuma dont worry about it! I just learned that in the UK they had pop-up headlights into 94 or 95, so I would have been wrong if this was in the UK! After 12 years I still have so much to learn about all the variants of my car.
damn he hit the nail on the head with that summary at the end Mitsubishi had so much potential the engineers and designers were definitely passionate and had what it took to be better than other brands but leadership to create a goal and play strengths was never there for them to truly shine.
We bought our Mitsubishi Magna station wagon (manufactured in Australia) in late 1988. It's still going strong and performing splendidly.
You forgot to mention Jackie Chan's partnership with Mitsubishi, which supplied cars in nearly all of his films during the'80s and '90s. Prime examples are the films Who Am I? and Thunderbolt.
.. and Cannonball Run II!
Fun fact, Jackie Chan loves the mitsubishi FTO ,so much so, every single one of his films features atleast one. He still owns one to this day
Fun Fact II: Jackie Chan was actually, really and I do mean REALLY sent to their plant in Minato for like 3 month and learnt how to wrench on cars from the Japanese mechanics straight from the factory for the movie, Thunderbolt. Fun Fact III: He was soo in love Mitsubishi that the company themselves gave him direct access to the top brass at the company where if he wants, he can call them and have access to any model that he wants, even prototypes, for his film or even to own. Fun Fact IV: He was soooo hot with Mitsubishis in fact that during somewhere around 2003-2004, he became one of the spokesperson for Ralliart China and not only that, Mitsubishi even allowed him to redesign and modify 50 special Evo IX at his own desire and sell it under his name which would become "Evo IX "Jackie Chan" Edition" which cost about 75k USD each and technically, there' 48 in the market somewhere cuz Jackie himself owns 2 of it.
@@MrLolx2u I think a lot of people don't realise how much a serious racing driver, car nut he really is
@@retrocatalog it is not his fault tbh, it is Mitsubishi fault I know it is a joke.
I worked for Mitsubishi Motors Europe about 10 years ago and by that time the lack of new models and ageing model line up had already taken it's toll. Only the PHEV Outlander rescued them (for a while) in Europe due to favourable tax regimes. Finally, they terminated their UK importer Colt Car Company last year and they'd been importing cars since the mid 70s! Such a pity that the brand that dominated rallying and delivered some great products has ended up this way.
I worked at the Dutch Nedcar plant were Volvo's and Mitsubishi's rolled of the same production line in huge numbers. We were short on staff so we the experienced staff often had to work overtime to get the cars who had failed quality inspection 100% right (scratches, paint problems, faulty parts etc.etc.) I remember we had to change all the waterpumps of cars who had a specific batch of faulty waterpumps installed on their engines. 3 big parking lots full with brandnew cars and we only had 4 lifts in the factory garage for repairs! We had to build a special garage tent outside the factory were we could repair those cars. When I look at a f.e.Mitsubishi spacestar now i just can cry how cheaply and lower quality its put together.
@@obelic71 wow fascinating to find this out, never knew how things actually went
@@jamesspeytebroodt7237 When a car is being build from the start at the press/paint shop and it goes onto the assembly line it gets a unique number and inspection filesheet. Along the way there are several fixed inspection points were every car is checked and also random cars are pulled from the production line at the end, to check if the inspections are done correct to uphold quality of the build. Cars who failed an inspection are removed from the primary production line. Most are just minor flaws who the average consumers doesn't even notice. f.e. a dustparticle, small scratch / dent or sagging in the paint. Tools on the production line are calibrated to use the right amount of torq to fasten bolts. From those random cars everything is checked till the last bolt. That quality works on the long run i still can see on the road today . Those Volvo/Mitsubishi models i was a part of in building them reach a high average lifetime. Only know after 20+ years after production they are in decline because must of them are just worn out.
@@obelic71 cheer for the fill in
Mitsubishi outlander is one of the most popular suvs since 2006 in Australasia. The current PHEV is on pre order worldwide.
I had an '80 Dodge Challenger (Galant), it was a pretty cool little car, had a healthy little 4 cylinder/5speed/RWD layout and was pretty entertaining to drive. It was cool because pretty much nobody really knew what it was and I'd even get into debates at parts stores about it because they all knew about the '80s Dodge Chargers but most think the Challenger name died off in the '70s.
Probably because the 80s Chargers were an affront to man and the 80-83 challenger was relatively inoffensive compared to most domestic US cars
The 3000GT is a car I will always love. Their cars at the time looked so different from others.
As a teen in the late 90s US I cant describe how big and huge the gen 1 and gen 2 Eclipse was. Everyone was driving an Eclipse. It was sad to see mitsubishi go downhill.
Bro 2 Fast 2 Furious
@@styre the irony is the import tuner scene had allready passed its peak when the first FF movie came out.
@Henry Jones True indeed, I lived in the Mid Atlantic part of the USA and the Eclipse was everywhere, a huge success at the time even in the mid 90s here. It's so odd that it seemed they just "gave up"!
I blew my sisters engine or helped greatly when I was 19. After it finally blew and replaced it, she lost control, slid sideways, road marker hit drivers side window, tires blew and the rims scooped dirt into the car at such a rate the insurance provided mech said it was a loss since he felt they’d never get all the dirt out. Just random.
I loved my eclipse@
I was a technician at Mitsubishi for 8 years during the 90’s. The main issue we saw was heavy corroded undersides due to insufficient under sealing. The FTO was the worst culprit.
They didn't care because they knew the engines and transmissions wouldn't last anyway. Worst in the Japanese industry. I think their "undercoating" was the least of their worries lol
I've got 6 mitsubishi eclipse's and they're terrible for corrosion as well, specifically the 95-99 eclipse's
How where the lancers in that aspect? I have the 04 Lancer with 135hp.
@@benni1015 No issue whatsoever. I have an 18 year old Lancer with no corrosion, same as my 22 year old Galant VR4 V6TT. And I live in a country cursed with typhoons half a year
@@JABelms that's fantastic. Also the VR4, what a wonderful car i would love to have one some day. I have some issues sadly with my lancer right now, as i have a rough idle and P0420. Might should clean the throttle control.
I loved my Mitsubishi L200 light pickup truck and never understood why the company was/is always struggling to survive. Thanks to your channel now I get it ❤
My first brand new car as a teenager was 1992 Eagle Talon and it was awesome early 90’s car. I also remember rivals Honda Prelude and Ford Probe being great cars.
I rented an Eagle Talon TSI in the 90's...very cool car and fun to drive. Actually was considering a Ford Probe (I used to rent the 4 cylinder models which were just ok), but I was going to but the Probe GT with the V6 and Manual Trans. Didn't care for the lack of power ..I think it was 164 HP? It just felt slooow. Turns out the Probe wasn't all that reliable overall. Glad I got the Toyota MR2 instead! A far superior sportscar, to say the least!
The 90's models were awesome, all of them looked great. Fun fact: The Pajero was renamed as Montero in some spanish speaking countries because the original name means "wank€r".
True 😂
Interesting - I didn’t know that Mitsubishi motors had been purchased. I remember the first Colts going on sale in the UK - we had a Vauxhall dealer near where I went to school who had sold Alfa Romeos until the late 70s, then started selling Colts. They were quite unusual cars in the 70s - and the Sigma was particularly impressive. I always really liked the later Galants, especially the estate version - you can still buy some very well specced Japanese imports in the UK, but I must admit that they’re a brand that in recent years I’ve thought of as worthy, but dull!
Simon....34% owned by Nissan according to Wikipedia.
In Australia Mitsubishi were innovators. The first Magna in 1985 was the Japanese Galant widened in the middle to make it more competitive with Ford and Holden and also make anything from Toyota and Nissan irrelevant.
First I heard of it too.
The corporate change--October 2016-- was not well publicized--surely on purpose. March of 2020--bombed around the American West in a rented Outlander--loved it.
@@milksheihk Mitsubishi Australia exported cars to the UK, UAE, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand and the US. Dropping the tax on imported cars began the end of Australian manufacturing. Also government support from the rich Liberal party ended on Australia made products.
They used to be fairly common here in Sweden but had fewer and fewer models in the last few years now only having 2. I just thought they weren't as popular here anymore. I didn't realize they were failing globally. I've never had one in real life but I love Mitsubishi cars in racing games like Gran Turismo. Especially the Lancer Evolution, GTO and FTO. Jackie Chan who I used to watch a lot growing up always drove a Mitsubishi in his movies.
Sweden has Volvo !
Saddening development when a spoiled youth are referring to fiction in lack of real life experiences... 🤔🙄
In Australia I would say that Mitsubishi is still one of the biggest car companies (Not as big as Toyota, Nissan, Ford etc) and it has a pretty good array of good looking and good quality vehicles that a lot of people swear are the best they’ve owned.
Evo X owner here. I've owned my X since 2012 and it has well over 300,000 km on the clock. Despite pushing twice the stock power for most of that time, I have had very few major issues with the car (I rebuilt the engine around 30,000km ago and that's it bar routine maintenance). Best car I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of cars.
i drove my 73 toyota publica 30 years 350000 km
Hi. When did you change the timing belt? Was it at the same time you rebuilt your engine?
They’re built like such shit though. I sold my ISF to get one… Hated it. Everything rattled.
Evo X is my realistic dream car. As in it's realistically obtainable. I'm saving my money but for now I'll drive my 8th gen civic Si like a peasant.
@@blackmetal4546 lol better get one now, they won't stay realistically obtainable for long.
Mitsubishi cars in india are seen as a symbol of status like Audi or Mercedes. The Pajero is used by many high ranking politicians, government officials and business men. But Mitsubishi has completely left their Indian subsidiary to itself and dent even care. Meanwhile Toyota and Suzuki have succeeded very well. Suzuki has more than 50% share of the Indian car market.
It is because our Indian Govt doesn’t want quality cars to be driven.
At least the Lancer,outlander,Pajero + Pajero Sport were good during early 2010s era
@@Maniacguy2777 what has govt to do in this?
@@gulatinimish They tax and put heavy import charges keeping those "better companies" out of the country
@@Motorsportsgeek it is same for everybody, govt doesn't put some special tax on Mitsubishi
I owned a 1984 Galant GLS back in the late 80's, I can safely say it was the most comfortable car I have ever driven. It was very well put together, and extremely refined inside - absolutely no rattles or creaks, and unless you looked at the tach you would not know if the engine had started or not. I admit to being caught out many a time by grinding the starter motor - trying to start an engine that was already running. And for a non-turbo, carburettor 2lt engine it was very fast indeed. But sadly Mitsubishi let the quality slip in later years. After having such a fantastic experience with the 1984 Galant, I eventually ended up buying a 1997 Galant - again 2lt GLS. The interior creaked, with a few rattles thrown in, and the power from the 2lt engine was nothing compared to it's earlier brother - my guess was the much tougher emission laws brought in by the mid 90's were to blame.
Nice that you mentioned Proton in your video. Looking forward for a full video on Proton and it’s acquisition by Geely
I had a 91 Galant. Extremely confortable and nice to drive with every minute detail engineered with care. Even the owner's manual had nice manga style illustrations. The driver's seat with its superbly brown velours is still my man cave's favorite chair.
The car was complete crap.. see my earlier post about quality.. I was there, I had one or 2 as demos. Garbage.
Was your galant the VR-4?
@@mayhanamin3538 a modest 1.8glsi
The 90's Mitsubishi cars were the last of the good ones. Then came the 00's with the bloated Lancer, no more medium car after Galant and the sport cars line got an axe was when the wheel came off.
@@thanakonpraepanich4284 I think your comment may apply to most of the car industry.
Just a side note, when Mitsubishi Motors Japan bought Chrysler Australia in 1980 they sold the Lonsdale Sigma to the UK which was made in the Australian plant! (Renamed Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd.) And Chrysler Australia made the Valiant (which was meant to replace the Rootes Humber) in the UK Rootes-Chrysler UK
Mitsubishi Australia is also the only ones to make a head for the G54b that didn't suck aside from HKS
I love those high resolution pictures of the old cars. Thanks for the video. I was wondering about this topic just the other day as I noticed a Mitsubishi driving down the road.
Back in the 1970's and 1980's while living in California, I always preferred to rent Mitsubishi Colts when visiting Hawaii. I liked the Mitsubishi Colt of that period of time. They were good, reliable small cars. Thanks for another very informative video!
I bought a Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo at a car auction in Edinburgh. It was imported from Saudi Arabia and was a 1983 model on a Q plate. It was black with very little markings and badly cracked paint on the bonnet. To say it was understated is an underestimate. What a beast, 140BHP I called it my XR3 Killer. I was driving down Telford Road in Edinburgh on my way to visit my brother in Pilton when I was tailgated by an Xr3i with three young guys in it. They passed me and grinned and gesticulated at me as they did so, probably because I was on the speed limit. They pulled up at a roundabout and I pulled up behind them. The driver of the Xr3i screeched away. I couldn't help myself I tore after them and just sat on his tail as he did me earlier. the faster he tried to pull away the more I stuck to him. I floored it and passed him easily. I smiled as I slowed down to turn left off the main road to my brothers house. as I turned, from the corner of my eye I saw a big puff of smoke in the rear view mirror as the Xr3i had continued his joyride. A few hours later I came back up that road and in the distance I could see the Xr3i at the side of the road. I loved that car, had it for many years then sold it off to a friend. I still think Mitsubishi like Subaru are in a realm of their own and I'm surprised about this news.
Thanks for another great video! I could be wrong, but I didn't hear you mentioning the immensly popular ASX...
The EvoX was my dream car for so long. If it was still being produced it would've been the first car I bought for myself but instead I ended with a civic hatchback
It's funny to think there was a time in my life that I aspired to own one of many models of a mitsubishi. I thought they were going places in the 90's.
I remember seeing Mitsubishis all over in the late 90s/early 2000s
I remember us getting a large 90s Mitsubishi saloon as a courtesy car once. It was a thoroughly impressive machine, even when comparing it to 2000s European cars of a similar class!
I still own and love my 2001 Mitsubishi Diamante. More than 200,000 miles and still runs like a dream.
Very interesting and very well documented, pal. For a foreigner, I do really appreciate your lovely pronunciation, it's pretty easy to understand you. Also, congratulations for the quality of photos and videos used, that makes a difference.
Good job as always. Someone needed to do this video. It's certainly one of the biggest mysteries of the automotive world of the last 40 or 50 years.
You can still see Carisma GDI models from the 90's in my home town and they ALL look a couple of years old! It seems they were not only reliable and well built, but also the rust proofing and clear coat was done exceptionally well!!
I had a rental Carisma once in the days when I used to drive between Edinburgh and various English air/seaports. It was roomy, plastic-y and had the best windscreen wipers of any car I ever drove. I still own a 2008 Evo X that I bought in 2012, tuned to 400AWKW and it's f*ckin amazing.
Funny, because the Carisma was built in the Netherlands, together with the Volvo S40, and the Dutch reviews and public opinion were lukewarm at best.
@Watch Geek Funny seeing You here. The love for watches and cars often goes hand in hand it seems..
@@e28forever30 haha true 😁 I'll be doing a giveaway tomorrow as I passed 110K subs, so make sure not to miss it 😉
@Alexander Ratisbona wipers.
The "Colt Galant GTO" DID make it to the USA in a different form rebadged as the "Plymouth Arrow" (the hatchback, not the pickup). I owned a 1978 model years ago until a little old lady pulled out in front of me, totalling it.
Here in Indonesia, they’re actually very popular, especially with their Pajero Sport and Xpander models.
Mitsubishi sure made some great cars. I own 2 Australian built Magna’s (Diamante), a standard 2000 model, and a rare 2002 Ralliart model, they’re beautiful cars
Love my 380, great car.
@@perpetualgrin5804 they sure are
I loved my Magna it was 2004 VRX. I’m looking to buy a now one same model
Such a lot to cover in 23 minutes so well done! Mitsubishi cars were very popular in Australia from the 1970s. The Colt, Lancer, Gallant, Mirage, Pajero and especially the Australian developed Magna in all it's variations sold extremely well. So did the commercial variants. I think the potential buyers just ended up confused and disappointed that newer versions of the cars they loved just didn't arrive. Mitsubishi kept selling the Magna till it was way past it's prime and the 380 was too little too late with obvious cost cutting measures. The brand just faded into an also-ran. Such a shame.
Thanks Pauline!
The 380 sold very cheap in New Zealand second hand, engine economy just could not out compete the Mitsubishi Hybrids across the road in provincial Waikato New Zealand.❤
In highschool you couldn't throw a rock without hitting at least one Eclipse / Laser / Talon / Sebring Coupe / Avenger in the parking lot, they were everywhere.
My Dad had a 3000GT - it was awesome and ahead of it’s time; Adjustable suspension & aero, two exhaust noise settings, 4WD, 4W steering, a nice climate & stereo system and lots of power. Now Mitsubishi is the car of choice for people with rubbish credit history 🤣
If you need credit to buy a car you already doing something wrong.
That would be the VR4, miles ahead and almost a different car from the base model 3000GT
Aparecía en Gran Turismo 2
@@firstname8736 in the UK it was called the 3000GT
Here in NZ the 3000GT was known as the GTO. A good car but one that was destined for the trash can due to its excessive weight and thus weak performance in video games. Gamers don't like racing in heavy cars.
Giving how present Mitsubishi cars have been in the 90s, its a shame the way they went...our family had a Galant in the very early 90s. Great car, especially the great interior sticks in my memory.
The Lancer evolution was awesome! Pretty dominant in rally back in the day. Once released in the US, I had to pretend I could afford one just to get my own close up look at one of my favorite cars! It was almost as good as the first time with a new girl 😛
It's a real shame. I always thought highly of Mitsubishi USAs offerings. Particularly the Eclipse, Montero, 3000GT, Diamante, Lancer Evo, and Galant. They always seemed a bit ahead of the curve in design & performance. Many sour decisions big & little have chopped them down to nearly nothing now. The background music of Mitsubishis showroom in Gran Turismo 1 was by far one of my most played in that game lol.
Love this video. Having worked for a Mitsubishi dealer in the uk we were constantly told how loyal customers were gutted they were leaving
@Sly Rax I absolutely love my Outlander. And I bought it used just by accident, it pulled on the lot just as I was pulling out of the lot and I said oh well I'll take a look at it, may as well not waste his entire day. It's been one of the best vehicles I've ever owned if not the best
When I was 18-20 I used to work for Mitsubishi electric in scotland building air conditioners. A guy who joined us ,who I had to train on the spot welding machines, moved to us from the motors company. This was back in 04/05. Now I don't know if there was a motors factory here but he said, at his work, they'd rip the new evos along the Edinburgh bypass whenever they could. And btw, I learned that Mitsubishi means three diamonds, not what you said. But I suppose it's a matter of exact transition. I also got told that the staff from Japan didn't mind when people said "Jap" or "the Japs" but I never put it to the test
yes 三菱 3 diamond
You never mentioned the Cordia. I had an ‘83 two tone paint ,sun roof, digital dashboard, and the strange split power transmission. Unfortunately the silent or balance shaft went out twice on me and sold it after a rear end collision was fixed. It had so many cool conveniences, like the fresh air vents in the b pillar for rear passengers.
Friend of mine has the discontinued Outlander diesel, DPF must be working well as the exhaust pipe has not one sign of soot in it, still shiny after 50,000 km.
I had an FTO the mivec one. Fantastic car, lovely engine. I wish I had keep it now.
Same! They felt so special compared to the drivel sold in the uk at the time.
Had three in all love it still...
Still got one, the sound, lightness. Nothing like it at all, annoys me when people say it's "just a front wheel drive eclipse" totally wrong, it's actually higher in the line up than any eclipse, hence the totally unique chassis
@@MegaGEZZZ do you sell your fto
The mid to late 1970s Sigma (4-door sedan) made something like a Cortina or Vauxhall Victor/VX look like a joke. But it was more expensive and Mitsubishi didn't seem to do any marketing at all, so they were very rare. You had to already somehow know the car was good, and that didn't help the average uninformed punter.
In Australia the Sigma was super popular & were everywhere. Their familiarity was only equaled by their unreliability & fall apart, part failure reputation. Total sh*tbox!
Here's another thing apart from survivors at motorshows I cannot recall seeing a Sigma driving around on the road for more than 20 years & I'm a car guy who notices 60s, 70s & 80s cars on the roads when I see them. They just didn't last unlike Holden's, Nissan's, Fords did that I occasionally still see driving around
I remember seeing the Starion Widebody at the 87 London motorshow and within 6 years i had one. Just awesome in red. I have had 4 in my time and really should get back into one but they are so hard to find these days.
Great video. Had a Montero and a Fuso box truck. This company definitely had some great models
Still driving my Mitsu's but this will be the end. Nicely presented history and solid research, thanks for taking a walk on memory-lane with us.
Same there current range is all crossovers and really underpowered mirages. Such a shame this is my 3rd mitsu.
Such a shame! I had a 1979 Mitsubishi Colt Sigma 1.6 GL in the mid 1980s great car full of innovations, like a boot lid that was a radio antenna and a test system for the fuses. Its performance and fuel economy were impressive to for the time, one of my favourite cars that i have had infact.
Hi I have the last survivor 1983 COLT Cordia turbo in the UK red a60syw MOT and taxed on the road shame it wasn't mentioned thanks Mick.
My first car was a 1988 MItsubishi Starion ESI-R (bought in 2000). I loved that car but the technology was very early and it always had mechanical breakdowns. Still hold it close to my hear though.
Great video. I did my apprenticeship with Mitsubishi motors uk, or the colt car company, based in Cirencester . Fun times .
I've really enjoyed your videos so far. You have a relaxed pace of delivery and are very easy to understand, unlike many who seem to be late for a golf game... Very informative and interesting content too. I hope you continue to grow your channel. Subbed.
I just want to add, Mitsubishi also makes escalators (lifts), helicopters (building the Black Hawk under license), and fighter jets (like the F-2, which is a reskinned F-16). No wonder they kept losing focus; they had fingers on all sorts of pies! Great video as always. Can't wait for your next topics to share.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also builds the Type 10 Main Battle Tank, Japan's most advanced ground tracked vehicle.
True, but Mitsubishi Motors was a separate entity that only focused on vehicles.
My first Video Recorder was a Mitsubishi. A decade before that my friends parents had a Mitsubishi TV. Thinking about it my first proper PC was a Mitsubishi Apricot (Apricot being a British company they bought out)
The Mitsubishi conglomerate (led by one of the largest banks in the world) continues in other venues, but those have they turned their backs on the Auto division for pretty much the 21st Century. Figure the conglomerate thing happens elsewhere in Japan (Toyota, Honda, Sony...) and in South Korea (LG, Samsung...). They want to be NUMBER ONE IN EVERYTHING.
@@syxepop From 1998 to 2000 you could buy a Samsung car. You still can but they are now a subsidiary of Renault. Yet another South Korean conglomerate was Daewoo. Their car business ended up being sold to GM.
Starion, GTO, Shogun, Lancer, even Colt....some iconic vehicles from my era. I think the fact they were trying to be all things, to all men as opposed to, maybe Subaru's less ambitious objectives, accelerated their downfall. Very interesting programme. I for one wasn't aware of exactly how many collaborations went on.
loved the first gen starion was on my wish list , than the 3000gtr did like the last gen evo I see a 2015 lancer seadn with awc kinda of a under the radar car
You make great videos, keep up the good work :)
Amazing presentation of car history! Thank you so much. You are a great speaker my friend, proud subscriber.
That was sad story. The first car I drove without being under instruction from a driving instructor or examiner was a 1995 edition Mitsubishi Space Wagon GLXi 2.0. Obviously I booted it at the first opportunity and I thought it was a rocket ship. Everyone I met who had a Mitsubishi in the 90s loved them. A friend at University had an FTO and another had a 3000GT with a straight pipe. It was so loud you couldn't hold a conversation next to it. I think many of the Japanese brands have lost their way now. Nissans are pretty much Renaults and fall to bits. They are no longer reliable. The Korean brands have that crown now.
Well maybe Hyundai (some models). Kia is still trash.
@@cactuslietuva yeah I was thinking Hyundai. The AA did recovery for them under warranty and never attended any apparently.
Toyota GR Corolloa, GR86, new Supra MT, new Z...all Japanese companies and all making some of the best enthusiasts cars...
@@cactuslietuva .... Hyundai and Kia are one in the same... Just like Chevy and Cadillac...
Did you know that in Germany, Mitsubishi was often termed "the Japanese Mercedes" in the 80s? Somehow, they lost it in the 90s - the Colt/Mirage was awkwardly positioned between the subcompacts and compacts but never being able to be among the top cars in either class, the Galant at first boring but solid, then sharp looking and full of faults and the Sigma/Diamante...well, it was a brave attempt to sell the Germans a Japanese luxury car (the others failed as well, just for the record). Never understood why the Germans had derided the Station Wagon just because it was built in Australia for exactly that reason. So there was the Carisma, the Pajero (no, that doesn't mean male auto eroticism!), the L200 and L300 selling good. The GT 3000, on the other hand, was a veritable flop with most testers criticizing the comparatively high price and a rather unrefined chassis. Oh, and it didn't helped much that football icon Franz Beckenbauer advertised this car in Germany and was honoured with a special "Franz Beckenbauer Edition" (in a horrible yellow!), as he was being a quite controversial person. Later he stated that he didn't liked the 3000 GT at all - the things people endure for money... From the 2000s on, Mitsubishi almost vanished from the view of the German buyers and streets with exception of the Pajero and L200. Outlander and ASX brought them somewhat of a small comeback, and the successor to the Colt, the Space Star (a subcompact, yes!) is selling due it's low entry price but generally earning mixed to negative reviews.
Refering to usdm here. But yes in the 90s the mirage was like in a class between classes. The mirage 1.5 competed with the tercel but the 1.8 with the corolla. It was bigger than the tercel but smaller than the corolla. It was weird to say the least.
The Sigma wagon had a simple torsion beam rear suspension, and its engine was a 12 valve unit with a meager 170 hp. It also lacked the advanced traction-control system of the Sigma limousine.
Now I'm curious. why did they name them the Japanese MB?
@@LPAGAN401 I had read this term in various contemporary German motor magazines, and in the 80s, both MB and Mitsubishi were known for introducing new technologies into serial production while maintaining high quality standards. Personally, I would rather had compared Mitsubishi with Citroen - take the exterior designs of the Cordia or the interior design of the 1987 Sapporo/Galant Sigma as examples.
As an Aussie I get this instantly... We had Magnas and 380s built here in Adelaide
An interesting little story about Mitsubishi surrounds the Colt CZC (or convertible to you and me). They struck a deal with Pinin Farina to build them but over estimated the sales wildly so Pinin Farina took Mitsubishi to court over it. I only found out because we bought a cool little Colt CZC in blue for my Mrs and I noticed it said Pinin Farina on the side skirts and pulled a very confused look haha
I normally enjoy learning about the history of car makers by watching your videos but I'm genuinely surprised you did not mention what has undoubtedly been Mitsubishi's most successful vehicle the l200. Having one myself I find the van is very reliable and is a very good competitor to the market leader the Hilux being a cheaper option. Also I don't think the l200 shares a platform with any Nissan vehicle as the Navarra doesn't have leaf springs anymore and the l200 does
The next generation unfortunately will share the underpinnings of Nissan as does the current new Outlander. Both are still review as superior to Nissan in many countries. Mitsubishi Japan have just revealed the lates EK range of Electric K Cars which they also rebadge as Nissan. Mitsubishi have been building small cars for Nissan for many years and also includes the larger vans based around the old L300 series. Which is still available new in some Asian countries?
American runs NATO. kzhead.info/sun/pLyfgcOKsWlmqZ8/bejne.html
It's interesting that the Galant (as opposed to "gallant", i.e. chivalrous) was pronounced differently here in Australia. Mitsubishi marketing announced it as the GaLANT, with the accent on LANT, and that's the way all Australians pronounced it thereafter.
He gets quite a few of the names wrong in this video.
The same pronunciation was adopted in New Zealand
I'm in UK and I pronounced it GaLANT too.
Yup, it was marketed as the "gahLAHNT" here in the US too.
Trust the Aussies to not know how to speak properly....
The old DSM/Mitsubishi factory is just down the road from me (I currently work for the new owner of the factory, Rivian). I knew a lot of people who owned Mitsubishis and none of them were without problems.
those colt hatchbacks were very popular in australia. i remember a second gear shifter for overdrive instead of a button
Shame because they’ve made some very interesting cars over the years. I seem to recall that the last generation of Colt was very well received by the press here when it was released. Used to see stacks of the mk 2 Shoguns about and stacks of the pickup truck. The Galant models from the 90s looked very cool. My army cadet instructor had one which we all thought was a cool car. My parents had a green Colt estate in the early 80s. That’s the first car I remember my parents owning. I even thought the Eclipse Cross is a really neat looking car with nice proportions and lines. But a look on Wikipedia on the Mitsubishi motors page shows just how many bosses they’ve been through with no one staying in charge for more than about 3 years.
The Lonsdale brand sold in the UK were actually Australian built Mitsubishis.
They made engines in Lonsdale SA.
@@ditroia2777 True that!. Between the hills hoist washing line factory and oil refinery. Bodies made at Tonsley Park just down the road. where they used to build Chrysler Valiants.
Best car I ever owned was a Mitsubihi 380 LX, the luxury model, made in Australia. Wish I still had it, unfortunately written off when a car ran a red light and hit me. Never seen a Mitsubishi with rust, and, I've had one or two. Thanks for the video.
I don't know whether I enjoyed watching this more...or you enjoyed saying the words "joint venture" more🙂😄. Such well researched and excellently presented productions actually ought to be on niche platforms like Nebula. (If only though.. more world languages could be incorporated on such platforms.)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Due to some sort of tax loophole the Outlander PHEV (plug-in hybrid) was by far the biggest selling car here in The Netherlands for a number of years. We own a Mitsubishi Grandis, a 6-seater car-like MPV. I always wonder at the amount of interior space: adults can sit quite comfortably on the 3rd row AND you still have a usable boot space! Paired with a super dependable and torque-y 2.4l engine it’s the perfect car for our family. It’s at 307.000km now and it’s totally reliable.
Very good, an intriguing history, good engineering, spoiled by poor management. We are on our fifth Pajero, the final edition, and probably our last Mitsubishi. Very well-engineered cars.
Before you right them off the new Pajero Sport is although looking smaller the Mighty Pajero it is a good update for your current car. The same towing capacity, and a newer more vibrant motor, based on the mighty Triton its a great all round car.
@@stephanburgess654 heard decent things about them. Their motor is less powerful than the og Paj though
Really liked the Mitsubishi turbo engine in the Lebaron. Great winter car as long as you could keep wheel bearings in it.
We have a 2017 Mirage that is now my daughter's car. 57K miles and utterly reliable. Zero issues, great fuel economy, and surprisingly spacious. An honest car without pretentions.
Actually, the Montero Sport and the Outlander are two different models, the Montero Sport is based on the Mitsubishi L200/Triton/Strada platform.
I made a replica Colt Galant GTO earlier this year. Funny that by the '90s, the Colt, Galant and GTO (and FTO) were all separate cars!
It came up as a special model then separated to be own model.
I owned a 2008 Eclipse until 2019, and I absolutely loved it. (I was rear-ended, and the vehicle was rendered a total loss). I always hoped they'd release another eclipse or 3000GT. Let's see what the future brings.
I have a 2008 lancer; great car, i even ran it without oil for a long time and still works perfectly. Has 120k miles. Its sad that mitsubishi couldnt keep their famous cars in todays market
Me too. 177,000 on it.
I am from the Philippines. Mitsubishi remains to be number 2 manufacturer in Southeast Asia selling the Montero Sport/Pajero Sport and the Mirage and Expander like pancakes. I can see that the new Terra is actually based in the Montero Sport and not the other way around. Mitsubishi is so good almost everyone in my family has one.
don’t forget STRADA. It’s still no. 2 best selling pickup truck in the philippines as well as of 2021
Agreed Mistubishi is also second in Bangladesh Selling huge amount of units or pajero sports,lancet ex,xpander and outlander Also the outlander and pajero is used as a govt issued vehicle for the govt employees in Bangladesh I own a xpander and a pajero and i am very satisfied with the quality
My grandfather was a prisoner of war during the Japanese occupation of Indonseia. His unit was strafed by Mitsubishi Zero's. He survided the camp and the war. He was allways very kind and never angry untill the first Mitsubishi cars were imported in the Netherlands just as was during the visit of Hirohito . He really hated everything Japanese but I was glad to see he bought a Japanese taperecorder later (an Akai)
Kan het wel begrijpen. De Jappen kampen waren verschrikkelijk. En een toch wel vergeten stuk geschiedenis.
I drive an 08 lancer es. It's had it's issues, but been replacing and upgrading parts. I love it.
We have only had one Mitsubishi in the family, a 2012 Colt my mum had for a few years. It was a lovely little car.
I've wondered about mitsbushi recently, wondering how they can keep going. This explains it.
They're sales are actually slowly climbing up, in Asia, they sell well, they're literally second to Toyota in sales in some areas in Asia.
Interesting that in Australia, Mitsubishi is now No. 3 in new vehicle sales led by Triton twin cab utes, Outlanders medium SUVs and the dated ASX small SUV. They’re now considered a high reliability, high value, but unexciting brand. In 2022, Mitsubishi outsell Nissan by 3X, with Nissan doing so poorly they may exit the Australian market at end of the year.
A pity in New Zealand that the 3 litre Mk1 Outlander had been dropped in favour of 2 litre / 2.4 litre / hybrid only. My 3 litre is a great towing / cruising car and consequently kept it, with sunroof, full electrics / cruise control / roof racks. I understand the Outlander in Australia makes a popular rental car choice. Thanks for your story. ❤
I used to have a little '90 Mighty Max pickup, and that things was great. One of the easiest vehicles to work on I've ever had.
Had a Colt RS Cyborg in 1998 and that thing was amazing! Also had a Galant VR4 which looked stunning!
Was really hoping you'd cover these! I currently own a last generation Lancer Sportback and it's been brilliant since the day I got her. Cheap interiors but ultra reliable and they always nailed most of their cars on the styling side. The last Lancer generations clearly inspired the bigger grill brigade except they knew when to stop!. Real shame they're leaving our market
Agree, I had the Sportback Ralliart, amazing car with 240 bhp. Never had a moments trouble with it and regret to this day selling it.
What you mean they are leaving our market I don’t think they are I love Mitsubishi that’s all I have ever bought I have had 2 lancers 2011 and 2013 and 2 Outlanders a 2013 spot and 2019 SEL loved all three products
@@matthewreed1078 they've left the UK market and are going to aftersales and dealer repairs now here :/. The irony is the last generation of Outlander was one of the most successful launches in a long time but clearly wasn't enough to keep them afloat here. They've been in trouble for a while so we were one of the first markets to be cut
@@h4rold948 I’m so sorry to here that I loved my Mitsubishi cars and suvs I have had in the past
my parents briefly had a mitsubishi Galant in 1997, it was such a nice car. to this day the best car they've ever owned, imo.
Just a note, Montero Sport was the name for the Triton-based SUV; the first Outlander was also known as the Airtrek, though apparently Montero Outlander was a name used in South America
20ish years ago late one night i was on my way home from a friend's, and i got off my skateboard because i heard something loud...a tuned black dodge stealth pulls out of an alley way just behind me and when the driver sees me staring they jumped on it when they pulled out and onto the main road. thank you to that person for turning me into a petrol head. since then i have always had a special place in my heart for the 3000GT/Stealth
A interesting fact, Mitsubishi is a pretty popular car brand here in PR. You would be surprised how many mitsubishis you'll see on the road here, cars like the 90's mirage(even modern), the montero,outlander and the lancer are pretty common to spot.