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139-526: Besides being part of the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, it 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

278-863: 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

417-471: 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

556-452: A business district. Hisaya was succeeded by his cousin Koyata in 1916, and during his time as president the group saw a significant expansion. In 1917, he funded the establishment of an optics company and became the majority shareholder, which later became Nikon . During this era, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was at the forefront of Japan's aircraft development. He reorganised the group into

695-526: A choice of transmissions and trim. As elsewhere, the wagon versions carried over the old body style with a new nose and interior. Production of the wagon version continued in Australia until 1987 when it was replaced by the new Magna . From 1982 to 1983, some of the Australian Sigmas, which had the carried-over 2.0 or 2.6-litre locally made inline-four engine , were exported to the United Kingdom with

834-606: A claimed realistic 85 PS (63 kW) in Europe, fewer than the 1.6 in Japan. Introduced in 1980, Mitsubishi's fourth iteration of the Galant Σ (Sigma)/Eterna Σ (Sigma) debuted many new innovations for Mitsubishi. The car was sold as the Mitsubishi Galant in most export markets, although in both Australia and New Zealand it was known as the Mitsubishi Sigma. The fourth generation sedan and coupé were both slightly larger than

973-418: A five-speed manual transmission as standard with three-speed auto optional. These were the first NZ-assembled Mitsubishis to have rear screen demisters as standard. Early cars had conventional rod-suspended headliners developed locally to meet local content rules but these were notorious for collapsing on to the passengers' heads and were quickly replaced by newly developed, glued-in moulded foam liners. The range

1112-462: A five-speed manual transmission as well as leather upholstery. This generation was largely replaced in 1988 by the sixth generation Galant (see below). The widened Australian-made version, however, remained in production until 1991 when it was replaced by a new generation Magna, whereas the Japanese hardtop range was produced until it was replaced by the new Sigma/Diamante version in 1990. In addition,

1251-413: A five-speed unit for sportier models. A three-speed automatic transmission was also available. The smaller 1600 engine was also available in the cleaner " MCA-II " version right from 1973, a model which met Japan's 1975 emissions standards. This version was marginally less powerful, with 97 PS (71 kW) rather than the 100 PS (74 kW) engine seen in the previous model. This new Galant model

1390-458: A form similar to what it is now, and he spun off each department into a subsidiary. Most of them later went public, as he thought that for the sake of the expansion of business, more core capital was needed. The group was organised as follows: The firm's prime real estate holdings in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo, acquired in 1890, were spun off in 1937 to form Mitsubishi Estate , now one of

1529-500: 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 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

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1668-678: 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 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

1807-433: A light update and a reshuffle of the models. There was a base L model and a better equipped LG with body-colored bumpers. The modification included three-point belts in the rear seat, a high-mounted brake light, adjusted gearing, a flattened rear seat squab, larger radiator, and a larger washer fluid tank, amongst other detail improvements. A five-speed manual, or three- or four-speed automatics were on offer. Target production

1946-707: 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

2085-399: A move away from British and Australian sourced Chrysler products, with the four-door replacing the locally built Chrysler Vogue . Only three months later, Chrysler South Africa ceased operations. Mitsubishi production was continued by the new Sigma Motor Corporation . The third generation of the car was introduced in 1976, and was known as Galant Σ (Sigma) . In many export markets the car

2224-531: A narrow strip on the tailgate only. In New Zealand the hardtop, now with an 1855 cc engine was again assembled by Todd Motors at Porirua. The sedan was not offered as Todd was planning to assemble the larger Galant Sigma sedan and wagon range from late 1977 and they were still importing the British Avenger and Hunter models. In South Africa, the Dodge Colt 1600 GS arrived in late 1975 (YB series) to replace

2363-655: A part of Mitsubishi Motors, but is now owned by German automotive corporation Daimler Truck , with Mitsubishi continuing to own 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

2502-409: 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,

2641-630: A redesigned cylinder head which appeared in 1982 took care of the problems. This model proved very popular in some markets, such as the BeNeLux countries, where it helped establish Mitsubishi in general and the Galant in particular. For the second generation in a row Mitsubishi could claim to be building an award-winning car, as this was chosen as Car of the Year in New Zealand in 1981. The cars sold there were again locally assembled with 1.6 and two-litre engines, and

2780-408: A running change in 1985 on this model. Further running changes concerned the rear styling. For the initial 1984 production run the rear numberplate was located above the bumper, however for 1985 and 1986 the plate was relocated to below the bumper, in the manner of the Japanese domestic market Galant models. New taillights were fitted for 1987, the rear numberplate reverting to its original place above

2919-464: A trim level for this model called "VX-R", offered a 2.0 L MIVEC version of the 6A12 , a high revving naturally aspirated V6 engine with more aggressive tuning. This engine is also found on Mitsubishi's midsize sports car FTO 's GP trim levels which introduced in 1994. Output was placed at 200 hp (149 kW) and 147 lb⋅ft (199 N⋅m) of torque. This generation marked a substantial change in suspension design. The front switched from struts to

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3058-485: 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

3197-458: A year after introduction. European and rest-of-the-world trim levels were often engine-specific, depending on the market: At the time of introduction, GL and GLX models were offered with either 1.6-litre or 1.8-litre engines, GLS models had 2.0-litre engines (badged 2000 GLS; in some markets there was also a 2000 GLX) and Diesel versions had a 1.8-litre Sirius turbo-diesel engine. The diesel model received GL or GLX trim, although in some markets it

3336-453: 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

3475-757: 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 the Australian-built Mitsubishi Sigma to the UK as the Lonsdale YD41 in an attempt to circumvent British import quotas, but

3614-538: Is an automobile which was produced by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1969 until 2012. The model name was derived from the French word galant , meaning "chivalrous". There have been nine distinct generations with total cumulative sales exceeding five million units. It began as a compact sedan, but over the course of its life evolved into a mid-size car . Initial production was based in Japan, with manufacturing later moved to other countries. The first generation of

3753-496: 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 the 4G15 engine was used instead of Suzuki's G15A engine. The Maven was discontinued in 2009 due to poor sales. The Colt T120SS

3892-560: The Car of the Year Japan award in 1987 and the GS model became Motor Trend ' s Import Car of the Year in 1989. This Galant began American sales in 1989, side by side with the previous generation Sigma. Mitsubishi developed Dynamic ECS adaptive air suspension , the world's first production semi-active electronically controlled suspension system in passenger cars; the system was first incorporated in

4031-685: The Chevrolet Vega , and the AMC Gremlin . It was also produced by Chrysler Australia and sold alongside the larger Chrysler Valiant models as the Chrysler Valiant Galant. In South Africa, the A53 Colt Galant arrived in late 1972 as the Dodge Colt 1600 GS (AY series). The car had already been rallied there, in 1300 and 1600 forms, and only the Hardtop GS version was sold to capitalize on

4170-768: The Cold War made the Eastern Bloc more menacing than the possible revival of a strong Japan and Germany , the occupation forces’ initial aim, just like in Germany, was to weaken the Japanese economy so that the country could never wage war against them. Under this policy, Mitsubishi as a group was dissolved. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Chemical were split into three separate entities. On his deathbed, Koyata Iwasaki staunchly defended his actions, asserting that he had done his utmost for his country and had nothing to be ashamed of. Despite his resistance, he could not defy

4309-656: 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

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4448-519: 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

4587-450: The Lonsdale badge, in en effort at circumventing the voluntary import quota restrictions adopted by Japanese manufacturers. However the car was unsuccessful, and for 1983 and 1984 it carried Mitsubishi Sigma badges in the UK before imports were finally discontinued. The two door coupé was also redesigned for 1980 and was sold through 1983. While continuing with the Galant Λ/Eterna Λ label for

4726-657: 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

4865-1010: The Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu , a unified company that existed from 1870 to 1946. The company, along with other major zaibatsu, was disbanded during the occupation of Japan following World War II by the order of the Allies . Despite the dissolution, the former constituent companies continue to share the Mitsubishi brand and trademark . While the group of companies engages in limited business cooperation, most notably through monthly “Friday Conference” executive meetings, they remain formally independent and are not under common control. The three main entities ( gosanke ) are Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (the largest bank in Japan), Mitsubishi Corporation (a general trading company), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (diversified manufacturing companies). A 2020 estimate concluded that all

5004-482: The Mitsubishi Debonair limousine. For the top-of-the-line VR models, an intercooled turbo-charged 4G63T "Sirius Dash 3x2" engine that automatically switched between two and three valves per cylinder depending upon throttle response and therefore allowing both economy and performance, was fitted, along with self-levelling suspension , climate-controlled air-conditioning, blue velour interior, steering wheel-controlled audio functions, and 15-inch alloy wheels. From 1985,

5143-575: 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 the development of diesel engines using

5282-642: The Mizushima and a scooter called 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

5421-531: The PX33 , a prototype sedan for military use. It 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

5560-679: The Tokyo Motor Show (model year 1994 in the US), originally only available as a four-door sedan (which was the only model to be sold in the US). A five-door liftback derivative made its world premiere at the February 1993 Dutch Motor Show . A Japan-only hardtop derivative called the ( Japanese : Emeraude ) (French for emerald ) was also launched in 1992. The width dimensions of the model sold in Japan no longer complied with Japanese government dimension regulations . In October 1993, Mitsubishi introduced

5699-428: 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

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5838-498: The 1987 Galant model. The Galant range underwent a minor facelift in 1991, with new grilles and other modifications. Also in 1991, Mitsubishi Motors Company completed a new assembly facility at Barcelona, Venezuela , with the Galant being one of the first models produced. It was sold there until 1994 under the ZX, MF, MS and MX names, which identified the various levels of equipment and transmission. The Sigma designation disappeared with

5977-493: The 1988 model year, but the "Sigma" version with updated alloy wheels began US sales in August 1988 for the 1989 model year and continued until 1990. These cars were available with a 3.0-liter V6 (North America, only with automatic transmission) or 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines (Europe) in the export. In the domestic Japanese market the hardtops received 2.0-litre fours, or the smaller 2.0-litre 6G71 V6 engine from 1986, shared with

6116-614: The 1990 model. A new hardtop liftback model was added in 1988, called the ( Japanese : Mitsubishi Eterna ) . and in Japan, the Eterna was only sold at a specific retail chain called Car Plaza . This generation Galant was also sold in Canada as the Dodge 2000 GTX and Eagle 2000 GTX . The five-door liftback version was never offered in North America, where buyers prefer traditional sedans. In most of

6255-500: The 200 PS (147 kW) (JIS gross, later only 170 PS were claimed) turbocharged and intercooled " Sirius Dash 3/2 valve " engine. This engine switched between using two and three valves per cylinder to combine high top-end power with low-end drivability as well being economical in operation. Beginning in October 1986, the all-new 2-liter Cyclone V6 engine was installed in the Galant/Eterna, sedans as well as hardtops. Some of

6394-646: 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

6533-550: The Elante suspension pack, which was an option on other models. For 1990, the V3000 was further updated and now featured the front styling of the Eterna hardtop. New Zealand was the only market where this restyling was applied to the fifth generation four-door sedan bodyshell. Assembly of this model continued until 1991, when it was replaced by the second-generation Australian Mitsubishi Magna TR V6 range, which continued to be known as V3000 for

6672-596: 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

6811-429: The Galant range received a new variant in March 1978, known as Galant Sigma Eterna. This model has single rectangular headlights and different taillights. This model also sold as facelift model for selected markets in Europe, New Zealand and South America. Seven months later the twin round headlights front design was replaced with one featuring twin square headlights and also new taillights. Models with engines which passed

6950-538: 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

7089-493: The Japanese distribution representative. Three of the group companies are informally known as the "Three Great Houses" ( 御三家 , Gosanke ) and hold a separate coordinating meeting prior to each Friday Conference: Ten other "major" group companies participate in the coordinating meeting on a rotating basis (with six of the ten companies participating in any given month): Mitsubishi Galant The Mitsubishi Galant ( Japanese : 三菱・ギャラン , Mitsubishi Gyaran )

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7228-664: 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 a going concern by International Motors (a firm previously known for launching Hyundai onto

7367-585: The Mitsubishi Sigma. Australian content was quite high and included a locally-made 2.6-litre 'Astron' four (introduced 1980) which, in December 1985, replaced the 1.6, 1.85 and two-litre engines used in other export markets. The wagon version was introduced in 1977, a little while after the sedans. A new two-door coupé was introduced in 1976 to replace the Galant GTO. It was known in Japan as the Galant Λ (Lambda) . The coupé

7506-452: The Mitsubishi companies combined generate 7.7% of the total revenue of all publicly traded companies in Japan, and the group's assets amount to 433 trillion yen. The Mitsubishi company was established as a shipping firm by Iwasaki Yatarō (1834–1885) in 1870 under the name "Tsukumo Shokai" ( 九十九商会 ) . In 1873, its name was changed to Mitsubishi Shokai ; Mitsubishi ( 三菱 ) consists of two parts: " mitsu " (三) meaning "three" (as in

7645-608: 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 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

7784-409: The New Zealand market. The hardtop sedan bodywork was used in export markets as well, where it received a six-window design unlike for its Japanese market counterparts. It was marketed under different names; "Galant Σ" or "Eterna Σ" (Sigma) in Japan, "Sapporo" in Europe, and in the US as "Galant Σ" (1988 model year) followed by plain "Sigma" (1989 to 1990 model years). The "Galant Σ" was released for

7923-458: 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 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

8062-413: 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 the Mitsubishi Colt subcompact in the company's line-up, but

8201-411: The V6 variants received electrically retractable door mirrors and electronically controlled power steering. Sales in the United States began with the 1985 model year; this was the first time that the Galant series was sold stateside since the station wagon was marketed as a Dodge Colt a few years earlier. New for 1987 (the last model year for this generation) were redesigned seats and the availability of

8340-509: The VR-4 interior, exterior design and updated bumpers (without side skirts), clear indicator lens covers, optional two-tone body paint, as well as standard air conditioning, full electrics, rear windscreen wiper, spoiler and alloy wheels. Fans sometimes call this car the "Evo Zero" but this was never more than a nickname as the Evolution series is Lancer-based. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test ratings for 1991–1992 Galant: A new Galant debuted in September 1992 at

8479-438: The beginning of the Lost Decade and continued to 1997. The collapse was partly the result of the Plaza Accord agreement in 1985, which sought to equalize the United States dollar with the Japanese yen and the German mark . In September of that year, the company closed its Thai factory in response to a crash in the country's currency and plummeting consumer demand. The large truck plant, which had produced 8,700 trucks in 1996,

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8618-484: The bumper. 1987 was a key year for Mitsubishi in New Zealand, when it bought out Todd Motors' automotive operations. Although the sixth generation Galant was introduced for 1988, the older fifth generation bodyshell stayed in production alongside it. Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand intentionally decided to retain the fifth generation sedan bodystyle for a new, unique to New Zealand, flagship model—the 110 kW (150 hp) 3.0-liter V6 engined Mitsubishi V3000 . The V3000

8757-415: The car's sporty image. Gross power claimed was 97 PS (71 kW) at 6700 rpm and the car was fitted with Rostyle wheels as also used on locally assembled Hillman Vogues . 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 two "Saturn" engines and the 2-litre Astron 80 , and

8896-517: The car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969 at a new Mitsubishi Japanese dealership called Galant Shop . The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3- ( AI model) or 1.5-liter ( AII and AIII ) configurations. 1.4- and 1.6-liter versions (14L and 16L) replaced these in September 1971. A larger 115 PS (85 kW) 1.7-liter arrived for

9035-407: The chairpersons and presidents of major Mitsubishi companies. By 1964, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also remerged. The Friday Club symbolised the formation of an equal group of companies, rather than the revival of the pre-war Mitsubishi zaibatsu with Mitsubishi Headquarters at the apex. In 1970, Mitsubishi companies established the Mitsubishi Foundation to commemorate the centennial anniversary of

9174-456: 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

9313-492: The country had decided to wage a war with the United States and the British Empire , each member of the company ought to serve the country in fulfilling its only goal, but the company should not forget what it owed to people in these countries. Arguably, one of the most tangible ways in which Mitsubishi was involved in the war was through its supply of ships, aircraft and other arms by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, designed by Dr. Jiro Horikoshi

9452-492: 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

9591-436: The domestic Japanese market, the fourth generation was known as the Mitsubishi Scorpion in Australia, and the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo in the United States. A fifth-generation model shifted to front-wheel drive in August 1983 as a four-door sedan and four-door hardtop (with different styling). The design continued the direction started with the Tredia , albeit with more harmonious proportions. Drag resistance

9730-421: The earlier AY. Aside from the new body, with wider wheels and improved handling, it also benefitted from a new five-speed gearbox. In August 1976, the name was changed to Chrysler Colt, and the new GS II received a 2.0-liter engine with 85 kW (116 PS; 114 hp). The 1600 also became available in less sporty GL trim, and a set of four-door models complemented the earlier hardtop. This new range signalled

9869-416: The earlier Colt had been imported in limited numbers, this generation, in 1.6-litre coupé form only, was the first model to establish the Mitsubishi brand in New Zealand from 1971 when newly appointed distributor Todd Motors, which also imported and assembled Chrysler and Hillman, started selling a small number of Japanese-assembled cars to supplement its mainstream Hillman Avenger and Hunter models. The coupé

10008-499: 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

10147-705: 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 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

10286-408: The firewall back the vehicle remained the same as the previous version. Their new 'Sirius' engine was offered in turbocharged form for performance enthusiasts in some markets, with 145 PS (107 kW) for Japanese market cars and 156 PS (115 kW) for those export markets unencumbered by strict emissions rules. A new electronic fuel injection system was introduced on some versions of

10425-467: The founding of the first Mitsubishi company. The companies also individually maintain charitable foundations. Mitsubishi pavilions have been highlights of expositions in Japan since EXPO'70 in Osaka in the 1970s to 1980s. The Mitsubishi Group is made up of about 40 individual companies without a controlling parent company. Each of the Mitsubishi companies owns substantial (but usually not controlling) portions of

10564-420: The gasoline Astron engine. For economy, an 'Astron' 4D55 , the first turbo-diesel engine in a Japanese passenger car, was also offered. Unusually, the fourth Galant was never offered with a naturally aspirated diesel engine. The 2.3 Turbo D has 84 PS (62 kW), enough to be considered "sporty" at the time, and was first shown at the 1980 Paris Motor Show . The diesel had some initial reliability issues;

10703-589: The largest real estate development companies in Japan. During the Second World War , which was often advertised in government propaganda as a total war, Mitsubishi was a key player in the nation's wartime economy. Educated in England and having many business friends and partners in the Anglosphere , Koyata was opposed to fighting a war against the Allies. However, he famously stated in his speech on 10 December 1941 that once

10842-428: The liftover edge was significantly lowered. Weight distribution was distinctly towards the front, with 64.47% of the car's weight over the front wheels for the turbodiesel. In the Japanese market there was also a parallel "Eterna" lineup with very minor differences in appearance and equipment. This generation formed the basis of the widened (by 4 inches/100 mm) Mitsubishi Magna produced in Australia from 1985,

10981-472: The market capitalisation of the company was significantly less than its real estate holdings. They greenmailed , and other Mitsubishi companies had to buy the shares from them at an unjustly high price. This incident accelerated Mitsubishi's reintegration. In 1954, Mitsubishi Corporation was reformed, and the Mitsubishi Friday Club was established to foster camaraderie and information exchange among

11120-488: The mid-2000s. In addition to the Friday Conference, the group companies' heads of general affairs hold a meeting on the third Monday of each month, and the group companies' legal and IP departments hold a trademark policy coordination meeting on the first Friday of each month. The company briefly dabbled in television during the early 1990s, when it inked a deal with Westinghouse Broadcasting International to become

11259-566: 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

11398-406: The need for a completely redesigned cylinder head . In 1978, Mitsubishi in Japan established a dedicated dealership sales channel called ( Japanese : Galant Restaurant ) to sell the Galant and other selected vehicles. After late 1977 the 1850 variant was discontinued, as Mitsubishi focussed their efforts on making the 1600 and the 2000 engines pass the new, stricter emissions standards. In Japan,

11537-544: The new 1978 standards changed from the A120 to the A130 range. Mitsubishi had limited resources, and the large choice of engines for the Galant lineup was reduced to one 1.6 and one 2.0, with 86 and 105 PS (63 and 77 kW), at the beginning of the 1979 model year. Todd Motors initially assembled 1.6 GL, 1.85 GLX and two-litre GLS sedan models for New Zealand, with the GLS getting

11676-500: 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 a 10% stake in the company, until disposing of the last of its remaining shares in March 2003. The 1985 Hyundai Excel

11815-565: 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

11954-406: 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

12093-499: 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

12232-562: The operation of shipbuilding were used to expand the business further into the manufacture of aircraft and equipment. The experience of overseas shipping led the firm to enter into a trading business. In 1881, the company bought into coal mining by acquiring the Takashima Mine, followed by Hashima Island in 1890, using the production to fuel their extensive steamship fleet. They also diversified into shipbuilding, banking , insurance , warehousing, and trade. Later diversification carried

12371-437: The option of automatic transmission , and availability with a turbocharger on certain models. Several trim levels were offered, GL, GLX, GSR, Super Saloon and SE. The top SE versions notably featured 'Sigma' branded alloy wheels, digital instrumentation, climate controlled air conditioning, cruise control, speed-dependent intermittent wipers and a salmon-brown coloured interior treatment, the treatment changing deep red colour as

12510-471: The organization into such sectors as paper , steel , glass , electrical equipment, aircraft , oil , and real estate . As Mitsubishi built a broadly based conglomerate , it played a central role in the modernization of Japanese industry. In 1894, Hisaya Iwasaki succeeded his uncle Yanosuke as president. During his tenure until 1916, he modernised the Nagasaki Shipyard and developed Marunouchi as

12649-532: The powerplant was renamed "Cyclone Dash 3x2". The hardtop range continued to be available until 1990 as Mitsubishi's most luxurious offering in most export markets, until the Sigma/Diamante replaced it. It also continued on sale in Japan, but only as the Eterna Sigma after a facelift in May 1989. In Japan the hardtop was available with a 1.8-liter four at the bottom of the range and with the large 3.0-liter V6 in

12788-568: The regular version. The Galant was offered as a competitor to the Toyota Corona , Nissan Bluebird , Honda Accord , and Mazda Capella . 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 , as their answer to new American subcompacts, the Ford Pinto ,

12927-516: The sales channels have been combined into one franchise that sells all models, including kei cars and commercial delivery vehicles. The benefits Mitsubishi Motors had seen because of its strong presence in Southeast Asia reversed themselves as a result of the economic crisis in the region , which began in 1991 with the advent of the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble , referred to in Japan as

13066-505: The same as the first generation Colt Galants offered in sedan, wagon, pillar-less two-door hardtop coupé with the addition of a fixed post coupé for some markets. New models were added to the line up, including GL-II, SL-5, GT and GS-II. The Estate (A112V, sold as a commercial vehicle in Japan) was only available with the 100 PS 1600 engine, in Custom, GL, or SL-5 (with a five-speed manual transmission). It had vestigial wood panelling, featuring

13205-508: The same year in which Mitsubishi won Bild am Sonntag 's Das Goldene Lenkrad (Golden Steering Wheel) award in Germany for the Galant and Wheels magazine 's Car of the Year for the Magna. Mitsubishi Motors codenamed these cars as "YF" and "YFW"—"W" for "wide", respectively. The station wagon version was effectively replaced by the Chariot/Space Wagon in most markets. The Galant was

13344-412: The shares of the others. Twenty-nine of the group companies participate in the Friday Conference ( 金曜会 , Kinyō-kai ) , a luncheon meeting of their most senior executives held on the second Friday of each month. The group began its tradition of monthly executive meetings in 1952, and over time the meetings became a venue for coordinating policy between the group companies. By the 1990s, this practice

13483-448: The taxi-spec sedan remained in production for Japanese commercial use until December 1999, when Mitsubishi abandoned that market. The taxi was only available with an LPG-powered 1.8-litre engine, originally the 4G37 . From October 1986 the Taxi (and driving school model) was fitted with Mitsubishi's new "Cyclone" combustion chamber design. At the end of October 1990, the Galant Σ Taxi received

13622-420: The third Japanese car to adopt four-wheel anti-lock brakes, using Bosch's ABS system. Vehicles in Japan installed with the four-speed transmission were equipped with what Mitsubishi called Super Shift , essentially installing a transfer case , without adding another driveshaft to the rear wheels. Super Shift was no longer offered with the introduction of the five-speed manual transmission. Exports began about

13761-480: 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

13900-410: The third generation cars. Additional emphasis was given to ergonomics , aerodynamics , and safety. Shoulder room, leg room, and head space were all increased, and the trunk was slightly enlarged for more luggage capacity. The interior was made quieter with additional carpeting and other acoustic dampening materials and a double-thickness front bulkhead. The wagon version was also changed, although from

14039-417: 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

14178-565: The three oak leaves from the crest of the Yamauchi or Tosa family that ruled over Yatarō's birthplace and employed him) and " hishi " (菱, which becomes " bishi " under rendaku ) meaning " water caltrop ", and hence " rhombus ", which is reflected in the company's logo . It is also translated as "three diamonds". Mitsubishi was established in 1870, two years after the Meiji Restoration , with shipping as its core business. Its diversification

14317-567: The tide of the times. His cousin, Hisaya Iwasaki , president of Mitsubishi Partnership Company at the time, expressed his frustration with the situation, noting that the company had been stripped bare, leaving only his ancestral land in Tosa and a mausoleum in Tokyo. His main residence in Shitaya was requisitioned by the American military, and Hisaya had to temporarily rent rooms in his former house. Due to

14456-413: The top "Duke" version after this makeover. The European market Sapporo took its bow at the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show; the large 2.4-liter 4G64 "Sirius" four-cylinder producing 129 PS (95 kW) at 5,000 rpm (124 PS or 91 kW for the catalyzed version). In October 1987 the same platform was used for a sixth-generation model which adopted taller, rounded styling. This generation won

14595-426: The top GS model in January 1973. Initially only available as a four-door sedan, five-door estate and two-door hardtop (A53) variants were added in 1970. The hardtop was Mitsubishi's first production passenger car with full side windows and no side pillars. In March 1973, with only two months of production left, the cleaner "MCA-II" version of the 1.6 arrived. With 97 PS (71 kW) it was three horsepower down on

14734-521: 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

14873-563: The war. In 2015, Mitsubishi Materials (formerly Mitsubishi Mining) compensated 3,765 Chinese labourers who were conscripted to the company during the war and apologised to ex-American prisoners of war. Mitsubishi was involved in the opium trade in China during this period. After the Second World War, under the Allied Occupation's policy to dissolve zaibatsu , the Mitsubishi conglomerate underwent significant restructuring. Until

15012-530: The world, the sixth generation Galant was replaced towards the end of 1992, but North American sales only ended in 1994, when the next generation Galant arrived there. A limited edition based on the GTi-16v model was introduced in 1989, modified by German tuning company AMG (owned by Mercedes-Benz since 1999), with mildly uprated engine (170 PS or 125 kW or 168 hp) and unique body kit, alloy wheels, and full leather interior. The AMG appearance treatment

15151-587: The zaibatsu dissolution, Mitsubishi Estate was split into two companies, Kanto Real Estate and Yowa Real Estate. Yowa Real Estate owned a significant portion of the land between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station , including the Marunouchi Building . In 1952, an incident occurred where two men, Kuniichiro Fujiami and Shomitsu Tajima, who were closely linked to infamous yakuza , attempted to take over Yowa Real Estate by becoming majority shareholders, as

15290-789: 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 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

15429-593: Was also achieved on the Debonair for 1986. It, along with the Debonair, were the only Japanese cars that received the AMG treatment. 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

15568-562: Was also when the facelifted (square headlights) model appeared in South Africa, with new "low-inertia" engines. Power output for the 2.0-liter remained at 65.5 kW (89 PS; 88 hp), but period testers felt it more powerful than the previous version. Claimed, DIN power outputs in the European market were considerably lower than the JIS Gross ratings used in Japan. The 2-litre engine had

15707-451: Was around 1,200 units per year. For its last three years of production, this model received an LPG-version of the 1834 cc "4G93" engine. The fifth-generation Galant was introduced to the New Zealand market in mid-1984, as the Mitsubishi Sigma. Assembled by Mitsubishi's New Zealand distributors, Todd Motors, the Sigma was available with the choice of 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines, the 2.0 having

15846-511: Was assembled in New Zealand from 1972, firstly at Todd's Petone factory, on the Avenger/Hunter line and, from 1974, at the brand-new purpose-built factory in Porirua (closed in 1998). The second generation Mitsubishi Colt Galant A11* series was built from 1973 and received a replacement in 1976. Introduced on 24 May 1973 (on sale 1 June) in the Japanese domestic market, the second generation Galant

15985-480: Was available in basic Executive, mid-range Super Saloon, and top-of-the-range SEi trim levels, the latter with luxury trim and digital dashboard. Later a sports version Elante was introduced, based on the Executive. The V6 engine combined with relatively low weight and gearing ensured excellent performance, New Zealand's traffic patrol selected them as patrol cars to replace the turbocharged Sigma GSR. These police cars had

16124-511: Was available until 1975. The nameplate was sufficiently highly regarded in Japan for it to be resurrected for the 1990 Mitsubishi GTO coupé. A third, more compact coupé was introduced on a chassis shortened by 12 cm in 1971, the Galant FTO . 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 . Although

16263-687: 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

16402-613: 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

16541-432: Was criticized (particularly by non-Japanese investors) as a possible violation of antitrust law . Since 1993, the Friday Conference has officially been held as a social function, and not for the purpose of discussing or coordinating business strategy. Despite this, the Friday Conference has been a venue for informal cooperation and coordination between the group companies, most notably in bailing out Mitsubishi Motors during

16680-459: Was developed specifically to give Mitsubishi New Zealand a six-cylinder family car, suitable for towing boats and caravans, to compete with the imported Ford Falcon (EA) and Holden Commodore (VN) models. While the rear styling of the previous Sigma model was retained, the frontal treatment was changed to now feature a more formal, upright chrome grille (the bonnet and grille were from the top-of the-line Sigma SE), and uprated suspension. The V3000

16819-502: Was discontinued in 1921 after only 22 had been built. In 1934, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding 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

16958-723: 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 a joint venture with Mitsubishi that started 1998. Models produced at the Tiruvallur , Tamil Nadu plant included

17097-459: Was down to an average 0.36 C x {\displaystyle \scriptstyle C_{\mathrm {x} }\,} . All new chassis numbers, from E11A to E19A, marked the change. External dimensions all grew, but only marginally, while the wheelbase was 7 cm (2.8 in) longer. Thanks to the more compact drivetrain, however, passenger space increased noticeably and the boot grew from 272 to 360 litres (9.6 to 12.7 cu ft) while

17236-659: 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 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,

17375-597: Was later adopted for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with little modification and would remain in production for fifteen years. Starting in 1989, the Mitsubishi Galant V-series were produced for the Japanese market as a sporty alternative to the regular Galant range. The lineup consisted of Viento and VX-S/VZ-S models featuring the higher output 1.8 and 2.0 Turbo DOHC engines with both automatic and manual transmissions available. The V-series featured

17514-634: Was later revised to add the wagon and drop the 1.85-litre engine. The third generation Galant was the recipient of the Car of the Year award in South Africa in 1977. In South Africa, where it was built by the Sigma Motor Corporation , it was sold as the Colt Galant. Originally sold with the 1.6- and the 2.0-liter engines, the automatic-only 2.6-liter engine arrived in the middle of 1979 and was developed locally. The 2.6 arrived elsewhere only later. Mid-1979

17653-488: 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

17792-418: Was more curvaceous, influenced by contemporary " coke bottle styling ", and featured a range of larger 'Astron' engines developing up to 125 PS in 2000 cc form to complement the 'Saturn' units. During the second generation, the first Astron 80 engines were introduced in some markets using Mitsubishi's newly developed "Silent Shaft" balance shaft technology for reduced vibration and noise. Body styles remained

17931-514: Was more widely exported as Mitsubishi's ambitions grew. It was again sold by Chrysler in many different guises; as the Dodge Colt in the United States, as the Plymouth Colt and Plymouth Cricket in Canada (from 1974), as the Chrysler Valiant Galant and as the Chrysler Galant in Australia, and in Europe as the Colt Galant. Transmissions were now all floor mounted and include a four-speed manual and

18070-400: Was mostly into related fields. It entered into coal-mining to gain the coal needed for ships, bought a shipbuilding yard from the government to repair the ships it used, founded an iron mill to supply iron to the shipbuilding yard, started a marine insurance business to cater for its shipping business, and so forth. Later, the managerial resources and technological capabilities acquired through

18209-582: 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

18348-432: Was shut down indefinitely. In addition, Mitsubishi Motors had little support from sales in Japan, which slowed considerably throughout 1997, and were affected by that country's own economic uncertainty into 1998. Mitsubishi Group The Mitsubishi Group ( 三菱グループ , Mitsubishi Gurūpu ) is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870,

18487-529: Was simply known as the Galant. At that time, the Dodge Colt in America was actually a Mitsubishi Lancer , not the Galant anymore, but nonetheless the Galant Wagon variant was sold with the Dodge Colt label in the US and Canada. In Australia, where the car was made locally at Chrysler's Clovelly Park plant, it was marketed as the Chrysler Sigma and, after the 1980 buyout of Chrysler Australia by Mitsubishi, as

18626-530: Was simply the 1800 TD. A fuel injected 150 PS (110 kW) 2000 Turbo was also available in some export markets. The TD and the Turbo both received standard power steering. Equipment levels in Japan had more interesting names, ranging from the LS and LG via Super Saloon, Super Touring, Super Exceed, and GSR-X up to the most luxurious Royal. The top models for Japan (the "Super Exceed" sedan or "VR" hardtop) were powered by

18765-867: 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 the Hyundai Porter ) and Mitsubishi Proudia (as the Hyundai Equus ). The South African Motor Corporation ( Samcor ) (previously also called Sigma Corporation and MMI)

18904-670: Was sold in the United States between 1978 and 1980 as the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo . In Australia the Lambda was marketed initially as the Chrysler Sigma Scorpion and latter as the Mitsubishi Scorpion. Mitsubishi introduced the MCA-Jet engine for Japan and other emissions-controlled markets with its latest Galant. This incorporated the "Jet Valve", a secondary intake valve which improved emissions without necessitating

19043-479: Was the primary fighter of the Imperial Navy . Production of these equipments made Mistubishi factories one of the main targets for allies attack, and in one factory the death toll among its workers amounted to 494 in just a week. Mitsubishi Mining was involved in the forced labour of Allied prisoners of war and people from Japan's colonies and occupied territories such as Korea and parts of China. The company's Iizuka mine counted 19 deaths of Chinese labourers during

19182-496: 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

19321-484: 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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