“Mitsubishi Jeep”
This vehicle was produced for about half a century from the first knockdown of the Willis Jeep in 1953 until 2001. The technology accumulated in this Jeep became the technical backbone of the 1st gen. Pajero, launched in 1982, and later developed into Mitsubishi’s 4WD technology.
“Mitsubishi 500”
Mitsubishi’s first full-scale mass-produced passenger car, launched in 1960. It was the brainchild of former aircraft engineers and the designers who designed passenger cars for the first time. Although sales were sluggish, it was characterized by the friendly style seen in European passenger cars of the 1950s.
“Colt Galant”
The first car in which Mitsubishi Motors’ technology and design flourished and achieved great commercial success. The design identity of Mitsubishi cars was born with this car.
“Galant Coupe FTO”
Based on the Colt Galant hardtop, the wheelbase and overall length were trimmed down to create a unique compact sports coupe aimed at the mass market car class.
“Lancer 1600GSR”
The 1st gen Lancer impressed the world with Mitsubishi Motors’ name and technical capabilities through its success in international rallies in the 1970s.
“Montero”
The 1st gen Pajero, born in 1982, was introduced in North America the following year as the Mitsubishi Montero and the Dodge Raider. This was a time when small SUVs such as the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer and the Ford Bronco II were gaining popularity in North America.
“Eclipse”
A sports coupe produced by Diamond Star Motors, a local production joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors and Chrysler in the U.S. Chrysler marketed it as the Plymouth Laser and the Eagle Talon. At this time, the two companies were at their honeymoon most.
“3000GT”
A high-end sports coupe aimed at the North American market, the Mitsubishi 3000GT was introduced in 1990. It featured high-tech equipment such as the full-time 4WD and Active Aero System. It was sold under the name GTO in Japan and under the name Dodge Stealth by Chrysler in North America.
“2nd gen. Pajero”
The 2nd gen. Pajero was introduced in 1991, building on the success of the 1st gen. Pajero and further evolving it in technology and design. During Japan’s outdoor boom, the Pajero overtook passenger cars to become the No. 1 selling new car of the month in Japan, and it even won the Dakar Rally ahead of European cars, making it the centerpiece of both Mitsubishi Motors’ business and image. It won a special award at the 12th Japan Car of the Year in 1991.
“Galant Sigma”
The Sigma, Launched in 1976 and a hit surpassing the first-generation Galant, was well-received for its sharp and stylish design. It is a car that symbolizes Mitsubishi’s car design. Illustrated is a twin carburetor, high-performance GSR model.
“Jupiter Junior”
In the 1960s, when the economy began to take off after postwar reconstruction, demand for small trucks surged. Toyota and Nissan already dominated the market, but Mitsubishi developed and produced the Jupiter Junior at its Mizushima Plant, utilizing the technology of the Jupiter, a truck one class above, which was selling well at that time. The Jupiter Junior, launched in 1963, incorporated elements seen in American passenger cars of the time, such as suspended headlamps and a wrap-around windshield. The unique design was the work of commissioned designer Tokujiro Kaneko.
“Debonair”
Mitsubishi’s first luxury car launched in 1964. The development of a luxury car was a rapid step up from the Mitsubishi 500, the first car launched after the war, and the development of the Colt 1000 that followed, and some within the company questioned the plan. Since the design function was still in its infancy at the time, Hans Bretzner, invited from the U.S., was entrusted with the entire design process, and an American-style design was born. The car was sold only in one version, with luxurious features such as Japan’s first pearl white finish, traditional Nishijin brocade seat fabric, and a high-performance 6-cylinder twin-carburetor engine, and immediately after its release, it attracted attention as the torch relay lead car for the Tokyo Olympics.
“Mizushima TM3C”
The postwar Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ starting point was this 3-wheel truck launched in 1947. It was developed by a group of former aircraft engineers at a former military aircraft factory in Okayama Prefecture, led by Tomio Kubo, who later became president of Mitsubishi Motors. While the 3-wheelers of Daihatsu and Mazda, the leaders in this field, were motorcycles with cargo beds, Mitsubishi took it one step further by equipping it with windshield and canvas roof. The cargo bed was made by utilizing leftover duralumin stock for bombers, which was unique to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
“Leo”
Stimulated by the explosive success of the Daihatsu Midget, which debuted in 1957, Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched the Leo in 1959. The same year, Mazda also launched the K360, and Daihatsu, Mazda, and Mitsubishi competed with each other in the kei three-wheeler market. (Commissioned designer Tokujiro Kaneko designed the Leo, while external designer Jiro Kosugi designed the Mazda K360.) However, after peaking in 1960, the market for kei three-wheelers declined, and the market shifted to kei four- wheelers, which were more functional and passenger car-like. Mitsubishi also launched the Mitsubishi 360, a kei four- wheeler, in 1961 and the sales of the Leo ended in 1962.
“Colt 1000”
The Colt 1000 was Mitsubishi’s first four-door sedan, with a four-cylinder OHV engine producing 52.2 hp per litre, the highest level in the world at the time, and excellent performance, including class victory at the 1964 Japanese Grand Prix. However, the car’s conservative and understated styling compared to its competitors did not help its popularity in the market, and although various measures were aggressively implemented, including front and rear re-design and an increase in engine displacement, it failed to make up for its poor market position. The Colt Galant was then developed to turn around this situation.
“Galant GTO MR”
The Galant GTO was Mitsubishi’s first sports model, launched in 1970. It was the first 2+2 coupe produced in Japan to adopt a fastback design, and its distinctive features included a rear ducktail and a sporty cockpit-type dashboard. The door panels were the same as those of the Galant hardtop launched earlier. Still, the side windows were 50 inches with a large curvature, a sporty tumblehome design, on the advice of Chrysler, with whom Mitsubishi had begun a business partnership at the time. The top-grade MR was equipped with Mitsubishi’s first DOHC engine, which produced 125 hp, one of the top-class 1.6-liter engines at the time.
“Minica F4”
The Minica F4, launched in 1972, replaced the predecessor’s two-stroke engine and adopted a four-stroke engine in order to comply with emission regulations. It featured a rounded exterior and a rear glass hatch, a shift from the practical design of the predecessor Minica ’70 to a design that aimed for more novelty, but sales were sluggish.
“Starion”
The Starion was the successor to the Lancer Celeste. It was developed to be a world-class high-performance sporty car with a 2-liter turbocharged engine, as the prospect of turbocharged engines being approved in Japan increased. Chrysler marketed it under the name of Conquest. The Starion has proven its performance by winning numerous races, including the Nelson Ledges 24-hour endurance race in the U.S. for 4 consecutive years starting in 1984. Its advanced and distinctive interior and exterior design still has a strong fan base today.
“Galant Sigma Hardtop”
A 4-door hardtop sedan based on the 5th gen Galant Sigma. In the 1980s, the hardtop style of high-end sedans in Japan, influenced by American cars, was popular, and its sporty and luxurious appearance was the main selling point. The distinctive wheels in the illustration were made by Ralliart and designed by Michirou Eguchi of the design firm Ellipse Guide.