Mitsubishi Galant
The Mitsubishi Galant is a four door four?five-seater mid-size sedan (also available as a wagon in some countries).
History
The Mitsubishi Galant was launched in the early 1970s as a two- and four-door sedan, sold in some markets as the Colt Galant.
The second-generation Galant was more widely exported and was sold in Australia as the Chrysler Valiant Galant and in Europe as the Colt Galant. This model was more curvaceous, influenced by coke-bottle styling, and featured a larger, 1850 cm³ engine.
The third-generation Galant, dating from 1977, was divided into two models: the Galant Sigma (for the sedan and wagon) and the Galant Lambda (the coupé). The former was sold in many markets as the Mitsubishi Galant (without the word 'Sigma') and in Australia as the Chrysler Sigma (until 1980, after which it became the Mitsubishi Sigma). The latter was sold in Europe as the Mitsubishi Sapporo, in Australia as the Chrysler (and later Mitsubishi) Scorpion, and in the United States as the Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge Challenger from 1978 to 1982.
A substantial facelift took place in 1980, though the rear end of the wagon was retained. From 1982 to 1983, some of the Australian Sigmas were exported to the United Kingdom with the Lonsdale badge, circumventing the voluntary 11 per cent market restriction adopted by Japanese manufacturers. The car was unsuccessful.
A long-lived fifth-generation model shifted to front-wheel drive for the 1984 model year as a four-door sedan. This formed the basis of the widened Mitsubishi Magna in Australia for 1985.
In 1987, the same platform was used for a sixth generation model which adopted taller, rounded styling. The Sigma designation disappeared but a new hardtop liftback model was added, called the Galant Eterna.
The four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steer 1988 Galant VR4 (E39A) was a respected competitor in the World Rally Championship and the engine from this amazing car, the 4G63 was carried over to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series of winning rally cars. The current VR4 model still retains the 4WD layout and high revving engine and is considered by many to be a serious sports sedan.
A new-model Galant débuted in 1993, available as a four-door sedan and five-door liftback.
The eighth-generation 1999 model continued the 1993 design themes but a station wagon (known in Japan as the Legnum) was added.
United States
In the United States, the Galant, along with the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser (the later two now discontinued), was one of the vehicles built by Diamond Star Motors, a joint venture between Chrysler (now DaimlerChrysler) and Mitsubishi, in the United States.
1993
The Galant was redesigned in the Spring of 1993 as a 1994 model and production shifted to Normal, Illinois. The very first 1994 Galant rolled off the assembly line on May 17, 1993. It was identical to the Japanese home-market model.
1999
The 1999 Galant was introduced in the Summer of 1998. The 1999 Galant went into production on July 7, 1998.
2004
The Galant was redesigned for 2004 and has been a slow seller. The United States has been the first to get this model, which was announced at the 2003 New York International Auto Show in April of that year.
