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Junkyard Gem: 1978 Plymouth Sapporo

Chrysler began selling rebadged Mitsubishis in the United States in the 1971 model year, when the first Mitsubishi Colt Galants appeared as Dodge Colts here. This relationship prospered as the decade progressed, and the Galant Lambda coupe acquired Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge Challenger badges and went on sale in North America for the 1978 model year. We've seen a MitsuChallenger in this series, and now it's time for an example of its Plymouth sibling, found in a Colorado yard last month. Thanks to the increasingly good reputation of reliable and fuel-efficient Japanese machinery in the United States during the 1970s, the "manufactured in Japan" plaque became a selling point for these cars. The Sapporo had a 1.6-liter straight-four as its base engine, but this car has the optional 2.6-liter Astron. Its 105-horsepower output was fairly serious stuff for a small car in 1978. Later on, turbocharged Astrons powered the legendary Mitsubishi Starions, while naturally-aspirated versions went into Chrysler's K-Cars. The interior sports tri-tone bucket seats, racy-looking steering wheel, and full gauges. In the late 1970s through early 1980s, you needed opera lights on your car to be truly classy. The Chrysler Cordoba had them, the Lincoln Continental Town Car had them, the Oldsmobile Toronado had them, and this Sapporo has them. AM/FM stereo radios (or any radio, for that matter) and power remote mirrors were expensive options on most cars in 1978. The 1972 Winter Olympics took place in Sapporo, Japan, so the name had some recognition. Mitsubishi didn't start selling cars under its own badging here until the 1983 model year, and the Galant (sedan only) didn't arrive on these shores until 1985. The interior in this one got pretty well roasted from long-term outdoor parking (apparently in Nebraska, if we are to judge by the 2002 license plate I found inside the car). These cars aren't worth very much even in good condition, and so I still find numerous Malaise Era sporty Chryslerbishis during my junkyard travels. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. What a deal! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In the Sapporo's homeland, the TV ads for the Galant Lambda were less about cheapness and more about the glamorous Lambda lifestyle. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Mitsubishi mulling Mirage sedan for US [w/videos]

Mitsubishi is bringing the Mirage hatchback to the US this fall, carrying a price tag of $12,995, not including the $725 destination charge. Mitsunori Kitao, COO of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand Co., says that the Japanese automaker might consider releasing the sedan version of the Thailand-built compact - called the Attrage in Thailand and the Mirage G4 in the Phillipines - if the little hatchback takes off in the US market, Automotive News reports.
Weight is a key concern with importing the sedan. The non-US Mirage hatchback weighs just 1,900 pounds, but its naturally aspirated 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine makes just 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque, which can only manage a 0-62 miles-per-hour time of 11.2 seconds. The heavier sedan would take even longer.

Nissan should kill the Quest and bring the Mitsubishi Delica D:5 to America

Enthusiasts don't have much reason to get excited about minivans. But if there were something cool to revitalize interest in the segment, I think American consumers would take notice. A quick browse through Mitsubishi's current catalog of global offerings turned up something interesting, and, now that Nissan has brought the diamond-star into its multi-headed global alliance, the Japanese automaker has a unique opportunity to throw caution to the wind and give America something fun. First, let's acknowledge that the Nissan Quest is a completely reasonable and current minivan entry. But it's not exactly a hot seller. The Quest was the seventh-best-selling minivan in the United States last month. The people-hauler's 209 sales in September of 2016 represent a 68-percent decline over the previous year. Granted, the Quest was trending upward for the year prior to last month's drop, but even the Quest's best full year of sales would just manage to match the number of Toyota Siennas or Chrysler Pacificas sold in a decent month. Put simply, the American market wouldn't miss the Nissan Quest if it were to disappear from dealership lots altogether. I don't think the Nissan Quest is a bad vehicle. The problem is that it's just like every other minivan sold in America. Nothing about the Quest stands out against its competitors, which basically makes it a redundant vehicle with no solid reason to exist. What Nissan really needs, in my humble opinion, is a minivan that stands out from the crowd. I offer the following solution: Bring the Mitsubishi Delica D:5 to the United States. Badge it as a Nissan to take advantage of that brand's larger dealer network; even call it the Quest Q:5 if you must. But don't change much else. I have a feeling Americans would show some interest in an eight-passenger, all-wheel-drive, multi-purpose vehicle like the Delica that's about the same overall length as the Nissan Rogue. As an added incentive to capture as many buyers as possible, offer both the 2.4-liter gasoline engine and the 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel that are available in other markets. Since the Delica D:5 is based on the same GS platform as the Dodge Journey, it could probably accommodate a Pentastar V6, too, but that doesn't really seem necessary. Instead of being a powerhouse, the Delica should be about fun and efficiency, with an adventurous off-road streak.