Mitsubishi · 1969–2012

Mitsubishi Galant

The Mitsubishi Galant (Japanese: 三菱・ギャラン, Mitsubishi Gyaran) 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.

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First generation (A50; 1969)

The first generation of 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 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 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, 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 the car's sporty image. Gross power claimed was 97 PS (71 kW) at 6700 rpm and the car was fitte

Second generation (A112, A114, A115; 1973)

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 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 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 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 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 fi

Third generation (A120/A130; 1976)

The third generation of the car was introduced in 1976, and was known as Galant Σ (Sigma). In many export markets the car was simply known as the Mitsubishi 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 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 which were used in other export markets. The wagon version (Van in Japan) was introduced in August 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 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. In May 1977, Mitsubishi began introducing the MCA-Jet engine for Japan and other emissions-controlled markets on the Galant. Initially only fitted to the regular 1600, this incorporated the "Jet Valve", a secondary intake valve which improved emissions without necessitating the need for a completely redesigned cylinder head. The more powerful, but dirtier twin-carburetted 1600 GS was discontinued on sedans but was added to the Galant Lambda instead. After late 1977 the slower selling 1850 variant was discontinued, as Mitsubishi focussed their efforts on making the 1600

Fourth generation (A160; 1980)

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 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 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 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; 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 generati

Fifth generation (E10; 1983)

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 was down to an average Cd=0.36. 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 L (9.6 to 12.7 cu ft) while 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, 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 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 abo

Sixth generation (E30; 1987)

In October 1987 the same platform was used for a sixth-generation model which adopted taller, rounded styling. This generation won 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 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 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 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 interio

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Mitsubishi Galant

Manufacturer

Mitsubishi Motors

Production

1969–2012

Assembly

Japan: Okazaki (Nagoya Plant: 1969–2006), Australia: Port Melbourne (1971–1972), Australia: Tonsley Park (MMAL: 1972–2008), United States: Normal, Illinois (Diamond-Star Motors/MMNA: 1993–2012), Indonesia: Jakarta (1977–2005), New Zealand: Petone (Todd Motors: 1972–1975), New Zealand: Porirua (MMNZ: 1975–1998), Philippines: Cainta (MMPC: 1973–2006), Thailand: Laem Chabang (MMTh: 1992–1998), China: Fuzhou (Soueast Motors)

Class

Compact car (1969–1987), Mid-size car (1983–2012)

Layout

Longitudinal front-engine, rear-wheel-drive (1969–1987), Transverse front-engine, front-wheel-drive (1983–2012), Transverse front-engine, four-wheel-drive (1987–2006)

Predecessor

Mitsubishi Colt 1500

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q826737CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_GalantCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375865037 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2004-2006_Mitsubishi_Galant_GTS.jpgPublic domain · Photo: IFCAR · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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