Forgotten Car Of The Month: March (And Sometimes February)
Today’s FCotM comes from the land of the rice and Tso (okay, not really, but I wanted to joke around with Immigrant Song, so suck it).
In the 1980’s, much like today, Chrysler was undergoing some major financial problems. The solution was two-fold: Pair up with a Japanese automaker, and create a cheap but serviceable small car. The ubiquitous K-cars were the brainchild of automotive necessity, and have nothing to do with this month’s car.
No, this month’s car is a sport coupe from that certain Japanese automaker, Mitsubishi, who, only years ago, seriously considered pulling out of the North American market due to financial trouble and an inability to sell cars.
Such auspicious vehicles as the Mitsu 3000 GT, the Eclipse, Dodge Stealth, Plymouth Laser, and even the newer generations of the Lancer EVO, all hold one thing between them: A common ancestor.
Unlike the previously mentioned vehicles (which were all available with AWD at some point in their production run), our FCotM is a RWD car, one of the first turbo’d 4 cylinders, and is widely regarded as the father of the modern Japanese turbo culture.
Our FCotM for both March and February is….
The Mitsubishi Starion! Sold on American shores with the 2.6L Astron trubocharged 4-cylinder, the Starion was Mitsubishi’s answer to Toyota’s Supra, and Nissan/Datsun’s 240Z. Though it wasn’t the first turbocharged production car (which I will learn you of later), it paved the way for the 1980’s fascination with TURRBOOOOOO POOOOWEEERR.
The Starion was produced from 1983 to 1989, with the only cosmetic update being the elimination of the faux hood scoop in 1984. The Starion was available in multiple flavors, with the widebody being sold as the Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R and Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest TSi. The narrow body (or “flatty,” as it is known by enthusiasts) was sold in America as the Chrysler Conquest Technica and as the (now rare) Starion LS .
The Starion was a sport driver’s sports car, with fully independent rear suspension, anti-lock brakes (rear wheels only), a standard 5- speed transmission (The ESI-R could only be had with a manual until 1987), and an intercooler for the turbo 4. As it was a Japanese “Grand Touring” car (GT, for those of you unaware of acronyms), it was a sporty, relatively fuel-efficient alternative to the BMW E30 3-series and others of the same pedigree.
The 1987 Escort Endurance Series Championship-winning Team Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R.
The Starion dominated competition in State-side Enduro racing, winning the prestigious “Longest Day of Nelson Ledges” 24 hour endurance race four years running, from 1983 through 1987, plus the SCCA US Endurance Championship three of those same four years. I have shamelessly ripped a list of the Starion’s wins from Wikipedia, placed here for your enjoyment:
1985 Longest day of Nelson Ledges, 24 hour race Winner, with rollover damage.
Major Results, Circuit
International
1984 Australian Production Car Champion
1984 SCCA Nelson Ledges 24 Hour Race 1st
1984 SCCA Playboy Endurance Championship 1st
1985 British Saloon Car Championship 2nd in championship
1985 Guia Race in Macau Grand Prix 3rd
1985 Guia Race in Macau Grand Prix 4th
1985 SCCA Nelson Ledges 24 Hour Race 1st, Despite heavy rollover crash damage.
1985 SCCA Playboy Endurance Championship 1st
1986 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship 2nd
1986 SCCA Nelson Ledges 24 Hour Race 1st
1986 SCCA Showroom Stock A National Championship 1st
1986 Dutch National Touring Car Championship 1st
1987 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship 1st
1987 SCCA Nelson Ledges 24 Hour Race 1st
1988 SCCA Showroom Stock A National Championship 1st
1990 SCCA Showroom Stock A National Championship 1st
Japan
1985 Inter TEC (JTC) 4th
1986 SUGO Group A 300 km Race (JTC) 3rd
1986 Race de Nippon Tsukuba (JTC) 1st
1986 Suzaka 300 km Race (JTC) 2nd
1986 All Japan Touring Car Championship 2nd in championship
1987 All Japan Touring Car Race (JTC) 1st
1987 GHiland Touring Car 300 km Race (JTC) 1st
1987 All Japan Touring Car Championship 3rd in championship
1988 Hiland Touring Car 300 km Race (JTC) 2nd
JTC=All Japan Touring Car Championship
Major Results, Rally
Starion 4WD (1984–1986)
1983 Paris-Dakar Rally 1st in Experimental Class
1984 Milles Piste Rally (French Rally Championship) 1st in Prototype Category
1986 Hong Kong – Beijing Rally 2nd
1987 Qutar Rally (Middle East Rally Rally Cote d’ Ivoire (World Rally Championship) 4th
1987 Himalayan Rally 1st
1987 Oman Rally (Middle East Rally Championship) 3rd
1988 Scottish Rally (British Rally Championship)
1988 British Open Rally Championship 1st (Pentti Airikkala/Terry Harryman)
The Starion was also prepped for Group B Rally, with a prototype 4WD system utilizing a Pajero transfer case, unfortunately, the car was only in the prototype stages when Group B was disbanded due to controversy over driver, co-driver, and spectator deaths.
So, our FCotM shows today, not only what awesome cars have fallen off the radar, but the terrible condition of the American memory, for forgetting such an amazing vehicle.
Tune in next month for our Forgotten VIKING Car Of The Month!
