Mitsubishi has been promoting automobiles and light-weight vehicles beneath its personal identify in the USA for the reason that Starion, Tredia, Cordia and Mighty Max appeared right here as 1983 fashions, however just one large luxurious sedan has ever been within the Mitsubishi Motors USA lineup: the Diamante. For the previous couple of years of the Diamante’s availability right here, a factory-hot-rod model of the Diamante often called the VR-X could possibly be bought. Here is a kind of terribly uncommon automobiles, now residing in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard.
The Diamante was the successor to the Mitsubishi Sigma, an upscale “pillared hardtop” model of the fifth-generation Galant. The Sigma offered poorly right here, however Mitsubishi had hopes of stealing some American-market gross sales from the strong-selling Lexus ES and Acura Legend. Making a North American model of the swanky Mitsubishi Debonair did not seem to be a smart funding (although some Debonair DNA finally confirmed up right here, throughout the Hyundai XG), and so the brand-new Diamante made its North American debut as a 1992 mannequin.
The primary-generation Diamante was obtainable in each sedan and wagon kind, with the wagon getting the axe right here after 1995. The second-generation Diamante sedan appeared in American Mitsubishi showrooms as a 1997 mannequin, with gross sales right here persevering with via 2004.
There was a facelift for the 2002 mannequin yr, after a number of depressing gross sales years in the USA, and the sporty VR-X model was added to the lineup at the moment.
The VR-X obtained some cladding, white analog gauges, a louder audio system, some efficiency upgrades and a fast-and-furious non-compulsory spoiler. The MSRP for the ’03 VR-X was $27,557, or about $46,362 in 2023 {dollars}.
The VR-X’s engine was a 3.5-liter 6G-series V6, rated at 210 horsepower. This was simply 5 horses higher than the common Diamante’s 3.5-liter.
All 2003 Diamantes offered in the USA got here with necessary four-speed automatics.
This automobile, just like the Diamante wagons of the center Nineties, was inbuilt Australia.
The leather-based seats got here with VR-X embossing.
This can be a good instance of a uncommon special-edition automobile that is not price a lot now. Maybe some Entrance Vary Mitsubishi fanatic will purchase the distinctive VR-X wheels and different bits earlier than this automobile goes to the crusher.
0% curiosity, zero down cost, zero funds till 2004 on all new Mitsubishis.
The Down Beneath model of this automobile was often called the Verada.