Mitsubishi GTO
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The Mitsubishi GTO was Mitsubishi's flagship sports car from 1991-1999. The GTO was named the Mistubishi 3000GT in the United States in order to avoid confusion and anger amongst fans of the Ferrari GTO sports car series and Pontiac GTO muscle car. Built in Nagoya Japan, the GTO was also sold in the US as the Dodge Stealth from 1991 to 1996.
The 3000GT was built in three major versions: base, SL, and the top-of-the-range VR-4. Japanese customers also had special lightened and tuned-up MR (Mitsubishi Racing) versions of the GTO. The Stealth came in base, ES, R/T, and R/T Twin Turbo versions. The base versions were powered by a naturally-aspirated V6 engine, had a choice of a 5-speed manual or an automatic transmission, and came with standard front wheel drive. The SL was essentially a luxury version of the base model, with extras such as leather and a sunroof and slightly more engine power. The VR-4, MR, and R/T Twin Turbo models had a twin turbocharged version of the V6, all wheel drive, all wheel steering on most years, and a 6-speed manual transmission (five-speed in 1991-1993 versions). The 3000GT VR-4 also had an electronically actuated rear spoiler and a movable air dam under the front fascia from 1991-1996.
These items made the car very fast and stable in high-speed touring, but the weight made cornering difficult. The car's underpinnings were essentially the same throughout its lifespan, but the exterior went through three changes after the car was first released in 1991. The second generation exterior rolled out in 1994, front and rear styling was updated in 1997, and the final version in came out in 1999. In 1995 and 1996 a special retractable hardtop convertible version of the 3000GT was available with the Spyder SL and Spyder VR-4 models. This was the first retractable hardtop produced since the Ford Fairlane Skyliner.
Mitsubishi's reluctance to create a new chassis for the car, as well as its slow cornering and the emergence of the V6, Mitsubishi Eclipse, caused the GTO to be discontinued in 1999. The car has a strong fan following and is used often in drag racing.
External links
- 3000GT Spyder Literature Links (http://www.emeraldsearch.com/spyder/literature.htm) has information and factory brochures on the 3000GT Spyder and the rest of the 3000GT line.de:Mitsubishi 3000 GT ja:三菱・GTO