Mitsubishi Galant Lambda
Encyclopedia
The Mitsubishi Galant Λ (Lambda) is a two-door hardtop coupé built by Mitsubishi Motors
from 1976 to 1984. From 1978 it was exported under various names; as the Mitsubishi Sapporo in Europe
and South America
(named for the Japan
ese city of Sapporo, Hokkaido
), the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo in North America
and Puerto Rico
, and the Chrysler Scorpion and later the Mitsubishi Scorpion in Australia
. It was also sold as a Sapporo in the United Kingdom
under the Colt
brand.
In 1987, Mitsubishi resurrected the Sapporo name for their Mitsubishi Galant Sapporo, but this was an unrelated front-wheel drive, four-door sedan.
", as Mitsubishi already had the Lancer
-based Celeste coupé in its line-up.
The car was marketed in North America as a captive import
of the Dodge
and Plymouth
divisions of Chrysler; the cars differed only in minor details such as taillights, interior trim and available colors. Despite being mechanically identical, the Dodge was positioned to appeal to the performance market while the Plymouth was targeted at the luxury market.
Although the car received generally positive reviews, it was not overly successful in the United States. The discontinuance of the Sapporo after the 1983 model year helped make way for the products of the newly formed Chrysler-Mitsubishi joint-venture, Diamond Star Motors, as well as the entrance of Mitsubishi into the American market under its own name.
In Australia the car was imported from Japan as a flagship model to Chrysler Australia
's highly successful Sigma
range.
. Pursuing this idea, the Lambda / Sapporo featured frameless door glass, canopy vinyl roof
s, velour interiors, "luxury" wheel covers with whitewall tire
s, and every possible power accessory inside. A common color combination was bright burgundy with white vinyl. A thick stainless steel targa band
at the rear of the roof completed the look.
This apparently did not find great favor in the showrooms, and in 1980 the restyled car reverted to a more conventional style; quieter colors, metal roofs, styled steel wheels on blackwalls, and less trim. Luxurious touches continued to be supplied, however, particularly in the interior. Courtesy lights were everywhere, the fuse box had a fuse test light built in, storage spaces were supplied under the seat and in the console as well as the glove compartment. Mitsubishi drew on its electronics divisions to introduce details such as a high quality stereo with an "invisible radio antenna" built into the trunklid.
Many other changes were also made in 1980. The body was completely redesigned, making it slightly larger. 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 shifter was moved closer to the driver, and ventilation was greatly improved. The interior was made quieter with additional carpeting and other acoustic dampening materials and a double-thickness front bulkhead.
The car was available with a variety of engines, including diesels
, a number of normally aspirated gasoline engines, and one of the earliest applications of the long-running turbocharged 2.0 L 4G63T
engine in the top GSR model which also featured independent rear suspension. In the North American market, it was available in one basic configuration, which combined the GSR's close-ratio transmission, a live axle rear suspension and a larger engine. Rear disc brakes and alloy wheels
were available together as a package. Other US options were minimal; air conditioning
, cassette player, automatic transmission
, cruise control
, power door locks
, power mirrors, power windows, and a moonroof.
The American- and Australian-market 2.6 L Astron
engine helped introduce Mitsubishi's then-new Silent Shaft balance shaft
engine technology, which minimized the inherent vibration of a large four-cylinder in-line engine. The US version also featured a "Jet Valve", a small secondary intake valve which improved emissions by enhancing swirl in the combustion chamber, allowing for burning of a leaner mixture. A similar engine without the Jet Valve was available in Mitsubishi built trucks and in the Canadian versions of the Sapporo/Challenger.
Beginning in 1980, Japanese versions of this car were available with electronic fuel injection, or a new 2.3 L Astron turbodiesel engine.
For the 1980 model year (the second generation), the suspension was completely revised, with improved geometry in front and an all new four-link rear suspension. This is also when the turbo models were introduced, together with the independent rear suspension. The second generation also brought variable-assist power steering, which provided greater assistance at low speeds and less at higher speeds.
Scorpions compete successfully in rally, circuit, and drag racing, being very similar to Colts and Lancers. The Galant Lambda GSR was the direct predecessor to the Mitsubishi Starion
, which was based on the same chassis and drivetrain.
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
from 1976 to 1984. From 1978 it was exported under various names; as the Mitsubishi Sapporo in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
(named for the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese city of Sapporo, Hokkaido
Sapporo, Hokkaido
is the fourth-largest city in Japan by population, and the largest city on the island of Hokkaido. It is the capital of Hokkaidō Prefecture, located in Ishikari Subprefecture, and an ordinance-designated city of Japan....
), the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and the Chrysler Scorpion and later the Mitsubishi Scorpion in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was also sold as a Sapporo in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
under the Colt
Colt Car Company
The Colt Car Company Limited is a privately owned business established in 1974 as part of Mitsubishi Motors' global expansion programme for the purpose of importing and distributing cars and light commercial vehicles in the United Kingdom...
brand.
In 1987, Mitsubishi resurrected the Sapporo name for their Mitsubishi Galant Sapporo, but this was an unrelated front-wheel drive, four-door sedan.
History
Introduced in Japan in December 1976, the Lambda was described not as a coupé but a "personal luxury carPersonal luxury car
A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxury vehicle with an emphasis on image over practicality. Accenting the comfort and satisfaction of its owner and driver above all else, the personal luxury car sometimes sacrifices passenger capacity, cargo room, and fuel economy in favor of style and...
", as Mitsubishi already had the Lancer
Mitsubishi Lancer
The Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
-based Celeste coupé in its line-up.
The car was marketed in North America as a captive import
Captive import
Captive import is a marketing term and a strategy for an automobile part or entire vehicle that is foreign-built and sold under the name of an importer or by a domestic automaker through its own dealer distribution system....
of the Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
and Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
divisions of Chrysler; the cars differed only in minor details such as taillights, interior trim and available colors. Despite being mechanically identical, the Dodge was positioned to appeal to the performance market while the Plymouth was targeted at the luxury market.
Although the car received generally positive reviews, it was not overly successful in the United States. The discontinuance of the Sapporo after the 1983 model year helped make way for the products of the newly formed Chrysler-Mitsubishi joint-venture, Diamond Star Motors, as well as the entrance of Mitsubishi into the American market under its own name.
In Australia the car was imported from Japan as a flagship model to Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia is the importer of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles for sale in the Australian marketplace. However, there had previously been a "Chrysler Australia Ltd" which had operated as a vehicle manufacturer in Australia from 1951 until 1980....
's highly successful Sigma
Chrysler Sigma
The Chrysler Sigma is a version of the Mitsubishi Galant automobile that was built by Chrysler Australia in Adelaide from 1977. When Mitsubishi Motors Australia took over Chrysler Australia's manufacturing facilities in 1980, they renamed the vehicle the Mitsubishi Sigma...
range.
Styling
In the mid-1970s, smaller luxury cars were a growing trend, following the success of the Cadillac SevilleCadillac Seville
The Cadillac Seville is a luxury-type car that was manufactured by the Cadillac division of American automaker General Motors from 1975 to 2004, as a smaller-sized top-of-the-line Cadillac...
. Pursuing this idea, the Lambda / Sapporo featured frameless door glass, canopy vinyl roof
Vinyl roof
Vinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobile's top. This covering was originally designed to give the appearance of a convertible to models with a fixed roof, but eventually it evolved into a styling statement in its own right. Vinyl roofs were most popular in the American market, and...
s, velour interiors, "luxury" wheel covers with whitewall tire
Whitewall tire
Whitewall tires or white sidewall tires are tires having a stripe or entire sidewall of white rubber.-Background:Early automobile tires were made entirely of natural white rubber. However, the white rubber did not offer sufficient traction and endurance, so carbon black was added to the rubber...
s, and every possible power accessory inside. A common color combination was bright burgundy with white vinyl. A thick stainless steel targa band
Targa top
Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Porsche AG....
at the rear of the roof completed the look.
This apparently did not find great favor in the showrooms, and in 1980 the restyled car reverted to a more conventional style; quieter colors, metal roofs, styled steel wheels on blackwalls, and less trim. Luxurious touches continued to be supplied, however, particularly in the interior. Courtesy lights were everywhere, the fuse box had a fuse test light built in, storage spaces were supplied under the seat and in the console as well as the glove compartment. Mitsubishi drew on its electronics divisions to introduce details such as a high quality stereo with an "invisible radio antenna" built into the trunklid.
Many other changes were also made in 1980. The body was completely redesigned, making it slightly larger. Additional emphasis was given to ergonomics
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:...
, aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
, and safety. Shoulder room, leg room, and head space were all increased, and the trunk was slightly enlarged for more luggage capacity. The shifter was moved closer to the driver, and ventilation was greatly improved. The interior was made quieter with additional carpeting and other acoustic dampening materials and a double-thickness front bulkhead.
Mechanicals
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, a number of normally aspirated gasoline engines, and one of the earliest applications of the long-running turbocharged 2.0 L 4G63T
Mitsubishi Sirius engine
The Mitsubishi Sirius or 4G6/4D6 engine is the name of one of Mitsubishi Motors' four series of inline 4 automobile engines, along with Astron, Orion, and Saturn. The 4G6 are gasoline engines, the 4D6 diesels.-4G61:...
engine in the top GSR model which also featured independent rear suspension. In the North American market, it was available in one basic configuration, which combined the GSR's close-ratio transmission, a live axle rear suspension and a larger engine. Rear disc brakes and alloy wheels
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
were available together as a package. Other US options were minimal; air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, cassette player, automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
, cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
, power door locks
Power door locks
Power door locks allow the driver or front passenger to simultaneously lock or unlock all the doors of an automobile or truck, by pressing a button or flipping a switch....
, power mirrors, power windows, and a moonroof.
The American- and Australian-market 2.6 L Astron
Mitsubishi Astron engine
The Mitsubishi Astron or 4G5 engine, is a series of straight-4 internal combustion engines first built by Mitsubishi Motors in 1972. Engine displacement ranged from 1.8 to 2.6 litres, making it one of the largest four-cylinder engines of its time....
engine helped introduce Mitsubishi's then-new Silent Shaft balance shaft
Balance shaft
In piston engine engineering, a balance shaft is an eccentric weighted shaft which offsets vibrations in engine designs that are not inherently balanced...
engine technology, which minimized the inherent vibration of a large four-cylinder in-line engine. The US version also featured a "Jet Valve", a small secondary intake valve which improved emissions by enhancing swirl in the combustion chamber, allowing for burning of a leaner mixture. A similar engine without the Jet Valve was available in Mitsubishi built trucks and in the Canadian versions of the Sapporo/Challenger.
Beginning in 1980, Japanese versions of this car were available with electronic fuel injection, or a new 2.3 L Astron turbodiesel engine.
For the 1980 model year (the second generation), the suspension was completely revised, with improved geometry in front and an all new four-link rear suspension. This is also when the turbo models were introduced, together with the independent rear suspension. The second generation also brought variable-assist power steering, which provided greater assistance at low speeds and less at higher speeds.
Scorpions compete successfully in rally, circuit, and drag racing, being very similar to Colts and Lancers. The Galant Lambda GSR was the direct predecessor to the Mitsubishi Starion
Mitsubishi Starion
The Mitsubishi Starion is a two-door, turbocharged four-cylinder rear-wheel drive four-seat sports car that was in production from 1982 to 1989. It was also marketed in North America as the Conquest under the Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth names; both the Starion and Conquest came to an end in 1989...
, which was based on the same chassis and drivetrain.
External links
- Allpar Sapporo/Challenger page
- msapporo.com (Sapporo information website)
- "Scorpion Sting", Michael Knowling, Autospeed, July 6, 1999