Mitsubishi Proudia
Encyclopedia
The Mitsubishi Proudia is a luxury car manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors
from late 1999, positioned just below the flagship Mitsubishi Dignity
limousine
in the company's range. Its name is a portmanteau derived from the English word "proud", and "diamond" (referring to the company's logo) as a "fitting epithet for Mitsubishi Motors' ultimate luxury car", The entire Proudia/Dignity range was designed by Mitsubishi Motors
and co-manufactured with Hyundai
of South Korea
, who marketed their own version as the Hyundai Centennial/Hyundai Equus
. The Proudia was introduced as a competitor to the Nissan Cima
and Toyota Celsior as a full size luxury car, however Mitsubishi chose to use a transverly installed engine with front wheel drive. Production was discontinued after only 1227 vehicles were produced during three years.
The Proudia was priced from ¥
4.6 million to ¥6.4 million, and came in three specifications labelled A, B or C. A and B featured a 6G74 3497 cc GDi
V6 producing 240 PS at 5500 rpm and 343 newton metre of torque
at 2500 rpm, while specification C featured the 8A80 4498 cc GDi
V8 producing 280 PS at 5000 rpm and 412 newton metre at 4000 rpm. The car was equipped with several advanced features like CCD cameras to monitor adjacent lanes and behind the car, and a laser
activated adaptive cruise control. It used MacPherson struts for the front suspension and a multi-link spspension for the rear wheels.
The Dignity and Proudia's combined volumes fell far shy of Mitsubishi's estimated 300 sales per month, and they were available for only fifteen months from their introduction on February 20, 2000, before Mitsubishi's financial difficulties forced the company to discontinue both models in an effort to streamline its range and reduce costs. However, the Hyundai Equus proved more commercially successful and would remain in production until replaced in 2008.
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 late 1999, positioned just below the flagship Mitsubishi Dignity
Mitsubishi Dignity
The Mitsubishi Dignity, whose name was derived from "the English to describe the peerless grandeur and majestic stateliness of the model", is a limousine manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors from late 1999 as the flagship of the company's domestic range, alongside the smaller Proudia luxury car...
limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
in the company's range. Its name is a portmanteau derived from the English word "proud", and "diamond" (referring to the company's logo) as a "fitting epithet for Mitsubishi Motors' ultimate luxury car", The entire Proudia/Dignity range was designed by Mitsubishi Motors
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...
and co-manufactured with Hyundai
Hyundai Motor Company
Hyundai Motor Company is a Korean multinational automaker based in Seoul, South Korea which, along with Kia, comprises the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the world's fourth largest automaker as of 2009. As of 2011, it is the world's fastest growing automaker for two years running...
of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, who marketed their own version as the Hyundai Centennial/Hyundai Equus
Hyundai Equus
The Hyundai Equus , known as the Hyundai Centennial in the Middle East, is an upscale full-size luxury car that serves as the flagship model of Hyundai Motor Company worldwide, named after the Latin word for "horse". The Hyundai Equus is the largest and most expensive sedan in the company's lineup...
. The Proudia was introduced as a competitor to the Nissan Cima
Nissan Cima
The Nissan Cima is a large luxury sedan produced by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. for the Japanese market. The car's name is derived from Spanish for "summit". The hood ornament uses an image of an acanthus leaf. The acanthus leaf was commonly used by classical Greeks to make a wreath for use as a...
and Toyota Celsior as a full size luxury car, however Mitsubishi chose to use a transverly installed engine with front wheel drive. Production was discontinued after only 1227 vehicles were produced during three years.
The Proudia was priced from ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
4.6 million to ¥6.4 million, and came in three specifications labelled A, B or C. A and B featured a 6G74 3497 cc GDi
Gasoline direct injection
In internal combustion engines, gasoline direct injection , also known as petrol direct injection or direct petrol injection, is a variant of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke and four-stroke gasoline engines...
V6 producing 240 PS at 5500 rpm and 343 newton metre of torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
at 2500 rpm, while specification C featured the 8A80 4498 cc GDi
Gasoline direct injection
In internal combustion engines, gasoline direct injection , also known as petrol direct injection or direct petrol injection, is a variant of fuel injection employed in modern two-stroke and four-stroke gasoline engines...
V8 producing 280 PS at 5000 rpm and 412 newton metre at 4000 rpm. The car was equipped with several advanced features like CCD cameras to monitor adjacent lanes and behind the car, and a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
activated adaptive cruise control. It used MacPherson struts for the front suspension and a multi-link spspension for the rear wheels.
The Dignity and Proudia's combined volumes fell far shy of Mitsubishi's estimated 300 sales per month, and they were available for only fifteen months from their introduction on February 20, 2000, before Mitsubishi's financial difficulties forced the company to discontinue both models in an effort to streamline its range and reduce costs. However, the Hyundai Equus proved more commercially successful and would remain in production until replaced in 2008.
Production and sales
| Year | Production | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 383 | - |
| 2000 | 759 | 852 |
| 2001 | 85 | 97 (+1 export) |