The Mitsubishi Model A is the only car built by the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company, a member of the Mitsubishicorporate group which would eventually evolve into Mitsubishi Motors, and the first series production automobile manufactured in Japan. It was the brainchild of Koyata Iwasaki, Mitsubishi's fourth president and the nephew of founder Yataro Iwasaki, who foresaw the vast potential of motorized vehicles and the role they would play in the economic development of Japan. Envisioned as a luxury vehicle for high echelon government officials and top executives, the Model A had to be reliable, comfortable, and a showcase of Japanese craftsmanship. After the war in 1964, Mitsubishi would use this approach again to build an exclusive sedan for government officials and top level executives with the Mitsubishi Debonair.
Based on the Fiat Tipo 3, it was a four-door seven-seat sedan using a town car body style powered by a front-mounted 26kW (35hp) 2.8-litre straight-4 engine driving the rear wheels, and was capable of speeds up to 60 miles per hour (97km/h). 22 were built at the company's Kobe shipyard, including prototypes, between 1917 and 1921.
Because it was expensive to produce—it was built entirely by hand, with the interior rear compartment furnished with lacqueredwhite cypress—it could not compete with cheaper American and European competition, and Mitsubishi halted production after four years. Concentrating instead on its successful Fuso commercial vehicles, the Model A would be the company's last passenger car until the Mitsubishi 500 of 1960.
At Mitsubishi's Auto Gallery (a museum of the company's most historically significant vehicles, established at their R&D Center in Okazaki in 1989) there is a replica on display, assembled in 1972 using materials of the time. It has a slightly shorter wheelbase, and uses a water-cooled 977cc four-cylinder OHV engine instead of the larger 2.8-litre original.
The Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile which was produced by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1969 until 2012. The model name was derived from the French word galant, meaning "chivalrous". There have been nine distinct generations with total cumulative sales exceeding five million units. It began as a compact sedan, but over the course of its life evolved into a mid-size car. Initial production was based in Japan, with manufacturing later moved to other countries.
The Mitsubishi Diamante is an automobile that was manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors from 1990 to 2005.
The Fiat Tempra is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1990 to 1996 in Italy. The Tempra was intended as a replacement for the Fiat Regata. The original project was called Tipo 3, being a mid-size car between the Fiat Tipo and the bigger Fiat Croma. The Tempra shares its Type Three platform with the Lancia Dedra and Alfa Romeo 155.
The Mitsubishi Magna is a mid-size car that was produced over three generations between 1985 and 2005 by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL). Developed as a replacement for the Mitsubishi Sigma, each Magna generation derived from Japanese platforms re-engineered for the Australian market and conditions. Initially, Magna offered inline-four engines in a mid-size sedan package—a station wagon debuted in 1987. Over the years, each new series grew in size, and with the second generation of 1991, the range was bolstered by a luxury variant called Mitsubishi Verada and a V6 engine. The Magna/Verada became the first Australian-made vehicle to be exported worldwide in large numbers, predominantly as the Mitsubishi Diamante. The third and final iteration Magna/Verada launched in 1996, adding all-wheel-drive (AWD) from 2002, and receiving a substantial styling update in 2003. They were replaced by the Mitsubishi 380 in 2005.
The Nissan Bluebird is a compact car produced between 1955 and 2007 with a model name introduced in 1957. It was Nissan's most internationally recognized sedan, known for its dependability and durability in multiple body styles. The Bluebird originated from Nissan's first vehicles, dating to the early 1900s, and its traditional competitor became the Toyota Corona. The Bluebird was positioned to compete with the Corona, as the Corona was developed to continue offering a sedan used as a taxi since the Toyota Crown was growing in size. Every generation of the Bluebird has been available as a taxi, duties that are shared with base level Nissan Cedrics. It is one of the longest-running nameplates from a Japanese automaker. It spawned most of Nissan's products sold internationally, and has been known by a number of different names and bodystyles, including the Auster/Stanza names.
The Honda Ascot is a compact sedan manufactured by Honda and marketed only in Japan from 1989 until 1997. The first generation produced two versions based on the Honda Accord CB series called the Ascot and from 1993 to 1996 a "pillared hardtop" called the Ascot Innova. The Innova shared much of its mechanicals with the European-market Accord manufactured at the Honda UK facility in Swindon, England, and was essentially the badge engineered Rover 600. The second generation was a platform improvement, shared with the Japan-only sedan called the Honda Rafaga. The "Ascot" name was chosen with reference to the Ascot Racecourse and Ascot tie, in order to add the model an alleged air of class and elegance. Honda Ascot was also used on a range of one-cylinder motorcycles in the first half of the 1980s.
The Mitsubishi Lancer is an automobile that was produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors from 1973 until 2024.
The Nissan Laurel is a two- and four-door sedan manufactured and marketed by Nissan from 1968 to 2002. Later generations added all-wheel-drive along with turbocharged engines. Introduced in 1968 as a new model positioned above the Datsun Bluebird 510, the Laurel offered the luxury of the Nissan Gloria A30 in a shorter wheelbase, and has always been the luxury version of the Skyline range for all generations, sharing engines, suspensions and handling dynamics of the popular performance coupe and sedan while having a longer wheelbase.
The Mitsubishi Mirage is a range of cars produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi from 1978 until 2003 and again since 2012. The hatchback models produced between 1978 and 2003 were classified as subcompact cars, while the sedan and station wagon models, marketed prominently as the Mitsubishi Lancer, were the compact offerings. The liftback introduced in 1988 complemented the sedan as an additional compact offering, and the coupé of 1991 fitted in with the subcompact range. The current Mirage model is a subcompact hatchback and sedan and it replaces the Mitsubishi Colt sold between 2002 and 2012.
The Alfa Romeo Arna is a hatchback produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli S.p.A. between 1983 and 1987. The company was founded on 9 October 1980, as a 50:50 joint venture between the Italian Alfa Romeo S.p.A. and the Japanese Nissan Motor Company.
The Toyota Mark II is a compact, later mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed in Japan by Toyota between 1968 and 2004. Prior to 1972, the model was marketed as the Toyota Corona Mark II. In most export markets, Toyota marketed the vehicle as the Toyota Cressida between 1976 and 1992 across four generations. Toyota replaced the rear-wheel-drive Cressida in North America with the front-wheel-drive Avalon. Every Mark II and Cressida was manufactured at the Motomachi plant at Toyota, Aichi, Japan from September 1968 to October 1993, and later at Toyota Motor Kyushu's Miyata plant from December 1992 to October 2000, with some models also assembled in Jakarta, Indonesia and Parañaque, Philippines as the Cressida.
The Mitsubishi Pajero is a full-size SUV manufactured and marketed globally by Mitsubishi over four generations — introduced in 1981 and discontinued in 2021.
The Toyota Tercel is a subcompact car manufactured by Toyota from 1978 until 1999 across five generations, in five body configurations sized between the Corolla and the Starlet. Manufactured at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, and sharing its platform with the Cynos and the Starlet, the Tercel was marketed variously as the Toyota Corolla II—sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyota Corolla Stores—and was replaced by the Platz in 1999. It was also known as the Toyota Corsa and sold at Toyopet Store locations. Starting with the second generation, the Tercel dealership network was changed to Vista Store, as its badge engineered sibling, the Corolla II, was exclusive to Corolla Store locations.
The Mitsubishi 380 is a mid-size car that was produced between 2005 and 2008 by Mitsubishi Motors Australia. Available only as a sedan, it marked the end of Australian production by the Japanese manufacturer.
The Mitsubishi Triton or Mitsubishi L200 is a mid-size pickup truck produced by Mitsubishi Motors. In Japan, where it has only been sold intermittently and in small numbers, it was originally known as the Mitsubishi Forte and from 1991 as the Strada. In the United States, Mitsubishi marketed it as the Mitsubishi Mighty Max until 2002. Chrysler Corporation sold captive imports as the Dodge D50, Dodge Ram 50 and Plymouth Arrow truck in the U.S. and as the Chrysler D-50 in Australia.
The Mitsubishi Debonair is a four-door executive sedan introduced by Mitsubishi Motors in 1964 to serve as their flagship passenger vehicle in the Japanese market. The word "debonair" means gentle, courteous, suave, lighthearted, or nonchalant. Three distinct generations were available during its 35-year production run until it was discontinued in 1999. The first and second generation models were built mainly for senior level executives of the Mitsubishi Group and affiliated companies, essentially a Mitsubishi senior executive company car made by the motor vehicle division of Mitsubishi.
The SA was Toyota's first new passenger car design after World War II. It was the first in a family of vehicles before the introduction of the Crown. A series of light trucks also shared the chassis and major components of these passenger cars.
The Mitsubishi Colt 800 is the first of a series of passenger cars with a fastback/hatchback design produced by Mitsubishi Motors from November 1965. It was introduced as a two-door fastback sedan, the first such design in the Japanese market. The series was discontinued in 1971, after the introduction of the company's Galant sedan but without a real replacement.
Zotye Auto is a privately owned Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Yongkang, Zhejiang, China. It is owned by Zotye Holding Group and was established in 2005.
The Mitsubishi Lancer (A70) is the first generation version of Mitsubishi's long-running Lancer nameplate. When introduced in 1973, it filled the gap between the Minica kei car and the considerably larger Galant. It was a replacement for the Colt 1200, last sold in 1970. Although sedan production ended in 1979, vans continued on until 1985. This Lancer also formed the basis for the Lancer Celeste sports coupé of 1975 through to 1981. These Lancers were sold under a multitude of names in different markets.
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