The Mitsubishi Galant VR4 was a racing car turned street-legal, produced until 2002. It was known for winning many races in the competitive racing circuit in the late '80s and early '90s. It was also initially known for being sporty and practical upon its debut until Mitsubishi's competitors later made models that outdid the Galant in terms of sportiness. That said, it was also known for having powerful engines, a trait it retained through the manufacturing and debut of its final iteration in 1996.
Read on to find out more about the history, aspects, features, awards, and ultimate downfall of the Mitsubishi Galant VR4.
It Began Life As A Rally Car
Believe it or not, the Mitsubishi Galant VR4 started life as a rally car. It was considered the sportiest Gallant in the series, as it featured both all-wheel drive and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Mitsubishi more or less registered the Galant VR4 in order to make it eligible for international racing competition, though it could also capably perform as a four-door midsize sedan. The Gallant even has the ability to be tuned further, as LOJ innovations once did so to a particular model, giving it around 400 horsepower in its engine.
While it ultimately was outclassed by its competitors in the sedan department by the end of its run, it was quite popular during its heyday. It also helped that, at the beginning of its run, its competitors had cars considered less sporty than the Galant VR4. It was ultimately succeeded by the Lancer Evo.
Its Racing Record Is Extensive
The Galant VR4 managed to win several awards at several races in just a few years. Mitsubishi had enjoyed previous victories, though they were with the Colt Lancer vehicle in 1974 and 1976 in the Safari Rally, not with the Galant VR4.
Things changed in the late '80s, when Mitsubishi decided to step up their game with the sixth version of the Galant, which had both four-wheel drive and four-wheel steer sedan. This proved successful, as it was the car that won in the 1988 RAC Rally. The victories didn't end there: it won more in the 1000 Lakes Rally and RAC Rally, both in 1989, as well as the Swedish Rally in 1991.
The vehicle was slightly modified in 1992 with a bigger air intake for the front spoiler and a different rear spoiler in an attempt to lengthen its rally life, as the Galant VR4 was getting to be too long to be a successful rally car. Mitsubishi still has its models competing at and winning rallies, including their hybrid cars, continuing a legacy left by the Galant VR4.
The End Began In 1996
When 1996 rolled around, it was the beginning of the end for the Galant VR4. The final iteration of the VR4 hit the sales floor in 1996 and it continued production until 2002. Power was increased 15% when Mitsubishi decided to enlarge engine capacity to 2.5 liters.
Sadly, in Japan, the VR4 no longer satisfied engine displacement size requirements that Japan had made shortly before. This also made any customers in Japan vulnerable to extra tax requirements every year for owning a VR4. This final iteration of the VR4 could reach 60 MPH in 5.7 seconds and had a top speed beyond 150 MPH.
The transmission could either be a five-speed manual transmission or an INVECS-II, which was now an advanced self-learning five-speed automatic transmission derived from earlier Porsche technology. The station wagon format replaced the outdated five-door hatchback, but sadly, this model was not made available in either Europe or North America for unknown reasons.
At this point, importing Mitsubishi vehicles became popular, and the VR4 generated a cult following overseas, especially in New Zealand and in the UK. According to automobile-catalog.com, 200 VR4 models were officially imported before production finally ceased two years later because they were too expensive to manufacture for too little overall interest.
The Power Is Intense
The Galant VR4 had a very powerful engine that delivered a lot of horsepower and torque. It managed to pack a lot of power into its models from the start of production until its final iteration. The VR4 engine was a compact and powerful 2.0L twin-turbo V6, which was combined with both all-wheel drive and a comfortable chassis. Standard factory features at the time included power windows, door locks, and folding mirrors, as well as a keyless fob. The engine of the 1994 VR4 puts out approximately 237 horsepower while idling quieter than most drivers would have expected, putting it on par with other vehicles, even Mitsubishi's other '90s models. It can also reach 60 MPH in 6.5 seconds. The transmission could smoothly shift between gears and has a long third gear.
Sources: roadandtrack.com, wrcwings.tech, automobile-catalog.com, japaneseclassics.com,