These days, almost any vehicle on the road with even a hint of off-roading pretense sports some combination of boxy styling, tall tires, and hoisted bumpers front and rear. They’re dirt-aggro, in all—or most of—the right ways.

But that wasn’t always the case. Back in the 1990s, things got a little, erm, weird. Case in point: The two off-road oddballs you see here.

Meet contestant number 1, a 1998 Mitsubishi Pajero Jr. Flying Pug, a boxy, topply little thing with a face best fit for radio. The one seen here is part of Mecum’s Indianapolis auction, slated to cross the block on Thursday, May 16.

The Pajero Jr. was an off-road SUV produced for the JDM market exclusively between 1995 and 1998. Riding on the platform that underpinned the contemporary Mitsubishi Minica, a tiny little hatchback also only sold in Japan, the Pajero Jr.’s svelte footprint allowed it to fit under the “small size car” limitations of the Japanese government, thus lowering the tax burden owners would face when they bought the little two-door ute.

Despite the tiny proportions and a 1.1-liter, 79-hp four-cylinder engine, this thing had real off-road chops. Power routes through a wee three-speed automatic transmission that turns the rear wheels by default, but the real four-wheel-drive system offers high- and low-range capabilities.

To drum up interest in the little dirt devil, Mitsubishi created several special-edition versions of the Pajero Jr., including the Flying Pug. (Brief moment of appreciation for the idea of a snub-nosed dog cruising through the air. Probably with a cape, because these little cars are nothing if not optimistic.)

The Flying Pug was the third special-edition Pajero Jr., styled to look like a classic British car. Built from September 1997 to June 1998, the Flying Pug was Mitsubishi’s attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of older British cars in Japan. The results were … well, not great. The contemporary motoring press criticized the Flying Pug for having an ugly face, and although 1000 units were planned, a mere 139 saw the light of day before Mitsubishi axed the thing due to slow sales.

Styling notwithstanding, this little fella is in remarkably good condition, with the wine-colored paintwork still shining brilliantly, and the gray interior showing very few signs of wear. According to Mecum’s listing, this one has plenty of nice features, including air conditioning, power locks, power windows, tinted glass, and a folding rear seat that gives our little Pugger quite a bit of cargo capacity. The odometer displays 116,044 kilometers, which translates to about 72,100 miles. Our regards to the brave soul(s) who bopped about in this thing.

Tea-time trucklet not really your vibe? Might we interest you in contestant number 2: The 1996 Heuliez Intruder convertible? This one-of-one concept, which debuted at the 1996 Paris Salon, will cross the block tomorrow at Bonhams’ Miami auction, and woof is it a sight to behold.

The shapely convertible bodywork comes courtesy of French coachbuilder Heuliez, a shop founded in the 1920s that spent decades designing buses and commercial vehicles through the 1970s but then turned to cars. Among Heuliez’s body of work are two ’80s rally icons: the Renault 5 Turbo, a mid-engine, boost-huffing, flared-fender Group 4/Group B monster, and the Peugeot 205 T16, a similarly riotous little hatch that nabbed two World Rally Championships in Group B.

This beast, however, is very much not of that ilk. The Intruder rides on the chassis of a Mercedes G320 off-roader—that’s right, there’s a G-Wagen under there. The bodywork is unique from the floorplans up, styled by and constructed under the watchful eye of designer Marc Deschamps. It’s part Tonka truck, part contemporary SLK, part G-Wagen, all absurdity.

Power comes from the G320’s M104 3.2-liter twin-cam inline-six, which is rated for 208 hp. The Intruder retains all the G320’s other running gear as well, including the four-speed automatic transmission; the live front and rear axles; and the locking front, center, and rear differentials. There’s a full 12 inches of ground clearance under there, meaning this thing could really get down and dirty if you needed it to.

The interior is mostly off-the-shelf Mercedes parts, including the seats, although those now wear wild blue leather. The convertible top is fully functional, according to the listing, and can either be stored in the trunk or removed entirely.

After a tour of the show circuit, where the Intruder wore many different paint jobs, including red, white, and the silver you see here, it arrived at DK Engineering, a restoration firm in England. There, the Intruder was treated to an extensive restoration that reportedly cost around $300,000. It was imported to the States earlier this year and is now offered for sale with promotional brochures, extensive documentation of the restoration, and much more.

You could have any old Bronco, Wrangler, or 4Runner for your off-roading exploits, but where’s the fun in that? If you want to go that extra step, perhaps you need a little Flying Pug or (a lot of) Intruder in your life. Variety is the spice … well, you know the rest.

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I never expected a rambling notion I published over a decade ago could have this much staying power. But we’re indeed talking about upgrading an analog car phone with digital guts in the year 2024, and the person behind it shares his efforts across platforms for creators (like GitHub) and enthusiasts (like his YouTube channel) with pride. Thankfully, this generosity also includes an update for Piston Slap readers! —SM

Jeff writes:

I have a big update for my car phone project: everything now fits inside of the original car phone, making it fully functional on its own. There are no external adapters, and no visible signs of modification.

I’ll probably also make a new full tour/demo video in a few weeks when I take my car out of winter storage, but I couldn’t hold in the excitement. I had to share this news with someone that would appreciate it. (I am glad you didn’t hold back! — SM)

I spent the winter learning how to design custom PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) and developing a new version of my adapter. This completely replaces the original electronics in the car phone’s transceiver, instead of previously piggybacking off of it. In addition to being able to hide everything inside the original car phone, there are some technical benefits to being in control of power supply/management:

• I’m in control of when the phone turns on/off, which means I was able to replicate original behavior where the phone remains on if you turn the car off during a call. The phone then automatically powers off when the call ends.
• I’m using modern rechargeable Li-Ion cells (3 AA-sized cells) for portable power instead of the original giant NiCd battery pack (10 A-sized cells). The original battery packs are all long dead by now and would need to be rebuilt with new NiCd cells (expensive and tedious) if I stuck with the original car phone’s power supply and battery charging circuitry.
• Total weight is reduced by 12.2 ounces.
• The original Mitsubishi transceiver is no longer wastefully consuming power itself in addition to powering my Bluetooth adapter. This particularly helps with battery life in portable mode. Even though the batteries I use have a lower capacity (1100 mAh) than the original battery pack (1400 mAh), battery life is now better than the original phone:
• There’s about 20 hours of “standby time” compared to the original 14 hours.
• Probably most impressive is the roughly 5–6 hours of “talk time” compared to the original’s 50–80 minutes.

I have documented my progress on this new phase of my project in a forum thread. Towards the end of the thread, you will find many photos of the new adapter installed in the car phone, comparisons to an unmodified phone, etc. Unfortunately, I have not yet finished updating my GitHub project with new designs/code/info/documentation, but I should have that updated within the next few weeks.

After more testing and refinement, I plan to offer either a conversion kit or a mail-in conversion service (details/pricing TBD) for anyone who has a Mitsubishi DiamondTel Model 92 phone and is willing to accept the risk of purchasing amateur prototype-quality electronics with no warranty. (Better buy a donor phone while you can, before Jeff’s hard work raises their asking prices! – SM)

I expect it would also work for the Mitsubishi Model 1500, but I need to get my hands on one to confirm it. Conversion is unfortunately not “bolt-on” easy. It requires transferring a couple connectors from the original transceiver (de-soldering and de-pinning) and grinding a bit of metal from the inside of the transceiver case for clearance.

Sajeev concludes:

I’d like to once again thank Jeff for keeping us in the loop with his progress. I look forward to Part VII of this series, showing off this consumer-friendly option for upgrading a Mitsubishi cell phone with modern Bluetooth technology. We truly live in an amazing world, don’t we?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Picture the Tokyo Motor Show during the peak of the Japanese economic bubble in the late 1980s and early 1990s. You’re probably envisioning an auto show filled with optimism, enthusiasm, and innovation: a platform where Japanese automakers continually rolled out groundbreaking sports cars, outlandish designs, and advanced technologies.

You’re probably not picturing big rigs and futuristic concept trucks. That’s understandable, given most media coverage of the Tokyo show didn’t stray from the automotive displays into the commercial vehicles wing. But it’s also a shame, because these concepts were packed with technology decades ahead of their time. For the better part of a decade, Mitsubishi in particular cranked out a series of innovative concept trucks (under the Fuso sub-brand name) that rivaled anything shown in the main hall.

1985 – MT-90X

Mitsubishi’s Fuso truck division kicked things off in 1985, unveiling the MT-90X concept. Billed as the “shape of tomorrow,” Fuso’s first concept truck was clearly based on its line of “The Great” heavy-duty trucks launched two years prior. Only, the MT-90X looked more ready for a run at Bonneville, not an overnight cargo shipment.

While designers extensively tuned the production truck to optimize aerodynamics, the MT-90X took that focus to a new extreme. An integrated air deflector tapered into side fairings at the back of the cab to channel air over and around the aluminum van body behind it. Designers nixed the cab’s grille opening and added argent cladding which wrapped around the perimeter of the truck. The cladding enveloped the front and rear bumpers, chassis skirts, and power cab steps, which rotated out from a flush storage position whenever a door was opened.

Power came from a modified version of Fuso’s 11-liter turbo-diesel six-cylinder, mated to a prototype seven-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission. To help shed weight, the MT-90X rolled on aluminum wheels shod with bespoke low-profile rubber. The tires featured a tread block designed to reduce rolling resistance. The front suspension used GFRP leaf springs to shed weight, while electronically adjustable dampers were fitted both front and rear.

Inside, designers took advantage of the MT-90X’s elevated roofline and built a plush sleeper cabin packed with plenty of technology, much of it cribbed from Mitsubishi’s electronics division. The driver was greeted not only with a full digital gauge cluster, but also rain-sensing automatic wipers, a screen for a rear-view camera, and a system which monitored the distance between the truck and the vehicle in front of it. The bunk itself was elevated atop a large wall containing a fridge and wardrobe, while a TV, VCR, and a PC system provided the driver with some entertainment after a long day on the road.

As MT-90x’s paint scheme proclaimed, all of its aerodynamic trickery yielded a drag coefficient of 0.38. Considering an regular production “The Great” measured in at 0.56 cD with a standard van body, that’s pretty impressive. It’s still impressive today, especially when Tesla says its super-sleek electric Semi falls somewhere between the 0.36-0.40 cD range.

1989 Advanced Technology Super Fighter

If Fuso played things slightly conservative with the MT-90X, it made up for lost time five years later with the Advanced Technology Super Fighter concept. The show truck may have shared an engine and chassis with Fuso’s production medium-duty truck line, but that’s where the similarities ended. The standard Fighter was a blocky-looking cab-over, while the Super Fighter resembled a tall, streamlined European motorcoach, thanks to a tall roofline dominated by a massive wrap-around windshield. Bodywork was fabricated entirely from lightweight composites, while thin headlamps in the front bumper packed a triad of HID projector lamps, lending the headlamps a slight resemblance to those on an S13-generation Nissan Silvia.

No drag coefficient was publicized, but aero was clearly once again a design priority, given the non-existent gap between Super Fighter’s cab and body, wheels capped with Moon-esque discs, windshield wipers hidden beneath a pop-up panel, and exterior mirrors replaced by cameras at every possible angle.

Unlike MT-90X, Super Fighter left its rear wheels exposed to the world—possibly to help showcase its prototype four-wheel steering system, a technology less likely to be found on a medium-duty truck than Mitsubishi’s own 3000GT sports car. Other technologies ported from the automotive world: a driver’s SRS airbag, traction control, and ABS—the latter of which was prominently displayed during the Super Fighter’s brief cameo in the Jackie Chan film Thunderbolt.

While crowds stared at the gullwing doors and their integrated flip billboards, the Super Fighter’s van body was as functional as it was flashy. Its tailgate neatly integrated a hidden hydraulic lift, while the deck floor’s integrated rollers simplified moving cargo within.

The Super Fighter’s biggest party trick wasn’t how it loaded cargo, but rather how it loaded the driver. Although the passenger’s door opened conventionally, the driver’s door slid forward, allowing an electromechanical arm to extend a Recaro bucket seat down to curb level. Wicked!

1993 – Advanced Model Super Great

What would happen if you enlarged the Super Fighter on a copy machine? The result might look similar to the Advanced Model Super Great concept, which debuted at the 1993 Tokyo show, sharing a number of design cues—notably its windscreen and window design—with the smaller Super Fighter.

Like Super Fighter, Advanced Technology Super Great employed a number of aerodynamic tricks: Moon disc wheels, cameras in lieu of mirrors, and more—to reduce drag. Windshield wipers still hid beneath a pop-up panel up front, but they were almost redundant, as Super Great’s massive windshield was treated with a hygroscopic fluorinated coating; think of it as a more resilient (and expensive) application of Rain-X. The windshield also featured an embedded liquid crystal layer above the driver’s head, which could be darkened at the push of a button to block glare.

Cab entry and egress was once again automated, but for both driver and passenger this time. After sliding cab doors rearward, step platforms rotated out from the lower body work and served as elevator platforms, lifting occupants feet off the ground.

Inside, the wrap-around cockpit looked fairly conventional compared to production trucks of the time, but it was jam-packed with advanced features—so much so that the push-button shift controls for the truck’s Allison automatic transmission were moved to the armrest of the driver’s Recaro seat. The gauge cluster was offset to make room for three screens directly in front of the driver, providing an effective 360-degree view around the truck.

Not enough screens for you? Fine. A fourth, immediately to the driver’s left, served up GPS navigation menus and other real-time running information. Need to call the home office, or file some paperwork remotely? No problem—the center console also included a fax machine. A control panel immediately next to the fax controlled a system that allowed the trailer and its air and electrical lines to be coupled or decoupled at the push of a button.

Frustratingly, Fuso kept many technical details of the Super Great, including its powertrain and drag coefficient, close to its vest, opting to instead focus on other technologies shown on the truck. ABS (and traction control) were once again included, as was Fuso’s prototype four-wheel steering system. A hydraulic active suspension on the tractor itself worked to mitigate body roll and vibrations transmitted through the trailer.

One of the more unusual features on Super Great: a drowsiness detection system, which monitored the driver’s alertness. Did it provide audio, visual, and haptic warnings if it feared the driver was nodding off, like similar systems do today? Yep, but it also worked with the HVAC system to increase the oxygen concentration within the cab in the hopes of improving alertness. Bonkers.

1995 Advanced Technology Super Great X

Two years later, Fuso returned to the Tokyo show with an all-new tractor-trailer concept … or did it? While it appears the Super Great’s trailer may have been repainted and recycled, the new Advanced Technology Super Great-X’s tractor was a clean-sheet design.

The cab’s design was dominated by a split-level wrap-around windshield, which was also the only bit of daylight opening in the design. The lower front fascia again incorporated HID lights but in a new “black mask” graphic, emulating a grille while hiding a taller bumper that included an underride beam to protect passenger vehicles in a collision. Wipers were still hidden, mirrors were still replaced by cameras, wheels were still capped with discs, but this time around Fuso was willing to discuss drag. Super Great-X measured in at 0.34 cD, marking a continued improvement from its first aerodynamic truck experiment a decade prior.

Perhaps the biggest change was Fuso’s approach to interior packaging, which was immediately apparent after climbing the pop-out staircase and ducking beneath the cab’s bi-folding gullwing door. Super Great-X provided occupants with open space, and lots of it. There was no engine doghouse, no center console, or even a full-width dashboard. There was merely a flat floor, a tall ceiling, and two seats. A sleeping berth folded out from the rear wall, while a personal computer unfolded from the back of the passenger seat.

The driver’s station was remarkably simple, consisting mainly of a large gauge cluster flanked by a pair of screens, again serving as mirrors. The digital gauge cluster included another screen, which could either display camera feeds from outside the truck or allow the driver to display GPS maps, performance data, or configure settings through a controller in the seat’s armrest. The lack of a full-width dashboard also provided the driver with a great view of surrounding traffic and pedestrians, but only to a certain speed. Reflecting concerns the driver might be overstimulated and grow fatigued during longer slogs down the highway, the lower windshield panel turned opaque at speeds over 35 mph.

Predictably, there was plenty of advanced tech to be found in addition to the last concept’s active suspension and automatic trailer coupler. Fuso built upon the distance warning system it’d been showing off for a decade by tying it to Super Great-X’s cruise control, adjusting the set speed to maintain distance from the vehicle ahead. Super Great-X also marked Fuso’s first attempt at fitting a driver’s airbag to a heavy-duty truck, let alone a tractor-trailer.

Super Great-X’s interior packaging is even more impressive considering a massive 21-liter diesel V-8 lurked underneath, cranking out 415 hp and just under 1100 lb-ft of torque. The engine was also paired with a prototype diesel particulate filter (DPF), which helped strip soot from the exhaust stream.

Where Are They Now?

As much as we’d love to tell you these futuristic Fusos are squirreled away in a corner of the company’s  proving grounds with the rest of its historic vehicle collection, that’s not the case. Fuso reps confirm these trucks no longer exist, although a MT-90X wind tunnel model recently surfaced at a rather eclectic transportation museum in Chiba prefecture, and you’re welcome to print and build your own scale replicas for your own bookshelf with these papercraft models.

Fuso’s concepts may not live on, but much of their ideology and technology certainly does. We may not be loading cargo into gullwing trailers (at least not in America), nor are truckers ascending to their cabins on elevators or retractable Recaros, but many of the features and technologies that were outlandish thirty years ago are either common today or, as in the case of camera-based mirrors, still in the process of arriving to market. DPF systems came into commercial reality in the late 2000’s. Under-chassis fairings and sail panels, like those used on the MT-90X, are a common sight on interstate highways. Multi-function screens and advanced connectivity are all but expected in modern trucks. And while driver’s airbags aren’t mandated on heavy-duty trucks in North America, they are still available in many Class 8 trucks. Indeed, today’s haulers owe much to Mitsubishi’s vision.

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Welcome back to the Hagerty Bull Market List, our annual deep dive into the collector vehicles climbing the value ranks. This year, 2024, marks the seventh installment of our expert insights. Click to read past Bull Market Lists from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

You could be forgiven for thinking we’ve had it easy the past few years. The Bull Market List is our annual selection of vehicles likely to appreciate the most over the next 12 months, and amid the pandemic-fueled spending spree of 2021 and 2022, that was basically shooting fish in a barrel.

Things look a little different this year. Adhering to the most fundamental of investing principles—what goes up must come down—the collector car market as a whole softened in 2023. The Hagerty Market Rating, our monthly measure of the heat of the market, dropped to its lowest point in two years primarily due to inflation and declines in prices achieved at auctions.

Did that make us hesitate in our selections for 2024? Not at all. Even in a slowing market, there are vehicles poised for big gains. To identify them, we looked beyond top-line sales figures and dug into our trove of pricing and demographic data (for a detailed explanation of our methodology, click here). This year, we have everything from a 1940s woody to a 1990s rally truck originally sold only in Japan.

In any event, the point of the Bull Market List has never been to celebrate cars becoming more expensive or to position cars as investments. Rather, our goal is to make collector car ownership a bit more attainable and maybe a bit less intimidating by pointing out that with due diligence and a smidge of luck, you can get your money back and then some. So long as fun is your main goal, a classic car will never let you down.

Meet the Bulls: 2024 Lineup

• 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary
• 1946–1950 Chrysler Town & Country
• 2008–2013 BMW M3
• 1997–1999 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
• 2011–2016 Ferrari FF
• 2000–2005 Jaguar XKR
• 1965–1970 Chevrolet Impala SS
• 1981–1986 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler
• 1964–1966 Ford Thunderbird
• 1997–2002 Plymouth Prowler

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1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

Rarely are sequels as good as the originals, but when Lamborghini replaced its groundbreaking and gobsmacking Miura with the even more outrageous Countach in 1974, the world bowed down to the sign of the bull. Although the car is a product of the 1970s, we tend to think of it as a child of the frizz-haired, neon-jumpsuited 1980s, thanks in no small part to cameo rolls in such period screen icons as The Cannonball Run and Miami Vice. And no version of the several Countach iterations represents that decade better than the final opus, the 1989-model-year 25th Anniversary, so labeled to celebrate the 1963 founding of Automobili Lamborghini.

Thanks to Chrysler’s purchase of the ailing automaker in 1987, much-needed cash flowed into Sant’Agata, and the Anniversary would prove to be, in many ways, the best Countach as well as the most produced, with around 650 examples cranked out in a relatively short period. The car’s long battle with U.S. safety and emissions laws was finally resolved with DOT-certified bumper grafts and EPA-blessed Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection for the four-cam, 48-valve, 5.2-liter, 7000-rpm V-12 (Euro versions still had carbs). The rated 455 horses was the highest the Countach ever achieved.

Composite body strakes meant to update the Countach’s styling—as though updates were needed—were developed by a young Horacio Pagani, who went on to start his own eponymous hypercar company. Power seats and a stronger air conditioner controlled by a digital panel were Anniversary touches that Chrysler undoubtedly thought necessary for a car stickering at $225,000. Despite the luxury flourishes, however, the Countach’s incandescent machismo was barely dimmed, and the lack of ABS or anti-spinout systems means it takes a certain fearlessness to hustle one anywhere near its limits. Feet squeezed into the tiny offset pedal box and hands gripping the small wheel and tall shifter face heavy resistance on all fronts. The visibility out is only slightly better than a gopher hole.

But driven with the proper measure of courage and skill, the Countach is a wailing wonder of sound and fury—at least until something breaks. Lamborghini’s greatest sex wedge has a well-earned rep for bleeding owners white, and with so many Anniversary Countaches having been driven hard and put away bent, it’s easy to fall into a bottomless pit of four- and five-figure repair bills. Owner Antonio Marsillo, a former New York City police detective who started a successful business offering VIP protection services (past clients include Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, and Jim Carrey), searched for four years, rejecting as many as 20 cars before finding this 4000-mile unmolested gem in 2013.

That was back when used Anniversaries were at the bottom of their steep depreciation curves. And right before the film The Wolf of Wall Street graphically sacrificed one on the altar of cinematic art, sending Anniversary prices rebounding. They have only continued to build steam. Marsillo parks his in a one-car garage on a lift underneath his other 1980s hero car, a Ferrari Testarossa that once belonged to Billy Joel. He has spent far more time detailing the Lamborghini’s exhaust and undercarriage with a toothbrush than he has driving it, and it is subsequently the best preserved Countach we have ever experienced, barking to life on the button and showing no evident signs of its 35 years. Simply bawdily bellissima! —Aaron Robinson

1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

Highs: A genuine icon with a 7000-rpm V-12; those crazy doors; your chance to meet dozens of strangers every time you stop.

Lows: A workout to drive; has put lots of children of mechanics through college; your chance to meet dozens of strangers every time you stop.

*Price Range: #1 – $770,000  #2 – $612,500 #3 – $435,000 #4 – $345,000

*Hagerty analysts evaluate vehicle condition on a 1-to-4 rating scale to help determine its approximate value range. All factors, including aesthetics and mechanical condition, are considered. Most collector vehicles are in #3 (Good) condition. Read more about our rating system here.

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Not long ago, ‘serious’ collectors considered the later Countach, with its scoops and cladding, to be a bastardization of an iconic design. But the children of the 1980s and ’90s think otherwise. Although 1970s examples are still worth the most, the final-year Silver Anniversary edition is gaining ground.

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1946–50 Chrysler Town & Country

The war was over and the troops were flooding back desperate to buy cars. Chrysler Corporation, which had been cranking out tanks, trucks, engines, and munitions, turned to face the future, and the future was wood. Or, at least, Chrysler president David Wallace thought so. It helped that Wallace was also president of Pekin Wood Products, a Chrysler subsidiary in West Helena, Arkansas, that had spent the war making shipping crates for aircraft engines. Pekin had supplied the ash and Honduran mahogany for the very first Chrysler Town & Country, a spectacular 1941 woody wagon so named because its chrome-rococo face said “Hello” while its cavernous barrel-back rear said “Howdy.”

However, when Chrysler belatedly went back to building cars late in 1945, delayed because of strikes and raw materials shortages, the Town & Country wagon was gone. In its place, the company offered a few gussied-up versions of the 1942 New Yorker, including a Town & Country sedan, a T&C convertible, and one of the industry’s first two-door pillarless hardtops, which was basically a T&C convertible with a roof bolted on.

At nearly $3000, the pricey Town & Country was an odd mashup of 1940s streamlining and rectilinear right angles. And though it was never built in huge numbers—fewer than 15,000 between ’46 and ’50—it was immediately embraced by East Coast patricians and West Coast Hollywood types as a rolling status symbol. Who else but the rich could afford a car that evoked the Stickley-style and art deco furniture of the finest houses while, according to the owner’s manual, needing to be revarnished every six months to preserve its exterior?

Initially the T&C’s ash framing was structural, comprising the doors and trunklid and held together via complex joinery that no doubt taxed Chrysler’s Jefferson Avenue body assembly shop as much as it has restorers in the years since. However, the weight of the car’s cost and build complexity (at a time when anyone would buy anything new at any price) bore down, and by 1949, the ash was merely decorative, bonded to a conventional steel body shell and accented by fake vinyl mahogany.

David Kraus didn’t set out to buy a Town & Country, exactly—he set out to buy a convertible. Any convertible would do, and this ’47 T&C was priced right at $200. Did we mention that this was back in 1965? Kraus, now a retired aviation lawyer from northern New Jersey, spent a few years and another $800 painting the car, redoing the top, and restoring the interior, and he has been happily motoring in it ever since. Still original are the 324-cubic-inch flathead straight-eight and Fluid Drive four-speed, a kind of semi-automatic that takes much longer to explain than it does to learn how to use it. You sit up high in the T&C and roll in velvety if not speedy comfort, the engine seeming to operate only between a low idle and a high idle. For years, the winners of the Miss Arkansas pageant rode in the back of T&Cs in parades, and that is perhaps the best use of any Town & Country. —Aaron Robinson

1947 Chrysler Town & Country

Highs: Everyone loves a woody; A piece of art deco furniture you can drive; America’s favorite parade car or fun for six on a night out at the drive-in.

Lows: Built before Eisenhower’s interstates and geared like it; the wood is difficult to restore and maintain; restorations are financial sinkholes.

Price Range: #1 – $144,000  #2 – $81,400 #3 – $52,500 #4 – $28,400

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

There’s a theory that young enthusiasts only want newer cars. Our data show that’s dead wrong. The best older classics, like the T&C, will endure. But find a good one, as restoring a 70-year-old wood-bodied car can be costly.

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2008–13 BMW M3

If you want a visceral sense of the je ne sais quoi, the undefinable feeling that makes collectors go gaga over so-called modern classics, drive a 2007–2013 M3. No need to go very far or very fast. After the 4.0-liter V-8 has warmed up—you’ll know because the electronic redline on the tachometer automatically raises from about 6000 rpm to 8400 rpm—give the gas pedal a tap. Just a tap. In about the time it takes your thought to travel from your brainstem to the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your foot, the car lunges forward. A modern M3, which is powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder with some 100 more horsepower, may well be quicker, but it feels nowhere near as immediate or responsive.

It’s tempting to describe this experience as analog, yet this M3—or E92 in BMW chassis-code parlance—was a technological tour de force, from its carbon-fiber roof to its adjustable rear differential and optional dual-clutch automatic. The engine was the first (and, so far, the last) V-8 offered in an M3, but it weighs less than the inline-six in its predecessor thanks to extensive use of aluminum. Each cylinder has its own throttle controlled by a separate electric motor—the 21st-century version of a rack of Weber carburetors. It all conspires to make this era M3 feel exotic, even if it looks for the most part like a workaday 3-Series. (Design chief Chris Bangle’s avant-garde “flame surfacing” was wisely kept to a minimum on this bread-and-butter model.)

Despite the E92’s sterling performance credentials, it depreciated swiftly. By 2018, excellent examples were going for less than $40,000, according to the Hagerty Price Guide—chump change considering the window stickers commonly exceeded $70K with options. Like many tech-forward German performance cars of the early 2000s, the M3 became cheap to buy in large part because it is expensive to own. In addition to swilling premium (an EPA-rated 14 mpg in city), the engine’s electronic throttle actuators are known to fail—there are two, one for each cylinder bank. Also, the bearings that protect its fast-spinning connecting rods can wear prematurely.

Yet there are multiple signs that this generation M3 is leaving “used performance car” territory for the rich green pastures of “modern classics.” Interest in the car, as measured by the number of people who call Hagerty about insurance on them, is increasing. These M3 seekers are disproportionately Gen Xers or younger—a cohort that has driven huge increases on other modern performance cars in recent years. Those include the 2000–2006 BMW E46 M3, now valued at a cool $54,300 in our price guide, as well as early 2000s (996- and 997-generation) Porsche 911s, which trade for similar money or higher.

Values for M3 sedans and coupes in excellent condition have already made their way above $40,000. Those equipped with manual transmissions tend to net a premium, as do limited-build Lime Rock Park Editions like the one we borrowed from Hagerty member Darren Berger, as they combine several desirable performance options. If you want to hear more of the V-8 and can stand added weight, convertibles (technically called E93s) sell for slightly less. Yet the most important feature to look for when buying an M3, in light of the noted mechanical complexity, is a comprehensive service history. —David Zenlea

2013 BMW M3

Highs: Engine nearly befitting of an exotic; peak BMW chassis balance.

Lows: Conservative styling; poorly maintained examples can cost an arm and a leg to fix.

Price Range: #1 – $65,800  #2 – $51,600 #3 – $40,600 #4 – $29,200

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Interest from young enthusiasts is a factor for all Bull Market cars but is absolutely the factor favoring this M3. The ‘kids’ are not only shopping for the car but are also consistently willing to pay more for it than older folks. Meanwhile, the aftermarket has come up with fixes for many of the mechanical/durability issues.

***

1997–99 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

And now for something completely different: a Japan-only off-road rally special built around a commonplace SUV and styled to look like the Bat Truck. People who aren’t ready for a deep dive into the nerdy world of Japanese Domestic Market specials can stop here; for the rest, konnichiwa!

It has been a long time since Mitsubishi dominated anything, but the three-diamond brand once ruled the brazen and dangerous 6000-mile-long Paris-Dakar Rally, with a string of wins in the 1990s and 2000s using modified versions of its Toyota Land Cruiser fighter, the Pajero SUV (Montero in the U.S., Shogun in the U.K.). As with a lot of interesting cars, the Pajero Evolution was born in a smoky backroom of a motorsports sanctioning body. In the mid-1990s and with the Dakar at its peak in popularity, the organizers created a production-based class requiring manufacturers to build a minimum number of homologation cars that had to be road-legal and salable to the public. Mitsubishi was down to party, producing about 2500 of the Pajero Evolutions, which shared basic sheetmetal with the second-generation (1991–1999) body-on-frame two-door Pajero/Montero. (Side note: America never saw two-door versions of the gen-2s, or indeed the gen-3s, owing to the so-called chicken tax, a 25 percent U.S. duty on imported two-door trucks.)

Underneath, there’s lots of special geekery for JDM geeks to geek out on, including a 276-hp version of Mitsu’s iron-block 3.5-liter V-6 running four-cam cylinder heads, the company’s MIVEC variable valve-timing-and-lift system, and gasoline direct-injection. Further, the stock Pajero’s torsion-beam front suspension and solid-axle rear were replaced with double wishbones in front and multilinks in back, with Torsen lockers at both ends. Special Recaro buckets, skid plating, more butch front fenders, and body cladding complete the Evo’s persona.

If you’ve ever driven a U.S.-spec gen-2 Montero—your author has owned two—then you know that these ships of the desert are sturdy but not exactly frisky. However, shorn of almost a foot of wheelbase compared with the four-door and blessed with nearly a third more horsepower, the Pajero Evolution achieves genuine sportiness. Quicker steering paired with a carlike chassis awakens the handling, while the power can be managed through a manual-shift function of the automatic that is unique to the Evo (a true manual was also available, but they are very rare).

Thanks in part to a long association between Mitsubishi’s Ralliart operation and martial arts superstar Jackie Chan, Pajero Evos have always been collectible in Japan. And now that the 25-year rolling import exemption is up to 1999, they are dribbling into the U.S., though they are still impossible to legally register in some states (we’re looking at you, California). Of course, coddled rally specials such as the Pajero Evo are less about what they can do—few Evos have likely ever tasted dirt—than about the conversations they spark. If you fancy driving a rolling billboard advertising your arcane knowledge of Japanese automotive esoterica, then your Bat Truck has arrived. —Aaron Robinson

1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

Highs: There’s no kind of cool like JDM cool; handles far better than your typical SUV; a rolling piece of (obscure) motorsports history that can also carry a sheepdog.

Lows: Lots of money that will buy respect from only a select few; aging Japanese cars tend to have slim parts availability in general; likely has quite a few bits of unobtainium.

Price Range: #1 – $70,000  #2 – $50,000 #3 – $35,000 #4 – $17,900

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Japanese Domestic Market cars were once unobtainable for all but the most determined enthusiasts due to the logistics of importing them. In recent years, though, as more millennials look to make their video game dreams reality, a cottage industry has cropped up to bring JDM cars stateside.

***

2011–16 Ferrari FF

Several philosophers and at least one Doobie Brothers album have observed that vices, if repeated enough, have a way of becoming acceptable habits. That’s one way—just a bit cynical, we’ll admit—to explain why we’re bullish on the Ferrari FF.

When the car debuted a little over a decade ago, the notion of an Italian exotic with all-wheel-drive, four seats, and no clutch pedal still seemed a bit transgressive. Since then, nearly every premium automaker—including Bentley, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, and even Ferrari itself—has developed a fully fledged SUV. This lithe and low-slung shooting brake is, by comparison, a purist’s delight.

The simple truth is that more and more car buyers expect some utility, even in their passion purchases. This became particularly evident during the pandemic, when collectors zealously snapped up vehicles capable of going on longer drives with more passengers. Everything from vintage SUVs to restomods (classic cars with modernized powertrains and brakes) shot up in value as a result. There are also long-term demographic trends at play. Collectors who are Gen Xers or younger now make up the majority of the market and are more likely to have kids at home, jobs to commute to, and stuff to haul. They want their classic cars to be, you know, cars—capable of ferrying people and things from place to place without fuss.

These are overwhelmingly the folks buying FFs. More than 80 percent of those who call Hagerty about insurance on one are Gen Xers or younger, and they tend to drive many more miles than we see for other Ferraris. The owner of the FF you see here, Daniel Giannone, readily admits he wanted an enthusiast car in which he could take his young children on Sunday drives.

Yet there’s one more thing about the FF that needs to be taken into consideration: It’s a Ferrari. There’s a mystique that comes with the Prancing Horse that usually translates to appreciation, both for the vintage Enzo-era cars and, increasingly, for more recent efforts. In the past few years, we’ve seen run-ups and record sales for everything from F50s and Enzos to 612 Scagliettis. The FF, despite its practicality, maintains that invaluable Ferrari-ness. Its naturally aspirated V-12 puts out 651 horsepower—more than an Enzo’s—and makes all the right noises. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic works seamlessly, with none of the herky-jerky annoyances of Ferrari’s earlier sequential gearboxes. The all-wheel-drive system, which powers the front wheels via a novel two-speed transmission, kicks in when needed but otherwise doesn’t intrude on the experience. Not everyone loves the Pininfarina styling—particularly the jack-o’-lantern smile of the grille—but the basic proportions are just right.

FFs are nearly new, so they are still depreciating and presently can be had in excellent condition for less than $150,000, a bargain considering they stickered around $300,000. You’ll want one that’s been fastidiously maintained—we are, after all, talking about an Italian exotic with 12 cylinders and two transmissions. But a properly cared for FF should provide years of practical fun and, if the Doobie Brothers are correct, long-term appreciation. —David Zenlea

2014 Ferrari FF

Highs: Grocery-getter practicality with the heart of a supercar.

Lows: There are prettier Ferraris; AWD service is pricey.

Price Range: #1 – $177,000  #2 – $143,000 #3 – $125,000 #4 – $106,400

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Two of the most striking changes in the classic car market in the past decade have been an influx of younger buyers and a shift in preference toward ‘usable’ vehicles. The FF, with its youthful demographics and practicality, checks both boxes. The fact that it’s a Ferrari (a relatively rare one at that) certainly doesn’t hurt.

***

2000–05 Jaguar XKR

The Ford Motor Company purchased Jaguar in 1989 and began brushing the cobwebs out of the British carmaker’s assembly hall at Browns Lane. Dearborn emissaries laid plans for long-overdue updates to the XJ sedan and XJS two-door. Although markers of country club status, the Jags were known in the wider culture as being reliably unreliable, a situation made increasingly untenable by the arrival of Lexus and its world-beating quality.

So the next generation of Jaguar’s two-door, the brand’s image leader, had nowhere to go but up. Design chief Geoff Lawson penned a low, lovely, and sleek grand tourer whose oval snout evoked the E-Type even as the overall design was pointed squarely toward the 21st century. Take that, upstart luxury brands from the Far East! Instantly identifiable as a Jaguar by even casual observers, the 1997 XK8, named for the postwar XK 120/140/150 line, was exactly the car Jaguar desperately needed, and not a moment too soon: The XJS had been on the market, largely unchanged, for more than two decades.

The XK8 team had to make do with a heavily modified XJS platform, but Ford had funded a bespoke engine for Jaguar rather than repurposing the DOHC V-8 being developed for Lincoln and Ford. Displacing 4.0 liters, the same as the Lexus V-8, Jaguar’s DOHC aluminum AJ-V8 replaced Jaguar’s inline-six and sent 290 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque through a five-speed ZF automatic transmission.

Compelling, but Jaguar had more plans for its first-ever V-8 engine, attaching an Eaton supercharger to supplant the previous optional V-12. The resulting XKR debuted for the 2000 model year with a mesh grille insert, 370 horsepower, and a swagger not seen out of Coventry in decades. With both the XJR sedan and the XKR, Jaguar was finally able to compete with the high-performance models from Mercedes, BMW, and even Aston Martin.

Automotive critics were thrilled for Jaguar as it came out swinging against the German and Japanese brands. “Just look at Jaguar’s XKR. It’s sex on wheels!” enthused Car and Driver. “A lot sexier than the naturally aspirated XK8 upon which it’s based… provocative, confident, not at all trashy, with an upper-class British accent.” At about $80,000 for the coupe and $85,000 for the convertible, the XKR was not cheap, but it still undercut the V-12 Mercedes-Benz SL600 roadster by tens of thousands.

Looks aside, the XKR twins were rapid and refined steeds, the AJ-V8 delivering gobs of low-end torque and smoothly powerful acceleration with a muffled supercharger whine. Car and Driver clocked the run to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The XKR’s Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS, get it?) provided the composure and comfort Jaguar is famous for along with reasonably sporty handling. Our photo car, owned by Bob Levy of Westport, Connecticut, is a 2006 model, meaning it benefits from the larger, 4.2-liter AJ-V8 mated to a six-speed gearbox that Jaguar introduced in 2002.

Today, good examples of the XKR can be had for the low $20,000s—not bad for styling that has aged well and for one of the world’s great V-8s. Driving an XKR reminds us of hope and promise, an era when Ford’s billions combined with British resolve to reinvigorate one of the greats. —Joe DeMatio

2006 Jaguar XKR

Highs: Silky-smooth supercharged V-8; sensuous good looks, particularly the rare coupe; as cheap as a used Camry.

Lows: Cramped cabin; back seats for groceries only; many were used hard; maintenance records are essential; no manual gearbox.

Price Range: #1 – $38,900  #2 – $26,700 #3 – $16,100 #4 – $8300

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

The most important data points here are pretty simple: power and price. Enthusiasts of all ages love performance, and there aren’t many cars that offer more of it for less money. Cost of maintenance and repair must always be a consideration with Jaguars, but the XKR—relatively speaking—has proven reliable.

***

1965–70 Chevrolet Impala SS

If there is nothing more American than baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet, then it’s quite possible that there is no car that is more Chevrolet-y than the Impala. Named after a type of African antelope, the name first appeared in 1956 on a General Motors Motorama show car, a handsome, four-passenger sport coupe with Corvette-inspired design cues. In 1958, the Impala was introduced as the top-of-the-line model for the bowtie brand. Over the next six decades and 10 generations, Impala was Chevy’s full-size offering, until the market’s insatiable appetite for crossovers and SUVs brought an end (or a pause, perhaps?) to the nameplate in 2020.

The scene looked much different in 1961, when Chevy debuted the SS (Super Sport) option as the Impala’s performance package. With either the 348-cubic-inch V-8 or the legendary 409 serving duty under the hood, the Impala SS was a performance powerhouse. The fourth-generation, all-new Impala was introduced in 1965; that year, the model’s annual sales hit an all-time industry record of more than 1 million cars. (For context, total sales across all GM divisions in 2022 was 2.27 million). The Impala was rebodied in 1967, and from ’67 to ’69, the top engine was the 427. The 1969 LS1 427 V-8 on base Impalas made 335 horsepower (measured by the old, inflated SAE gross-output yardstick); on SS models, the L36 V-8 made 390 ponies, while the ultra-rare L72—of which only 546 were sold—made 425 horsepower.

The example on these pages is a ’69 Impala SS L36 paired with a four-speed manual. The car is owned by Hal Oaks, who bought it new in 1969. “I had a ’65 Chevy Super Sport with a 283 that couldn’t get out of its own way,” Oaks remembers. “I was 19, I had a full-time job, and I decided I wanted something new. I was a Chevy guy, so I went to the Chevy dealer looking for an L79 Nova. The only one the dealer had was Nassau blue, and I really didn’t like that color. I went back the next day, and I was still undecided. The salesman said, ‘I got one more car to show you. We ordered it for someone who decided they didn’t want it.’ That was the black car that I still have today.”

Behind the wheel, you can roll at 35 mph in fourth gear with no problem thanks to the drag-race gearing and buckets of torque cranked out by the 427. The engine sounds great as it exhales through the tubular headers and 2.5-inch pipes and mufflers that Oaks installed. As with most of the cars of that era, there is no pleasure to be found in operating the vague gear shifter. The steering is similarly ambiguous, which is fine, since the grip-free bench seats that were standard for ’69 discourage anything except straight-line driving.

Over the course of the 55 years that Oaks has owned the Impala, it has become a part of the family. “I drove it to my wedding, and I drove both of my daughters to their weddings in it, too,” he reflects. “Through the ups and downs of life, raising a family and building a house and buying houses, somehow I managed to hang on to it. I’ll never sell it.” —Kirk Seaman

1969 Chevrolet Impala SS

Highs: Perhaps the most American of American cars; parts aplenty; cruise night or the drags—it does both.

Lows: Needs a big garage; ‘60s fuel appetite; likes straights more than curves.

Price Range: #1 – $44,500  #2 – $30,100 #3 – $22,200 #4 – $14,600

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Young enthusiasts love American muscle as much as their parents do but generally don’t have the cash for the most famous models. That leads them to alternatives, including this Impala.

***

1981–86 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler

The love child of the sturdy Jeep CJ-7 and a pickup truck, the CJ-8 was a long-wheelbase version of the CJ-7 that combined the go-anywhere-ability of the CJ (“civilian jeep”) with the utility of a cargo bed. Produced by American Motors from 1981 to 1986, fewer than 30,000 CJ-8s sold, appealing to a small sliver of the market that appreciated the virtues of four-wheel drive paired with open-air motoring and a 1500-pound payload.

Often called the Scrambler (the name of a popular trim package), there wasn’t a lot of scrambling going on here, what with the anemic 82-hp, 2.5-liter Iron Duke four-cylinder sourced from General Motors under the hood. In 1984, AMC upgraded that base four-cylinder to its own 2.5-liter four, good for 105 horsepower. The legendary 4.2-liter inline six-cylinder was offered as an option, making 115 horsepower but, more important, cranking out 210 lb-ft of torque at 1800 rpm. Transmission choices were either a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic; in 1985, a five-speed manual was available.

Early adopters of the Scrambler included Ronald Reagan, who received his as a gift from wife Nancy and used it to maintain their ranch outside Santa Barbara, California. About the same time the Gipper was using his CJ-8 to clear the brush on his ranch’s horse trails, our owner, Andrew Del Negro, fell in love with one as a sophomore in high school. “The passion came from my first Jeep experience when my parents moved me from Connecticut to Tennessee. I didn’t know anybody at the new school,” he recalls. “The first friend I made there had a ’76 CJ-5, and he and I took that thing everywhere.”

Del Negro’s own Jeep journey began with a ’77 CJ-5. “It had a 304 with headers and glass-pack mufflers,” he enthuses. “It was loud, it was badass.” Since then, Del Negro estimates he has owned between 30 and 40 Jeeps. “Between CJs, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, Commanders, I’ve had everything. When I got married, my wife and I had pictures of every Jeep that I had owned to that point as the centerpieces on our guest tables.”

His current passion is this 1983 Scrambler that he bought in 2021. “This Scrambler was my dream vehicle. I wanted this specific color scheme and one that wasn’t perfect but original and in nice shape.” He found this rust-free example in California and set out to make it his own. “I’d always wanted a 360 V-8, so I had one installed and added fuel injection, then put on a set of Western turbine wheels.” Today, Del Negro cruises town and uses it to take the kids to soccer; he taught the oldest of his four children to drive a stick on his YJ Jeep, so they’re ready to drive the Scrambler with its four-speed manual. “They’re all dying to get into the Scrambler and drive it. They all love the Jeep.” —Kirk Seaman

1983 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler

Highs: Irresistible Tonka-Toy looks; utility with invincibility; rare and collectible 4x4s are hot.

Lows: Anemic base engines; not waterproof; creaky body structure.

Price Range: #1 – $52,600  #2 – $41,400 #3 – $31,700 #4 – $16,100

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Off-roaders have been some of the hottest vehicles on the market in recent years. The Scrambler, given its distinctive configuration and rarity relative to regular Jeeps, has room to continue growing.

***

1964–66 Ford Thunderbird

Thunderbird, you are go for liftoff. Climb into the cockpit and you might imagine yourself at the controls of an Apollo moon module or a starfighter straight from sci fi. Thunderbirds have had a strong tie to the jet age from the beginning. The first Baby Birds, the four-seat Square Birds, and the early ’60s Bullet Birds all had large, round booster taillights and wings that made them look like they could take flight. But those ’Birds were heavily influenced by an earlier fins-and-chrome aesthetic. This 1966 Thunderbird, a so-called Flair Bird, is planted firmly in the straight-edge 1960s, and it is far out.

The ride is soft and comfortable in these cars, if not for a bit of leaning and floating over curves and bumps (Flair Birds are not quite as dialed in as their Grand Prix and Riviera contemporaries). The 1964 model’s standard 390-cubic-inch V-8, with its 300 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque, doesn’t exactly blast off as the traffic light goes green. In fact, it’ll take a full 11 seconds to get to a cruising speed of 60 mph. So, it’s not really a rocket, despite the aeronautical exterior styling.

However, by the time Ford unveiled its 1966 Thunderbird, the fourth generation had hit its stride, making notable improvements where it counts. The base 390 engine added 15 more horsepower. Also available in ’66 was an optional 428 V-8, the powerplant under the hood of the car seen in these pages. With that engine, you get from a stoplight to 60 mph in just 9 seconds. Perhaps you’re not Chuck Yeager behind the wheel, but putting some speed on, nonetheless.

But this is the Flair Bird, so what you notice most when approaching the car is its style. A large Thunderbird greets you first, spread across the front grille. It’s a wow factor—much more so than the daintier Thunderbird lettering and smaller nose logos of the prior two years’ design. Our photo car is owned by Ron Campbell of Barkhamsted, Connecticut. It is a final-year convertible with lots of bells and whistles, including a dealer-optioned tonneau cover and an eight-track player, along with AC and power everything. Inside, the Thunderbird is a midcentury design study. There’s a gorgeous linear speedo readout nestled in the dash and little podlike gauges to inform the driver that all systems are optimal as you fly down the highway. The tilt-away steering wheel and sequential taillights are groovy, too. The long, sculpted fairings of the tonneau that marry the front seats into the back deck of this car, not unlike in a ’60s Indy racer, make it seem like you’re going that much faster.

Trends say younger classic buyers (born sometime after Neil Armstrong landed on the moon) are interested in Flair Birds. They do have a hipper, more mod vibe than the earlier Thunderbirds. This generation wants something different from Dad’s old ’55 T-bird. Fond memories of watching Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis soaring one off a Grand Canyon cliff in the climactic final scene of Thelma & Louise can’t hurt. Or maybe it’s just that everyone dreams of being an early astronaut for a moment. This mid-’60s Thunderbird just might be the closest you’ll ever get, Major Tom. —Todd Kraemer

1964 Ford Thunderbird

Highs: Style for days in a number of configurations (coupe, convertible, sports roadster, town sedan, and landau); a comfortable ride; disc brakes!

Lows: Wallowing, softly sprung suspension; not a lot of get-up-and-go from a standing start.

Price Range: #1 – $56,400  #2 – $41,300 #3 – $27,400 #4 – $17,300

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

Thunderbirds from this era have long lived in the shadow of two contemporary icons from Ford Motor Company—the Mustang and the Lincoln Continental. But as those cars have climbed out of reach, younger collectors have rediscovered the charm of midcentury luxury.

***

1997–02 Plymouth Prowler

In the auto industry, if you want to sell fun cars, first you’ve got to sell a bunch of not-fun cars to support your endeavors. A prime example of this reality is the Plymouth Prowler, one of the strangest fun cars ever to make it to the showroom floor. A four-wheeled love letter to the hot-rod scene, it was funded by the financial success of a trio of sedans from the Chrysler, Dodge, and Eagle brands. In the early 1990s, these shapely sedans (code-name: LH) helped the beleaguered Chrysler Corporation win back customers who had turned away from the automaker’s aging K-car lineup.

The only problem was that Chrysler’s fourth brand, Plymouth, was never given a version of the LH, and with sales stagnating, Chrysler execs wanted to give Plymouth a little love. They had learned from the 1989 Viper concept that a single auto-show debut could generate lots of media ink and showroom traffic, so company leaders cast about for another hit. A cadre of designers at Chrysler’s California styling studio had the idea for a hot-rod concept car, and the decision was made to bestow the razzmatazz on staid Plymouth.

“No mainstream car company had ever done anything this bizarre,” recalled Kevin Verduyn, one of the Prowler’s principal designers, in a 2018 Hagerty interview. The Prowler concept was the hit of the 1993 Detroit auto show, tangible evidence that Chrysler might be the smallest of the Big Three but also the bravest, the cheekiest, the most creative, and the automaker that knew how to do more with less.

Even more amazing: Chrysler execs, led by president Bob Lutz and design chief Tom Gale, greenlighted the car for production. And yet the Prowler wasn’t just for kicks, as the project allowed Chrysler to delve into the emerging use of structural bonding adhesives as well as aluminum for castings, extrusions, body panels, and suspension parts. So, although the Prowler was clearly inspired by hot rods that used the 1932–34 Ford as their lodestar, it was, at least in terms of body structure, the most technically sophisticated automobile yet conceived by the Pentastar.

The situation under the production Prowler’s tapered hood was not nearly as advanced, since there was room only for the LH’s 214-hp, 3.5-liter SOHC V-6. The sole transmission was a lackluster four-speed automatic that dominated the Chrysler lineup. But under the direction of Gale, who at the time was himself building a hot rod based on a 1933 Ford, the designers got the look right, with the Bigs and the Littles (rear to front wheels), the cascading slit grille, the exposed front-suspension members, and the high-back styling. In an era of retro designs, it stretched the imagination.

Perhaps surprisingly, members of Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) are now trickling into the Prowler, slowly supplanting the boomers who were the initial target when the car was conceived. Our low-mileage 1997 photo car, generously lent to us by Chris Santomero of West Harrison, New York, was in factory-fresh condition. Sure, we would rather have had a V-8, as the V-6 has not exactly grown on us over time. But the Prowler’s open-air charms, its unapologetic stance, its very existence, are all entirely worth celebrating. —Joe DeMatio

1997 Plymouth Prowler

Highs: Sophisticated structural engineering; still highly affordable; optional trailer is bizarrely cool.

Lows: No V-8; no manual; interior is a little pedestrian; not especially rare, with 11,702 built 1997–2002.

Price Range: #1 – $45,500  #2 – $34,800 #3 – $29,200 #4 – $15,700

HAGERTY AUTO INTELLIGENCE SAYS:

So-called restomods (old cars with modern guts) are big business these days—customizers regularly charge six figures to fit a fuel-injected engine, disc brakes, etc., into an old rig. It’s only a matter of time before enthusiasts discover the Prowler, which is essentially a factory-built restomod offered at a bargain price.

Editor’s Note: As always, the 10 cars that make up the 2024 Bull Market List are those we believe are poised for growth. To arrive at these predictions, the Hagerty Automotive Intelligence team uses some of the most exhaustive data in the industry—price guide research, owner demographics, private sales, public auctions both online and in person, and import/export numbers. Our goal is to help you benefit from up-to-date research in order to make an informed purchase now and a profitable sale later.

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Let’s begin this article with a confession: My search for a rough-and-tumble SUV didn’t start with a Montero. In fact, it didn’t even start with Mitsubishi. I’d venture a guess that a decent portion of today’s Montero owners would share a similar story. In the world of off-roading, more specifically off-roading with Japanese machinery, the hunt almost always starts with Toyota. Far too often, it ends with Toyota as well, and Mitsubishi never comes across a would-be owner’s radar.

Shame, really. Because the Montero deserves every shred of respect it gets in the off-roading community—and then some.

Vintage SUVs are one of the collector market’s hottest segments. Coupled with the growing popularity of RADwood-era cars, many of which hail from Japan, vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruiser, the 4Runner, and even the creatively named Toyota Pickup are rapidly gaining fans—and value. A side effect of that climb, aside from pricing many entry-level enthusiasts out of great machinery, is that there’s a certain reticence to actually use those rides for the purposes they were built for. By and large, the Montero manages to escape that.

Mitsubishi’s golden years in the 1980s, ’90s, and the early 2000s are the stuff of dreams. Dominance in multiple motorsport disciplines, cutting-edge technology, and compelling offerings across many segments made the Tri-Diamond logo an enthusiast favorite. Toyota and Honda might have dominated the sales charts, but Mitsubishi, along with Nissan, fielded plenty of equally compelling offerings. (The same can’t really be said of contemporary Mitsubishi, and can only barely be said of Nissan today.) Each of the four contributed mightily to what’s widely considered the golden age of the Japanese automobile.

Like the Land Cruiser, the Montero (as it was known in North America, Spain, and most of Latin America) was sold all over the world, though often under the names Pajero or Shogun. Whatever you know it as, it’s impossible to separate the platform from its reputation built through transcontinental rallying, where through the years it helped cement Mitsubishi as the all-time winningest manufacturer at the grueling Paris-Dakar rally.

Being such a prolific car on a global scale, the lifespans for each generation of the Montero overlap considerably. Dig into the history of this thing, and you’ll find a lot of instances where “X country got a new Pajero in this year, but the old one soldiered on in Y and Z countries for another half-decade.” (There were also versions licensed and produced by other manufacturers, just in case it wasn’t already tough enough to follow this lineage.)

Generally speaking, however, the first-generation Montero spanned from 1981–91, the second-gen model ran from 1991–99, and the third-generation Montero, the last one sold in the U.S., ran from 1999–2006. We’re going to focus on the second-gen model here.

Throughout the ’90s, the American car market saw a slow but steady growth of rugged, body-on-frame, true 4×4 offerings. Toyota’s Land Cruiser was fresh off the debut of an all-new generation, the much-lauded 80 Series. Land Rover had been making the boxy first-gen Discovery since 1989, and the more luxurious Range Rover would debut mid-decade in 1994. Jeep was in on the action, too, with its venerable XJ Cherokee and the Wrangler.

Mitsubishi had originally pitched the first-generation Montero as a luxury off-road competitor, eyeing the Land Rover Discovery and even the Range Rover as its competitive set. The second-generation Monty backed off the luxury angle a tad, though it was by no means spartan. It claims a number of technological firsts among Japanese 4WD vehicles, including electronically-adjustable shock absorbers, multi-mode ABS, and, most importantly, Super Select 4WD. This groundbreaking tech (marketed in North American Monteros as Active-Trac) utilized a viscous-coupling center differential that offered the advantages of part-time and full-time four-wheel-drive, as well as on-the-fly shifting from 2WD to 4WD at speeds of up to 48mph in most versions. When the going got really tough, the transfer case was also able to deploy 4-high and 4-low, both with a locked center diff.

Styling for the second-gen car softened the boxy first-gen design a bit, canting the windshield and grille back for mildly improved aerodymnamics. In 1998, general export Monteros, such as those headed stateside, received a facelift that included flared fenders, a new grille, new bumper, and more. These models are commonly referred to as “gen 2.5” or “blister-flare” Monteros, and are considered the best looking versions to make it to the U.S.

I’m biased, of course; I’ve called a gen 2.5 ’98 Monty mine since 2021. It wasn’t just the looks I was after—I wanted a capable off-roader that, so long as I continued to care for it, wasn’t likely to strand me mid-adventure. Nearly 25,000 miles and two-plus years of ownership later, the Montero has delivered on that promise.

Together, this truck and I have wandered through everything from Utah’s high desert to the water-logged fall foliage of Ohio’s Hocking Hills region to the sand- and snow-covered forest service roads here in Northern Michigan. And when we get there—wherever “there” is, I’ve never had to back out of a two-track for fear of overmatching my Montero. When the day is done, we simply pop open the tent and call our parking spot home for as long as we choose. It’s opened up adventures to me in a way that none of my previous cars have.

My appreciation extends beyond the fact that the Montero will happily go anywhere—I know that it’s going to get me home, too. You can’t say the same for any 25-year-old, high mileage car that’s regularly used as intended. That it has never failed to start on the first crank and has stood up to all I’ve thrown at it give me the confidence to know I’m just a key turn away from my next adventure.

The root of that dependability is the robust drivetrain. A 3.5-liter, 24-valve SOHC V-6 provided around 200 hp and 228 lb-ft when new, and it paired with a four-speed automatic transmission with an electronically-actuated button-style overdrive. The combination is pretty much stone-dead reliable, provided you’ve kept current on regular maintenance items.

That said, there is one malady that every one of these Monteros suffers from: Due to a poor design, the factory crank bolt will, over time, develop fatigue cracks which can lead to it breaking off in the crankshaft. Luckily, Mitsubishi revised the design for the bolt (twice, actually) and a new one can be found without too much difficulty. If you’re ever inspecting one for purchase, you must ask about the bolt; many of these have had the replacement unit fitted to them already, but if the one you’re looking at hasn’t, you’ve just found the first item for your to-do list.

Another common issue with these engines is that the valve stem seals will harden over time, eventually causing the engine to pull a little bit of oil past the valves in high-vacuum situations, like when you’re idling for a long time. So long as you keep a regular eye on the oil levels (I check mine before every fourth or fifth drive, or after long periods idling), you can simply add a bit of oil to keep things topped off. The fix is a bit tedious and time-consuming, but with a decent set of tools and some time, it’s manageable. As with basically every known failure point on this thing—and there aren’t many—the thriving community surrounding these machines has plenty of walk-throughs and guides for the fix.

Living in Northern Michigan has highlighted this Montero’s winter package, an option that provides some very warm two-mode seat heaters and, perhaps the most desirable option on these machines, the locking rear differential.

Speaking of the rear end, The rear differential in the gen 2.5 had the lowest final-drive ratio (4.27:1; the other generations offer 4.88:1 and 4.63:1, depending on year and package) which helped lower emissions and return marginally better fuel economy, but it also resulted in it being rather sluggish off the line. Getting around town is still a breeze, but you’ll want to plan on-ramp merges carefully.

The cabin is remarkably capacious and presents a commanding view that’s perfect for trail use. The upright driving position can leave you feeling like you’re sitting on a barstool if you corner too enthusiastically (body roll is amplified if, like me, you’re carrying adventure accessories like a heavy tent on the roof). Then again, no one buying a Montero is looking to maximize their lateral g forces. Most folks ditch the folding third-row seats in favor of added trunk volume. The controls are all straightforward and functional, though radio upgrades are a popular mod—as with many vehicles from this era. Driver’s seat wear and splitting in the leather is common, and my example is no different. I’ll be on the hunt for a new seat next year.

Typically, these spotlights tend to focus on the collectibility of the subject vehicle. That discussion is conspicuously absent here because, for the most part, Monteros are still cars that are well-used—often times quite hard. But that also means that prices for them have remained relatively accessible.

While we do not track the Montero in the Hagerty Price Guide, data suggests that interest for the off-roader is increasing. Average insured value (AIV) is on the rise, from $6250 in 2018 to $8900 today. But the list of solid, reliable off-roaders that can be had for mid- to high-four figures is small, and dwindling. I’ve seen plenty of solid gen 2 and gen 2.5 Monteros sell or be offered for sale at figures closer to that $6250 figure in recent months.

Policy count, while only in the double digits currently, is also climbing. The number of Monteros insured by Hagerty has doubled since 2020. Boomers make up half of policies, with gen X and millennials following at 30 and 20 percent, respectively. The share of boomer ownership outstrips their overall share of the market, but gen X and millennials still track with their overall shares.

Still, it seems a bit of a stretch to think the second-gen Montero (or any Montero, for that matter) is going to suddenly catch up to the golden child, the Toyota Land Cruiser. Given that reality, I’d offer this encouragement: Unless you’re hell-bent on finding the perfect, time-capsule Monty to pickle and hold, consider shifting your perspective. The Montero—while remarkably capable, worthy of your respect, and significant for Mitsubishi’s history—is best enjoyed through its use.

There are plenty of attainably priced examples out there and a thriving community of enthusiasts and aftermarket support to make this a perfect platform for the 4×4-curious, the Japanese-vehicle curious, or for those who, like me, can only swing one interesting car with their current budget. It’s modern enough to benefit from diagnostic tools such as OBDII, stout enough to take a little beating without asking too much in return, yet interesting enough to be a great conversation point at your local cars & coffee or off-road rig meet-up.

Find one, point it toward the nearest trail, and make memories that will outstrip any resale potential.

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According to the Japanese news outlet Nikkei Asia, Mitsubishi Motors has decided to withdraw from automobile production in China. The company has started final withdrawal talks with China’s Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), a major automaker with which Mitsubishi has a joint venture.

“Mitsubishi’s sales in China have been sluggish due to the popularity of electric vehicles and the rise of local brands. Other Japanese automakers are also struggling and might review their strategies in the country,” Nikkei said.

GAC Mitsubishi Motors has a factory in Hunan province. The company halted production in March; it will not resume operations. The Hunan plant is Mitsubishi’s only factory in China. GAC is expected to use the Hunan plant for EV production.

“Mitsubishi in 2022 sold 38,550 cars in China, down about 60 percent from the previous year. To reverse the trend, it launched a hybrid, the Outlander SUV, for the China market last fall, though sales came in below projections,” Nikkei says.

As it withdraws from China, “Mitsubishi will devote resources to Southeast Asia and Oceania, regions that account for about a third of Mitsubishi’s consolidated sales.”

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, EV sales in 2022 increased by 80 percent to 5.36 million cars, accounting for around 20 percent of all new car sales in the country. Mitsubishi has no proprietarily developed EVs in China as GAC has supplied these vehicles, Nikkei says.

Mitsubishi began exporting commercial vehicles to China in the 1970s and was involved in a joint venture with Soueast Motor from 2006 to 2021. GAC Mitsubishi Motors was established in 2012 and sold 140,000 vehicles in 2018, its peak year.

This comment to Hagerty from Mitsubishi in Tokyo: “Nikkei, a Japanese newspaper, reported today that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will withdraw production in China, however, this is not based on our company’s announcement. We are continuing to discuss the future business among the shareholders, and nothing has been decided.”

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They may be heading for the chopping block after the 2024 model year, according to a report in Automotive News, but there’s no question that the Mitsubishi Mirage has served the pizza-eating public of Bloomington, Illinois, with substantial success.

Tobin’s Pizza in Bloomington has purchased 20 to 25 new Mitsubishi Mirages as delivery vehicles each year. When your business delivers more than 60,000 pies annually, you need a fleet of reliable, inexpensive delivery vehicles, and Tobin’s Pizza owner Moe Davis trusts the Mirage.

In more than 10 years of partnership with O’Brien Mitsubishi in Normal, Illinois, Davis replaces his fleet of vehicles every year. “I’ve bought thousands of vehicles in my life for my various businesses, and I’ve never had a more reliable car,” said Davis.

“Out of the over 200 Mirages I’ve bought, I’ve had only two issues—and that’s with four million miles of use under the tires so far. I swap cars every year to ensure I can keep my drivers on the road, my customers happy and my maintenance bills to nearly zero.”

The Mirage is an obvious choice in a situation like Davis’, as it is the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid gasoline vehicle sold in the U.S. today. “When I first learned of Tobin’s Pizza, and met Moe Davis back in 2010, I initially had his fleet using the then-new Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle we’d just started selling,” said Ryan Gremore, owner of O’Brien Mitsubishi. “After production stopped on the i-MiEV, it was an easy swap to get the Tobin’s team into Mirages, and it’s just been that way ever since.”

Most pizzas in the U.S. are delivered in the drivers’ personal cars, but in 2015, Domino’s unveiled the DXP (Delivery Expert) delivery car, a Chevy Spark-based runabout that, through a collaboration with small-batch vehicle-designer Local Motors, sought to revolutionize the pizza delivery experience. From the outside, the DXPs appeared to be mostly normal Sparks with a pizza oven taking up the space that the rear driver’s side seat normally would.

Less that a year ago, Domino’s began acquiring electric Chevrolet Bolts. Why? “The Chevy Bolt EV has zero tailpipe emissions, a 259-mile battery range, advanced safety features and lower average maintenance costs than nonelectric vehicles—all without the financial impact of high gas prices,” the company said.

Simple? Cheap to run? Reliable? Guess that’s what it takes for a pizza delivery vehicle to deserve being called “well done.”

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Rory asks:

So in my infinite wisdom, I left the windows open on my 1992 Mitsubishi Montero while I was away over the weekend. It rained, so this is some bad stuff. I am going to get DampRid so that I can start to dry this out as soon as possible. Do you have any other ideas on how to fix my mistake?

Sajeev answers:

Ugh, I have been there. One time I left my 1988 Mercury Cougar’s windows cracked during a huge rainstorm, and the cabin was allowed to marinate for days before I approached the car and smelled the problem. This was pre-Google times, therefore I didn’t know about DampRid’s decades-long reputation of water absorption. So instead I cut out the affected carpet as a quick fix to the problem. (It was already sun bleached and in need of replacement, so cutting it up wasn’t a big deal.)

But that wasn’t a fix at all, as the water/mold damage affected most of the padding underneath the carpet. That’s the first half of my story, but I recommend yanking the carpets if you have any concerns about DampRid.

Rory replies:

I’m not gonna be able to pull the carpets out of the Montero, at least not immediately. I need this car for daily driving; it can’t be decommissioned for that long. The floor mats are out and I vacuumed it hard. Now I hope DampRid will do its thing.

Sajeev concludes:

I hope so too, Rory! Because if not, you must do what I did next: yank out the carpet and bolt back in the driver’s seat so its drivable, if a bit noisy. It’s shocking how quickly you can remove a vehicle’s seats, console, and rocker panel trim and make quick work of the moldy carpet. With little else but bare metal floors inside, I cleaned all surfaces with Lysol, sanded/painted a metal bracket under the carpet that became rusty, and bombed the rest of the interior with Ozium. Boom, it was done and the smell was history.

Problem solved, except I was driving around on a metal floor with one Cougar bucket seat for far, far too many trips to work/school. That’s because I first waited a few days for a color sample, then a few weeks for the correct “Oxblood”-toned replacement carpet to arrive. But that’s not relevant to you and your Montero, as I assume your carpet doesn’t need replacement, just a long time to dry out. Or not, as maybe DampRid isn’t a product with a misleading name?

Hagerty Community, do you think that will work, or does the carpet need to be pulled?

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Carlos Ghosn, possibly the only former auto tycoon to escape the law by being smuggled out of a country in a musical instrument case, has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Nissan and about a dozen individuals in Beirut over his “imprisonment” in Japan, Lebanese officials said today, according to the Associated Press.

“According to the officials,” the AP says, Ghosn’s lawsuit accuses Nissan and the individuals in Beirut of defamation and of “fabricating charges” against him, which eventually put him behind bars in Japan.

Ghosn, 69, who began his executive career as the head of Michelin’s North American operation, was chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, a strategic partnership founded in 1999. He was hired in 1996 by Renault to turn around the money-losing company, and did.

He was doing the same for the alliance through his severe cost-cutting methods that were so successful, if unpopular with some, that he rose to comic-book superhero status in Japan, heading a major turnaround for Nissan.

But subsequent investigation showed evidence of misuse of company funds, leading to his arrest in Japan in November 2018 on charges of “breach of trust, misusing company assets for personal gains and violating securities laws by not fully disclosing his compensation,” AP says.

In December 2019, he jumped bail in Japan and was smuggled out of the country aboard a private jet to Lebanon, where he is a citizen. Lebanon, critically, has no extradition agreement with Japan. Prosecutors in Japan charged three Americans with helping Ghosn escape the country.

Ghosn, sullen and testy on his best of days when dealing with the automotive media, is also facing charges in France of tax evasion and alleged money laundering, fraud, and misuse of company assets while at the helm of the Renault-Nissan alliance.

The lawsuit is set to be heard in September in Lebanon.

***

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In our last episode, we met Jeff, the man behind the Bluetooth-conversion kit for analog, in-car Mitsubishi cellular phones of the 1990s. If you want to follow in his footsteps, check out the open-source info and the build thread. If enough people motivate Jeff to make more modules (and ones for other vehicles) we will update this series once more. But for now, let’s learn a little more about the man behind this fantastic creation. 

SM: What motivated you to do the conversion in the first place?

Jeff: My Mitsubishi 3000GT did not have the car phone when I bought it. While searching for an owner’s manual on eBay, I stumbled upon a new-old-stock original sales brochure for the 1993 3000GT. When it arrived, I found a brief mention of a telephone accessory:

You may also install an available cellular telephone if you wish—complete pre-wiring is already provided. A fitting final touch in a place where meticulous attention has so obviously been paid to every last detail.

I had to have it, because this car was all about excessive amounts of early ’90s tech, and this was yet another optional piece that I was missing. There were unused factory connectors hiding somewhere in the car just waiting to fulfill their destiny. Armed with a photo of this excerpt from the sales brochure, I went to the 3000GT Facebook groups and forums to ask for info about this car-phone system, and if anyone had one they would sell.

Despite the evidence I had, nearly everyone (even 15+ year veterans in the community with years of buying/selling/part-outs) was telling me that there was no such thing as a factory car-phone accessory, or that it was just a dealer add-on where they would install any consumer car-phone system. There was nothing special about it, they said.

I eventually started tracking down info and evidence of the system and started the three-year journey of piecing together a complete system, including scoring a brand-new-in-box telephone).

Pretty soon after I imagined getting the factory car-phone system for my car, I started wondering if there was any way that it could actually be activated or modified to be fully functional. My plan was to fix/maintain it as a stock example of what the car was supposed to be, with all of its technology working as intended. I quickly learned that, since 2008, it’s impossible to activate service on analog cell phones and that there are no adapter/conversion kits available.

I initially started researching the possibility of building a Bluetooth adapter that connects to the original phone’s antenna port and simulates 1G analog service to the phone. This would have allowed the phone to remain fully functional, as original, while routing calls over Bluetooth to a paired cell phone. It also would have been compatible with any 1G analog car phone with a coax antenna port. I found technical explanations and original specs for 1G cell service, but I was absolutely lost on the electronics side of things. Still struggling to even find all the parts of the car phone system, I lost motivation and gave up on trying to figure out the 1G-cellular-to-Bluetooth-adapter idea. Maybe it was possible, but it was way beyond my electronics knowledge/skills.

The “easy” solution of hacking a modern Bluetooth headset into the handset was never an option for me. I wanted the display and buttons of the handset to be fully functional for an authentic experience. I specifically wanted the ability to dial a number on the handset, press send, and have it actually call that number. It was all or nothing for me. I’d rather have the original phone fully “working” without service than reduce it to a cosmetic shell around a Bluetooth headset.

About a year later I started wondering if I could somehow interface with the handset directly through its cord. I found renewed motivation and decided to get an oscilloscope just to see what I could figure out about those eight wires in the handset cord. This is where I started documenting the rest of my journey on the electro-tech-online forum. I got really lucky and was able to reverse-engineer much of how to control the handset in just over a week, with a simple proof-of-concept manually sending commands from my computer through a USB adapter and simple circuit to the handset.

Two weeks later, I had deciphered even more, and had my first proof of concept of software on a microcontroller being in control of the handset. This is about when I finally felt like this was actually possible, and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than a final result that was practically indistinguishable from the original.

The rest is a year-long journey of details: figuring out how to work with a Bluetooth module, figuring out how to design the analog audio circuitry I needed to deal with all the audio/sounds, tons of programming of menus and features to replicate the behavior of the original phone, figuring out how to be compatible with the car’s hands-free system, etc. Much of the electronics part of this project was at or beyond the edge of my knowledge, so there was a lot of research, followed by asking questions on the electro-tech forum.

I’m extremely lucky and thankful that a couple of people took interest in my project, followed its progress, and answered my questions or offered suggestions. I don’t think I could have done it without their help. I think it worked out well because I was very proactive in researching and trying things first before asking for help, then I would use the responses to guide more research and make as much progress as possible on my own. I tried to be as self-sufficient as possible and only ask for guidance, not for complete solutions.

SM: What is your background? This kind of project clearly requires specific skills.

Jeff: Professionally, I’m a software engineer that primarily works on front-end web application development. I’ve been programming since I think the early ’90s, when I was a kid and discovered DOS batch files, then QBasic. I took programming classes in high school, and almost failed a few other classes because I would stay up too late programming silly games instead of doing my homework for other classes. But it worked out okay, because I landed my first “real” job as a programmer with only my high school diploma, and progressed from there.

The programming aspect of this car-phone project was very fun and comfortable for me, despite it being quite different from my day-to-day professional programming work.

My background in electronics is extremely limited and amateur. I had an electronics educational kit as a kid that I didn’t understand, but I could follow the instructions to make things. I also took an intro electronics class as an elective in high school. The electronics aspect of this car phone project was out of my league, and I had to learn almost everything along the way. I often procrastinated on solving hardware issues by continuing to develop more features in the software, like the games Snake (above) and Tetris.

SM: How did you get into cars? Into electronics?

Jeff: If I had to pick one pivotal moment that got me “into cars” as a hobby/enthusiast, it would probably be when I bought a new 2013 Jeep Wrangler (two-door base model, manual transmission/windows/locks) and started modifying it. First up was a turbo kit after only 10K miles (turbo sounds on the sand dunes). Previously, I had been into motorcycles (riding, maintaining, modifying), but I never had a car that I actually enjoyed until the Jeep. Then my wife and I caught the Miata disease from my brother, and we ended up buying a ’95 Miata with some suspension upgrades, roll-bar, and a turbo kit (officially, her car). After getting the Miata caught up on a lot of overdue maintenance, repairs, and cosmetic improvements, I started getting the itch for a ’90s project car of my own: the 3000GT.

Regarding electronics, my son got a Power Wheels ride-on toy when he was very young. The first time he tried it, it scared him because of the instant full power. It’s literally just a switch that connects a motor to a 12V battery. All or nothing, instant electric torque. I was into R/C cars at the time and had the idea to modify the Power Wheels so that it had proportional throttle control and used an electronic speed controller (ESC) for an R/C car.

A coworker had experience with electronics and microcontroller programming, so he helped get me started with a basic circuit and how to program microcontrollers. I programmed the microcontroller to convert a detected throttle position to the proper signal that the ESC requires to indicate desired throttle percentage. It was overall a very simple project and a great learning experience.

SM: Any particular reason why you have a 3000 GT?

Jeff: I very specifically sought a first-generation 3000GT VR4 because I was intrigued by its excessive early ’90s technology (active aero, active exhaust, active suspension, four-wheel steering, etc.), I like its pseudo-exotic styling, and, of course, its pop-up headlights. I also enjoy having a car that is unique out on the road due to its relative obscurity.

Apparently, I’m also a bit of a masochist that enjoys the thrill of finding rare parts and repairing/maintaining obscure things (evidenced by both the choice in car and the car phone project). Mine is a ’93 VR4 that is nearly completely stock (aside from minor things like tinted windows and  reupholstered seats) with all of the quirky tech/features fully intact and functioning—after I repaired several things like the active aerodynamics and the digital climate control.

SM: Is there anything else you would like to share with Hagerty’s readers?

Jeff: I hope my project inspires someone to learn something new, push the limits of their skills/knowledge, and not give up on achieving a goal. Although my Bluetooth adapter will only work with a specific model of car phone (Diamondtel Model 92), the general approach would likely work with any old car phone that has a corded handset. I’m interested to see if anyone else will build a similar kind of adapter for a different car phone.

You’ve given some of these before, but here are the links to info about the car phone project:

• GitHub repository — technical designs/explanation, diagrams, source code, basically everything you would need to reproduce my Bluetooth adapter, but it’s not a simple DIY project, though it is free for personal, non-commercial use.
• Electro-Tech-Online forum thread — full history of progress on my Bluetooth adapter.
• Information about the 3000GT factory car-phone accessory.
• My Youtube channel has many videos of my car-phone project at various stages of development, in addition to the main recent video that gives a full tour/demo of the functioning car phone system. This is more of a convenient repository for videos that I share with friends, on forums, in Facebook groups, etc. I didn’t put any effort into “appealing to the masses.” I was quite surprised when media outlets started publishing articles about my recent video.
• I recently created a TikTok account where I have been posting mostly shorter and more focused demonstrations of specific features that are maybe more appealing to short attention spans.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

***

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The post Piston Slap: New tricks for an old car phone (Part V) appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The Japanese car market is hands down the most interesting part of the collector car world at the moment. As an emerging segment, it’s more unpredictable, the rules are more fluid, and it skews far younger than the rest of the collector car market. All of this makes perfect sense given the fact that we’re talking about cars which as little as ten years ago weren’t on the radar of most traditional (read: older) collectors. But the people who grew up playing Gran Turismo and devouring the latest installment of the Fast & Furious franchise knew better, and taught the rest of the market a thing or two about what’s cool.

I’m hesitant to refer to it as the Japanese car market since that makes it sound far more monolithic than it actually is. In reality, it’s extremely diffuse, and a bit confusing, particularly for outsiders looking in. And frankly, although I’ve owned every flavor of early Z-car, I still fall into that category. Nevertheless, I can parse the market into some distinct categories and share some current trends.

Japanese Royalty

The established royalty of the Japanese car world consists of cars like the Toyota 2000GT, Mazda Cosmo, the Nissan Fairlady Z432, and early Skyline 2000 GT-Rs. The highest-spec, post-1970s Skylines, the Zanardi Edition Acura NSX, and the best of the MK IV Supra Twin Turbos, Subaru/Prodrive WRXs, and the Acura Integra Type R are probably destined for this group as well.

The 1960s and 1970s cars in this category represent the most stable part of the market. That makes sense, since these were the first cars to really take off and they’ve had ample time to find their buyers and evangelists. The established royalty seem fully priced at the moment, while the ’90s and newer cars seem to have no immediate ceiling, at least in the case of low-mileage, unmodified cars. Because of the demographic they appeal to, their best days are clearly in front of them.

U.S. Market Blue-Chippers

After the royalty, the bluest of the blue chip Japanese cars that were commercially available in the U.S. when new consist of the following: 1967 Datsun 2000 Fairlady Roadster, the Honda S600/800, the Datsun 240Z, the Z32 generation Nissan 300ZX Turbo, the Honda S2000 Club Racer, The third-generation (FD) Mazda RX-7, the second-generation (GD/GG) Subaru WRX, and the first-generation Acura NSX. R-Package NA Miatas should probably be thought of as near blue-chippers at this point, too. Though the Datsun/Nissan Z cars have seen values slip recently, most of the above are still at least modestly on the uptick, and all still have a significant upside.

The only impediment to collecting and enjoying these cars is parts support, which tends to lag behind other imported collectible cars, particularly those from BMW and Porsche.  Bargains are few and far between among the blue-chippers, but you don’t have to move that far down market to find some nearly equally interesting cars.  Either generation of Nissan 240SX (assuming you can find an unmodified one), and first-generation RX-7s seem like good deals. The RX-7 really was the spiritual successor to the 240/260/280Z and the price delta between the two cars just seems too wide at this point. Chalk it off to the usual rotary scare stories that seem effective in frightening people off.

Freakishly Low Mileage Examples of “Disposable” Cars

Most Japanese cars of the 1960s through the 1990s were simply low-cost (albeit high-quality) transportation and they were used as such, often racking up lunar miles in the process of being driven into the ground. While mechanically nearly bulletproof, cars that found homes outside of the West Coast usually saw their sheet metal dissolve after a few harsh, salty winters. Thus, the survival rate of once-numerous, fairly ordinary cars like first-generation Civics, Corollas and Accords is miniscule. Those that have survived tend to be street-parked, 300,000-mile-plus Los Angeles cars that evaded cash for clunkers and are still somehow able to pass smog.

With that, it’s no surprise that clean, low-mileage examples can bring eye-popping money via online auctions.  Need proof? A minty 32,000-mile California 1979 Honda Civic CVCC (with a two-speed automatic no less) sold on Bring a Trailer last year for $36,225 after fees. Simply have to have the best early Corolla out there?  A ’74 SR-5 Coupe with 29,000 miles drove bidders crazy recently on the same online auction site. This one was a five-speed manual, and predictably, also from Southern California. It made $37,275 after fees. Sales of low-mileage freaks are great fun to watch—who doesn’t like time-capsule early Japanese cars? In these kinds of sales, there’s just no telling whether a given car will set a record or fly under the radar. Cars sell for what they sell for, and each one represents a very limited opportunity—as many observers have noted, there may well be more Ferrari 250 GTOs extant than concours-condition early Civics.

Recently-Legal JDM

The car that’s captured the spotlight over the last couple years as the Japanese domestic market car to have is the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R. The Nürburgring-bred R34 pushed the era’s boundaries for tech and performance, with some variants capable of sub-eight-minute Nordschleife times. American fans of the R34, and there are many, have been drooling over the few Show or Display cars that have made it here, and are counting the days until the 25-year rule kicks in.

The entry point for a Show or Display R34 GT-R, landed in the States with appropriate papers and customs clearances, starts around $200,000. While some speculate prices may come down as supply increases with more model years becoming legal, I wouldn’t count on it. This car is enjoying more than just a moment in the sun—it’s an icon that is now getting its due. I’m not sure the private import pipeline has the bandwidth to satisfy the truly voracious demand any time soon any more than the other side of the globe can satisfy Americans’ love for vintage left-hand-drive Land Rover Defenders.

It’s not just the GT-R dominating Japanese import headlines. The Mitsubishi Pajero Evo, a homologation sport utility special famous for Dakar Rally dominance, has recently reached 25 years of age and is making a splash in the U.S. market. The Pajero ticks a lot of boxes: it’s relatively rare at around 2500 units produced, its proportions, air scoops, and aero ooze personality, and sport utilities are now firmly a fixture in the collector world. We’ve noted three recent online auction sales of clean Pajeros for around $50,000, and we fully expect interest, and prices, to continue to grow.

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Via Insider

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Jeff writes:

I came across your article that refers to my custom car phone+Bluetooth adapter project, and I just wanted to let you know that I made some major progress since you wrote about it! I finally got the OEM “hands-free controller unit” working for my car, and built a new prototype that makes the original car phone system fully functional again, complete with OEM hands-free integration with the stock radio, and the addition of modern voice dialing/commands.

And here’s an article on Hackaday.com that gives a good overview, too. Just thought you’d find it interesting. Let me know if you have any questions.

Sajeev answers:

(heavy breathing)

(falls off chair) 

(regains composure) 

I don’t know what’s more awesome for me, the fact that you made this magnificent creation or that you wrote into Piston Slap to share your latest update with my readers. No matter, the end result in your 3000GT is so close to perfection that I no longer miss the departure of the analog cellular network. The sheer volume of old phone functionality that remained with Bluetooth integration is mind blowing, not to mention all the perks of having a smart phone connected to your vehicle’s audio system!

Let me say it again: the end result of your Bluetooth integration is absolutely amazing. WOW. I guess the first thing I’d like to know is your thoughts around making a more universal Bluetooth adapter, and would you consider selling them to others?

Jeff writes:

I currently have no plans to make these adapters, but here is some more context on that:

1. Just physically building the prototype was extremely tedious. It took me about 30-40 hours to build it, test it, and find/fix the mistakes I made (so many soldered connections, many opportunities for mistakes). So simply building more of these prototypes to sell is not practical, as the price would have to be in the thousands of dollars to make it worth the loss of my free time.
2. My adapter works only with this one model of car phone (and one other known functionally identical model from Mitsubishi), because of how it directly interfaces with the handset and transceiver. So the market potential is extremely limited. I know of a handful of people that have this phone (without hands-free components) and would probably buy an adapter if I reproduced it. But it’s not worth the investment to “productionize” this adapter to sell only 10 of them.
3. Selling adapters for other car phone designs requires going through the whole process again (obtain one of those phones, reverse-engineer it, develop different custom hardware and software to interface with that model of phone). I have not seen any evidence yet that there is any one particularly popular model of car phone with enough market potential to be profitable. Well, profitable for me to invest many hundreds of hours into developing another prototype, then an unknown amount of time and money into putting it into production.
4. The most reasonable possibility is that I may decide that I want to refine my adapter for my own personal enjoyment, and learning how to design PCBs, 3D modeling (for a 3D-printed enclosure), etc. If that happens there could be a point where it would be fairly easy to reproduce more, then I would consider selling them.

Sajeev replies:

I’d like to think that Motorola underpinned a lot of vintage USA car phones from the 1990s with the same engineering as its MicroTAC I and II as a foundation. If so, that would make scaling up your production a bit easier and open up the floodgates to would-be buyers in their GM, Ford, and Chrysler products.  But then again, that’s a big if.

And thinking out loud is just that, as I clearly put very little thought into this notion. No matter, we aren’t done with Jeff just yet. Stick around for next week’s Piston Slap, as we will have the rest of this conversation for your reading pleasure.

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.

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Automotive history is littered with “almosts”—cars that had the tools for success but nevertheless fell short. Despite the proper performance, design, and styling chops needed to turn heads and win over hearts, circumstances conspired against them. When thinking back fondly on their respective eras, we instead remember their peers.

The 1980s are full of such motoring melancholia. It was a decade of transition. Manufacturers shook off the shackles of late-’70s malaise and embraced exciting new technologies like turbocharging, electronic fuel injection, and computerized vehicle controls. Japan was a hub for much of this technological innovation, leading to beloved sports cars like the Mazda RX-7 Turbo II and Honda Prelude Si (with four-wheel steering).

With so many brands rolling so many different dice, it was clear that not every intriguing new avenue was going to pay off, regardless of how much money or effort was invested. Here’s a closer look at three might-have-been sports car contenders that never quite achieved the same respected status.

Mitsubishi Starion / Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest

Mitsubishi was on the leading edge of the Japanese sports car craze at the beginning of the 1980s, and the Starion was its primary weapon. The car arrived on the scene just after the turbocharged edition of the Nissan Z and the rotary-powered Mazda RX-7, joining other newcomers like the Toyota Celica Supra. (A major European interloper in this space was the Porsche 944.)

At first blush, the Starion had all the right ingredients. Its sleek hatchback shape concealed an enormous (for a four-cylinder) 2.6-liter engine under the hood, turbocharged to produce 145 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of twist in base spec.

That went up to 178 horses and 223 lb-ft when the ESI-R edition appeared at the decade’s mid-mark. This wide-body version of the Starion offered additional visual punch to go with its turbocharged muscle. By the time the model had run its course in 1989, the intercooled ESI-R (or TSI in Chrysler Conquest parlance) was pushing out over 190 horsepower, managed by a limited-slip rear differential, stopped by four-wheel disc brakes, and controlled via a fully independent suspension at all four corners.

Today, the Starion is a cult car appreciated most by Mitsubishi fans. It does not enjoy the same mainstream recognition lavished on more celebrated contemporaries like the rotary-powered Mazda RX-7, which despite its stranger powertrain rode on a stick axle for the early part of the decade.

Let’s consider two primary reasons why the Starion is still being overlooked by today’s collectors. For one, both the Starion and its badge-engineered Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Conquest twins (collectively known as Starquests) were swept from the market in 1989 after only a single generation of production. That disappearance before the turn of the decade meant the Starion missed out on cementing its reputation during the JDM boom of the 1990s, an era that burnished the reputations of its Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda contemporaries. Second, Mitsubishi never again offered a rear-wheel-drive sports car in North America. It chose instead to focus on its Diamond Star Motors (DSM) partnership with Chrysler that yielded turbocharged high-end all-wheel drive and entry-level front-wheel drive sports cars, like the 3000GT VR-4 and Eclipse GS-T respectively.

Mitsubishi’s dealer network was also nowhere near the same size as those of Toyota, Nissan, or even pint-size Mazda, each of which had a head start on Mitsubishi establishing roots in the United States. Although its partnership with Chrysler for the latter half of its production helped boost sales, even in its best year the Starion/Conquest twins couldn’t touch half of the volume Mazda was claiming with the fairly niche RX-7.

For a long time, rare did not mean desirable for classic J-tin fans. The Starion’s fortunes might be changing, however; a 1989 Starion ESI-R in #3 (Good) condition is now worth $20,900 on average, which is up a whopping 80 percent compared to this time last year. That’s just a smidge above the #3-condition value for the RX-7 Turbo, at $20,500.

Subaru XT

Subaru’s entry into the ’80s sports car sweepstakes was considerably weirder than what Mitsubishi had to offer. Introduced in 1985, the Subaru XT marked a number of firsts for a baby brand still finding its footing in North America. Its aggressive wedge shape looked like nothing else in a showroom filled with sensible wagons and sturdy hatchbacks, and Subaru was quick to boast that the XT’s collection of deflectors, spoilers, and skirts made it the most aerodynamic car on the market at the time.

Open the door and you’d see the coupe’s pistol-grip steering wheel layout and digital dashboard were light years away from the GL and the Brat’s more basic interior. Height-adjustable suspension and a four-wheel drive system were in the mix, too, with high end models featuring an electronically-activated part-time setup that no other Japanese coupe could match at the time.

Under the hood was more of a mixed bag. Base models were saddled with a sub-100 horsepower four-cylinder engine hastily grabbed from the parts bin, and even the XT Turbo, with its 140 lb-ft of torque and 110 horsepower, was at risk of being left behind at stop lights by such sporting luminaries as Chrysler’s Voyager SE Turbo minivan.

Sensing how out of step the XT’s performance was with its extroverted looks, Subaru eventually gave the XT a 2.7-liter flat-six engine that improved output to 145 horsepower and just over 150 lb-ft of torque (while also introducing the option of full-time all-wheel drive).

Chances are you’ve never seen a Subaru XT in the metal. Fewer than 8000 examples were built from 1985 to 1991 (with the 1990 model year inexplicably skipped by the brand’s North American division), which makes it the rarest model on the list. So why did Subaru buyers stay away from the XT?

It’s instructive to look at Subaru’s buyer market when the XT arrived on American shores. The coupe’s doorstopper shape landed on the brand’s sensible, value-conscious customer base like an alien ship at the local farmer’s market, perhaps causing more consternation than fascination. (Subaru would immediately make the same mistake again with the SVX coupe’s upmarket attempt in the early ’90s).

Well before the rally craze of the 1990s, Subaru had at this point zero reputation in international motorsports to latch onto, nor had it ever sold a performance car in the United States. The XT was completely untethered from any potential springboard to respectability with customers outside its sphere of influence. Combine all of that with a botched launch, by the time the XT6 arrived in ’88 the chance to straddle the sports car/grand touring line (like the Supra or the 300ZX) came and went before the XT6 could make a dent.

Even today, the XT has no ties to the rallying reputation Subaru eventually built, and its part-time four-wheel drive and adjustable suspension may seem to some more of a liability than a bonus after four decades. Forever outside looking in, the XT occupies an abandoned branch of the Subaru family tree that even brand evangelists haven’t tended to. The best examples in the world are worth $13,500 on average, but#4-condition (Fair) examples are worth just $1600.

Nissan 200SX

The AE86 Toyota Corolla has become the default image for Japanese sports car fans picturing affordable 1980s fun. Aided and abetted by a starring role in a certain tofu shop delivery manga and anime series, the Corolla far outshines its near-identical contemporary rival, the Nissan 200SX. Also known as the S12 Silvia, this rear-wheel-drive, pop-up headlight coupe-and-hatchback combo had all the same moves as its Corolla antagonist when it arrived in 1984; yet in 2023 it’s more likely to be misidentified at a distance as a Toyota than celebrated as an equally fun-to-drive Nissan.

Like the AE86, the 200SX started out with four cylinders under the hood, but it one-upped its Toyota competition by supplementing its 105 horsepower base motor with a turbocharged, 1.8-liter unit that was good for 120 horses (4 more than the high-revving Corolla GT-S). By 1987 the AE86 was history, but the 200SX soldiered forward with even more muscle, snagging the 3.0-liter V-6 from the base 300ZX and lobbing a 160-horsepower hand grenade into the sport compact performance scene.

Still, the fact that the S12 Silvia both outgunned and outlasted the AE86 Corolla didn’t matter. After 1989 the 200SX was gone, and in its place arrived the Silvia that everyone remembers: the S13. Sold as the 240SX in the U.S., the larger, long-hooded coupe finished off the thunder theft that the AE86 started, and the 200SX’s name was rarely spoken again.

There is an argument to be made that Nissan’s focus on the Z is part of the reason the spotlight shone less on the 200SX. A company selling the same V-6 engine in both a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive hatchback and a much more expensive, sporty GT car would have a hard time convincing buyers to pay more for the more expensive car on the other side of the showroom. This wasn’t a problem in Toyota showrooms, where the Supra was so clearly differentiated from the AE86.

The next-generation Silvia, the S13, arrived in America entirely absent the turbocharged fury with which it prowled Japanese streets. The S13-gen 240SX was outfitted with the KA24DE truck motor—a four-cylinder that never crested 155 horsepower even when it was carried over into the next-generation S14 in 1995. Though some blame high insurance rates for anything with a turbocharger, it’s easy to imagine Nissan being concerned about a turbo S13 Silvia sapping ZX sales, which were a tidy profit center in the U.S. market. Naturally, fans of the S13 and the S14 on our shores engaged in judicious JDM engine swapping to unlock the performance potential of the 240SX platform, helping elevate the Silvia to its current drift royalty status.

The 200SX got neither the AE86’s pop culture cred nor did it enjoy the aftermarket attention showered on its 240SX successor. Until some copyright-avoiding media powerhouse reboots an alternate-reality edition of Initial D and calls on the Nissan to assume the starring role, it’s unlikely to ever reach a similar level of collector significance.

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You think the blood is baddest between Ford and Chevy folks? Wait until you catch a forum fracas between the Subaru squad and the Mitsubishi militia. Ever since the two Japanese automakers first locked turbos back in the early 1990s, it’s been an endless game of tribal Top Trumps between Subaru’s WRX STI and Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution. Of course, now that they aren’t duking it out in the World Rally Championship, the winner between the two is more open to interpretation—but what does our valuation data say?

While the first JDM Evo landed in 1992 and the first WRX STI in 1994, American enthusiasts had to wait about a decade for each to officially arrive on our shores. For the purposes of this value showdown, we’re comparing the 2004–2006 WRX STI, a range covering two distinct sub-generations known colloquially as “Blob-eye” (2004–2005) and “Hawk-eye” (2006–2007). The Mitsu Lancer Evo beat the STI to the punch with its USDM arrival for the 2003 model year, so we’re tracking the first two generations of Yankee Evos between 2003 and 2006, a span covering the Evo VIII (2003–2005) and the Evo IX (2006).

Both the Evo and the STI have benefited immensely from the ongoing value surge in the Japanese collector car market. Since the STI’s induction into our Price Guide in 2016, Condition #2 (Excellent) 2004–2007 STIs have grown 88 percent from $21,9220 to $41,320 as of this writing. As is the case with most collector cars, the pandemic market madness was a boon for the first USDM STI, which has enjoyed a 22 percent boost since January 2020. Even during the market’s ongoing cool-down lap, values for excellent condition examples are up 12 percent in the last year.

The Evo’s trajectory tells a similar story. Values of Evo VIIIs in equitable Condition #2 are up 82 percent since 2016, from $18,783 to today’s $34,317. Zoom in, and Evo VIIIs are up 40 percent since Jan. 2020. The subsequent Evo IX breaks away with a Condition #2 value increase from $23,925 to $57,800 at the time of this writing—a whopping 141 percent boost since 2016. The Evo IX gained the most from the superheated market, enjoying a 97 percent slingshot since Jan. 2020.

There are a few threads to tug on here. First, it looks like the STI appreciated better early on than equivalent Evos, rising 54 percent between September 2016 and January 2020. In the same timeframe, the Evo VIII jumped 30 percent, while the Evo IX finished last at 27 percent—a nonetheless strong number. But pay close attention to the Evo IX; it is easily the most valuable of the three in today’s market ($43,475), outstripping the average values of both the STI ($34,950) and the VIII ($29,791).

We have a few theories explaining the STI’s staying power and the Evo IX’s meteoric rise. First, the final Lancer Evo dipped out for the 2015 model year, while the STI stuck around until 2021, at which point Subaru announced the current-gen (VB) WRX will not spawn a hotter STI variant for the foreseeable future. Subaru had longer to cultivate and grow its fanbase, while Mitsubishi’s enthusiast catalog ended the minute the final Evo was sold.

Age demographics among quotes sought for the Subaru are also noticeably broader than those for the Mitsus. According to our data, Millennials make up 45 percent of quotes for the STI, with 21 percent from Gen-X, 24 percent from Gen-Z, and nine percent from Boomers. Compare this to the Evo VIII, where 60 percent of quotes come from millennials and only 13 percent from Gen-X, and 16 percent from Gen-Z. Curiously, the Evo VIII attracts the same interest from Boomers, with nine percent.

Again, the Evo IX is a stand-out. Millennials make up the majority of the quotes at 74 percent, with the remaining split evenly between Gen-X and Gen-Z. Boomers show negligible interest in the Evo IX, making this the “youngest” of the three cars in question.

So what’s the deal with the Evo IX? Snoop around Evo forums, and you’ll find the IX is considered a stronger, quicker, and more capable, ah, evolution of the VIII. The IX strengthened certain areas of the powertrain and added variable valve timing, and is the one to get if you’re keeping mods light.

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Vintage Air gives the 1964.5–66 Mustang cable-free climate control

Intake: Vintage Air released a new heating and air conditioning system for the first two years of the first generation Mustang (or 2.5 years, because the  Mustang’s first generation technically spans from 1964.5–1966) sporting their fifth generation of HVAC technology. They claim the quality is on par with the latest from the automakers, highlighting a  microprocessor-controlled system that eliminates vacuum lines and cable actuation. But just as before, all of Vintage Air’s upgrades are behind the scenes, even the factory in-dash three-lever control panel can be used with this retrofit.

Exhaust: Vintage Air has been at the forefront of HVAC upgrades for classic cars, to the point they were trusted to make the system installed in the 2005–06 Ford GT supercar. The factory-like fitting ensures owners associate the Vintage Air brand as they would a GM Performance crate motor, Wilwood brakes, or an Art Morrison frame. But it’s even nicer to see they aren’t resting on their laurels, instead, they are making cables and vacuum lines a thing of the past. — Sajeev Mehta

Rolex 24-winning Acura penalized for tire pressure infringement

Intake: This is what I wrote on January 30 about the Meyer-Shank Racing’s Acura after its victory in the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona: ”The major marvel of the race was the Meyer Shank Acura, which was able to better launch off the corners than the competition. All race long, the pole-sitting Acura seemed to be able to pass the competition at will.” Now we know how why: They were cheating. Before each race begins, Michelin and IMSA set a minimum tire pressure that is good for safety and longevity. Lower the tire pressure from that and the car may perform better. Apparently, Meyer Shank engineered a way to make the tire pressures look higher on the telemetry, while actually running lower pressures on the cars.

Exhaust:  The discovery was made by Honda Performance Development, and passed on to IMSA, which launched an investigation. Meyer-Shank was allowed to keep the win, the Rolex watches and the trophy, but was penalized 200 of its 350 WeatherTech Championship points, plus all points from the Michelin Endurance Cup, plus the loss of race prize money. They were also fined $50,000. Additionally, a team race engineer had to turn over his IMSA credential and was placed on indefinite suspension. Too light? Maybe. But it’s clear IMSA takes this sort of rule-circumventing seriously. — Steven Cole Smith

Nissan Ariyas recalled for loose steering wheel

Intake: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling for a recall of 1063 electric Nissan Ariyas over an issue involving a loose steering wheel that, in two cases, came off. This follows by a day a similar recall for some Tesla models for the same reason. In the case of the Nissans, both the affected vehicles had an “end-of-line repair” that required removing and re-installing the steering wheel, which apparently was done improperly.

Exhaust: According to NHTSA’s letter to owners, “A steering wheel with a loose or missing bolt can detach from the steering column, causing a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport and immediate repair if the steering wheel feels loose when gently rocking the wheel forward and back with their hands. Dealers will replace the steering wheel bolt, free of charge.” —SCS

GM offering buyouts to most U.S.-based salaried workers

Intake: Associated Press is reporting that General Motors “is offering buyouts to most of its U.S.-based salaried workforce and some global executives in an effort to trim costs as it makes the transition to electric vehicles.” GM has about 58,000 salaried workers, and the buyouts should help the company meet its goal of $2 billion in cost cuts by the end of 2024. The company says the offers also are designed to avoid any possible firings at a later date. CEO Mary Barra told analysts in January that GM wasn’t planning for any layoffs.

Exhaust: According to AP, offers will go to white-collar workers with at least five years of service, and global executives who have been with the company for at least two years. On the bright side, it could free up some good executives for careers with start-ups that need workers with a solid automotive background. — SCS

On this day in 2013, the McLaren P1 lit up Geneva

Intake: Ten years ago the mighty McLaren P1 was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show. Conceived by McLaren to be “the best driver’s car in the world on both road and track,” it would become one of the so-called Holy Trinity of hybrid hypercars, alongside the Porsche 918 Spyder and LaFerrari. In McLaren’s case, the car’s 747-hp 3.8-liter twin-turbo M838TQ V-8 engine was enhanced with an electric motor adding a further 179 hp for a grand total of 903 horsepower—and all of it was sent to the rear wheels. The $1.3M P1 would reach 62 mph from rest in 2.8 seconds, hit 124 mph in 6.8, and 186 mph in 16.5, which was a full five seconds faster than the McLaren F1. Designed around a carbon MonoCage structure fitted with carbon body panels, McLaren was on a mission to minimize mass, so there was no carpet inside, the glass was just a tenth of an inch thick in places, and the exhaust was made from Inconel. The P1 featured active aerodynamics, including a Formula 1-style DRS system, adjustable suspension, and was fitted with carbon ceramic disc brakes that could halt the car from 62 mph in less than 100 feet. McLaren says the P1 was driven more than 385,000 miles during its test program, but the 375 examples that were sold out immediately have probably not got anywhere close to that mileage, even if you added them all together.

Exhaust: The P1 hasn’t turned out to be quite the investor vehicle that its F1 predecessor became, as in a decade the P1’s value has increased by around half a million dollars, according to Hagerty’s valuation experts. What’s more, it’s taken only those ten years for the P1’s performance to be matched by the Artura for less than a quarter of the price. Still, on the 10th birthday of this landmark car, we tip our hats to the mad folks from Woking. — Nik Berg

Mitsubishi pumps more than $10 billion into EVs and hybrids

Intake: Remember Mitsubishi Motors? The company that once produced fan favorites such as the Lancer Evolution, the Montero, and the Eclipse (the car, not that crossover thing) has faded from popularity recently, but according to a new report from Automotive News, Mitsubishi is looking to rebound in a big way as the world turns an eye to an electric future. The Japanese automaker announced that it will pour more than $10 billion into electrified vehicles and battery production in the coming years. It’s aiming for key markets like North America and plans to lean on help from Nissan and Renault to make quick strides. The new corporate roadmap, unveiled by CEO Takao Kato this morning, includes several electrification targets aimed at the turn of the decade, but it also included more immediate milestones such as 1.1 million global sales by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. That’s a hefty increase from this year, in which the company expects global sales to reach just 866,000 units. The investment will precipitate nine new electrified models—a mix of pure EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids—over the next five years. Among the electrified vehicles previewed during the announcement were a full-electric truck, a two-row electric SUV, and more.

Exhaust: That 1.1-million-unit goal still doesn’t build back to Mitsubishi Motor Corp.’s pre-pandemic worldwide volume of 1.127 million vehicles, but it’s a step in the right direction. We’d love to see a smaller electric truck here in the states. It could potentially use some of the underpinnings from Nissan for the project, should that automaker follow through with what dealers have been asking for, as we reported earlier this year. — Nathan Petroelje

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A 1998 Mitsubishi Evolution sold on Cars and Bids in late January for $51,205, a sale that appears to be a record at public auction—but that’s not saying much. We’ll get to that.

But damn, doesn’t that seem conspicuously cheap for a real-deal JDM homologation rally special? It’s dead-center in the Venn-diagram of three market segments—Japanese collector cars, SUVs, and homologation specials—that already went supernova during the past three years. You’d think with market bona fides like that, you wouldn’t be able to source a clean Pajero Evo for less than the six-figure watermark. Again, we’ve got some theories.

We might have to start with the Pajero sub-brand itself. The globally-popular Pajero was Mitsubishi’s take on the full-size SUV that offered a rugged, utilitarian 4×4 toolkit against the Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, and Land Rover Defender, to a lesser extent. Though not quite as popular as the inimitable Toyota, the Pajero proved a complete success for Mitsubishi, selling a whopping 3.3 million units over four generations and 40 years of production.

Despite all those Pajeros roaming around the rest of the world, the nameplate has little notoriety in the U.S. Residents of Burgerland might be more familiar with the Mitsubishi Montero, the Americanized version of the global Pajero. Well, while the Montero was shuttling the kiddos to school and making the incredibly treacherous climb up the slightly damp ramp at the mall parking garage, the Pajero was blasting over dunes and splashing through water crossings in the brutal Dakar Rally, right from the first model year in 1982.

Mitsubishi didn’t participate half-heartedly in the Dakar, either. The Pajero has 12 first place wins out of 41 podium finishes in the infamously challenging long-distance rally raid event—more than any other production SUV in history. It also has more seconds and thirds in the rally than any other vehicle in its class, and it swept the podium five times.

In 1997, Mitsu set its sights on the Dakar’s “T2” category for “Cross-Country Series Production Vehicles,” or upfitted versions of workaday production cars and trucks you could nab at your local dealer. Of course, the governing body behind the event implemented standard homologation rules to prevent automakers from showing up in battle-ready prototype raid-weapons that had nothing to do with their production counterparts. If you wanted to field something in Dakar’s T2, you had to legitimately offer it for public consumption.

Fans of Group A and Group B know how this story goes. Like the Porsche 959, BMW E30 M3, Lancia Delta Integrale, and Ford RS200, the resultant Pajero Evo—or PajEvo—was more of a cheesed compliance special edition rather than a full-scale production sales superstar. Most sources pin total production of the PajEvo at 2500 units produced between 1997 and 1999, none of which made landfall in the U.S. at the time.

Like all the homologation greats, the PajEvo is a significant departure from its vanilla source material. The styling-by-steroids is likely the first thing you’ll notice, and make sure you get a real close look; focus on the rear potion of the roofline, specifically on those aerodynamic wing extensions large enough to cast shade on the rear window. Wider track and wider tires mean that ridiculously swollen bodywork ain’t just for show, either.

Gone is the Pajero’s standard front torsion bar- and rear stick-axle layout, replaced with the Evo’s full independent suspension, including revised springs and shocks controlling the motion of double wishbones in the front and a multi-link setup in the back. 276 hp and 257 lb-ft from the familiar 6G74 3.5-liter V-6 routes through triple differentials, with Torsens in the front and back along with a standard selectable center diff. Rounding out this package is a charcuterie of cool goodies like beefy under-chassis armor and some slick bespoke Recaro seats to keep you snug during extended silt drifts.

Use-case is where the PajEvo might struggle to gain as much market traction as its little Lancer siblings. Outside of some brave souls who will use their new super-SUV as intended, the most realistic scenario for this is Cars and Coffee cruiser and, for the rattier ones, an occasional desert blast. Couple this to a lack of recognition of both the Pajero nameplate and the Dakar Rally with the majority of U.S. enthusiasts, and we’re not yet sure what to expect of the PajEvo market.

It seems the market itself isn’t sure yet, either. Bring a Trailer sold a 76,000-mile example for $50,413 in January, followed quickly thereafter by a $33,912 sale of a 124,000-mile PajEvo. Then, this week saw a no-sale of a Pajero Evo with rare five-speed manual transmission at $36,500. “The market is figuring out what they are worth. That said, I wouldn’t say that prices are all over the place,” explained Hagerty Data Analyst Adam Wilcox. “Most are insured between $40,000 and $65,000, and this range is is where they typically sell.”

Mirroring the relative affordability of classic Monteros, Wilcox also thinks the SUV’s lineage might limit the market. “It’s an amazing truck, but likely doesn’t have as wide of an appeal because of the marque. I think if this was made by Toyota—which has seen incredible value growth in its Land Cruiser range—this would be a $100K truck.”

The Cars and Bids’ PajEvo you see here proved it doesn’t have to be bone stock to attract big attention and big bids. Unlike the stock trucks up for sale on BaT, this 63,300-mile 1998 PajEvo wore 16-inch rally-ready OZ Racing wheels, painted tow-hooks, mud flaps, rain guards on the windows, a ladder mounted on the rear door, upgraded exhaust, and updated tech that includes touchscreen infotainment and an aftermarket rear-view camera.

Realistically, we just need to give it time. 2022 was the first year in which you could legally import a PajEvo thanks to the 25-year import law, so American enthusiasts are still figuring out how much these insane little trucks are worth. Especially given the increased popularity of collector SUVs, we don’t expect it to remain at the $50,000 waterline for long.

We’ll be surprised if we don’t see the cleanest PajEvos creep up toward—but maybe not across—the six-figure barrier. Until then, we’ll keep an eye on this developing market.

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Via Hagerty Insider

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As the big January auctions kick off in Kissimmee, Florida, the general take on the collector car market is that the buying fever of early 2022 has receded, owing largely to inflation. Yet our latest Hagerty Price Guide, which updates values quarterly for more than 40,000 vehicle configurations, again makes clear that such generalizations don’t always tell the full story.

It’s true the latest guide, based on all the sales data we pored over from the fourth quarter of last year, broadly confirms that appreciation slowed and in some cases retreated. But we also noticed plenty of other cars picking up steam, particularly in the affordable part of the market.

We’re talking really affordable vehicles—stuff that not long ago could be had for pocket change. Even with the gains in this guide, most remain solidly within reach for most enthusiasts.

To some extent, this uptick is likely a trailing effect of the appreciation we saw last year, not to mention general inflation. Just as a cash-strapped grocery shopper might swap in a store-brand ketchup when the price of Heinz gets too high, so might enthusiasts who have been priced out of their favorite classics look seriously at cars they previously hadn’t considered. These gains also show that even in the face of economic headwinds, overall interest in buying classic cars remains very strong.

1981–1994 Maserati Biturbo +45 percent

Mention the Biturbo and two images likely come to mind. One is the segment of Top Gear in which Jeremy Clarkson drops a dumpster on one to drive home his distaste of the car. The second is the stack of crippling repair bills associated with its questionable reliability. Despite the ill will that surrounds these cars, prices rose by 45 percent. All joking aside, due to the reputation around the Biturbo, any increases are noteworthy.

That said, a 45 percent increase on a dirt-cheap car still makes for a dirt-cheap car. Well, maybe organically composted topsoil cheap rather than simply plain dirt. A questionable Biturbo will still cost well under $10,000 and the cost to put it right will probably still cost several thousand additional, but a good car with no issues and meticulous service records is well into the $20,000 range.

If you’re expecting the Biturbo to hit it big, however, curb your enthusiasm. Our take is that these cars are simply now catching up with the rest of the market.

1987–1989 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R/Chrysler Conquest TSi +43 percent

Relative to the nutty market for 1990s Z-cars, Supras, and Skylines, Japanese sports cars from the 1980s has remained relatively calm. In particular, we’ve wondered why more collectors haven’t taken note of the Mitsubishi Starion and sister car, the Chrysler Conquest.

These cars scream 1980s and the ESI-R and TSi models (Mitsubishi and Chrysler, respectively) could be had with a wide body and a turbocharged engine. Their relative affordability probably has a lot to do with the popularity of other, more recognized Mitsubishi products like the 3000GT and Lancer Evolution. Top-tier trims like the wide body ERI-R are in the $20,000 range; a true unicorn car that’s been virtually unused since new might crack the $40,000 range, but that’s more an exception than the rule.

Of course, many of those other Japanese cars have climbed out of reach, so many enthusiasts are starting to shift their gaze to lesser-known substitutes. As with the Maserati above, it is likely that the increase here is more related to catching up with the market rather than the potential for sustained, rapid growth.

1973–1976 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna Type S-3 +40 percent

One of the segments that caught our attention in 2022 was so-called “malaise-era muscle.” Considering the general lack of support for aftermarket restoration parts and low performance of the mid-1970s, it comes as no surprise that cars from this era have been sitting at a discount when compared to other eras. That outlook may be slowly changing.

While we may be quite a ways from these cars being truly “expensive,” we’ve observed notable activity in more “sporty” models, particularly GM A-Body based vehicles like the Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds or the Pontiac Grand Am and Can Am. Chevrolet has been relatively stable until lately, when we observed that the Chevelle-based Laguna has started to gain attention.

Fans of the Laguna will be quick to point out its immense success in NASCAR competition. Its aerodynamics made it hard to beat on the circuit, with Cale Yarborough posting an impressive 34 of his 87 victories behind the wheel of a Laguna. The old adage of “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” translated very well to the Laguna, with the package accounting for 6 percent of Chevelle sales. While they were not uncommon in the 1970s, attrition and lack of restoration support has made them pretty scarce today.

A 40 percent increase on the Laguna indicates enthusiasts are quite interested in the finding those survivors. Again, keep in mind we’re talking about large percentage gains on small numbers: A Laguna in #2 (Excellent) condition can still be had for $30,000, and merely good ones go for closer to $20,000. When you consider the NASCAR connection, it’s a surprise they aren’t worth more. Maybe it’s time to take another look at the Laguna. Go on, do it for Cale.

1981–1993 Volvo 240 +38 percent

So far, the cars on our list have become more expensive largely as a consequence of something else becoming more even more expensive. The story is different with the Volvo 240. These are solid, widely admired cars with plenty of support and a reputation of going forever. Data from the insurance side of our business show there is widespread interest in these cars from collectors of all ages, from baby boomers to Gen-Zers.

These factors led us to call out the Volvo 240 as a vehicle with high potential for growth in the 2022 Bull Market List. We didn’t expect to be proven right so quickly—they gained an impressive 71 percent in 2022, with 38 percent growth in the fourth quarter alone. Again, we’re talking about a car with a pretty low starting point, so the dollar gains are not eye watering. You can still pick up a scruffy 240 for the monetary value of your pocket lint, but pristine models can set you back into the $30,000 range.

1991–1996 Chevrolet Caprice +36 percent

It’s big, it’s bulbous, and it’s getting attention. That’s right, we’re talking about the ’91–96 Caprice. While its sportier Impala SS sibling has been on collectors’ radar for a while, the Caprice has remained in the space between used car and fully accepted collector. Winding back to the 1990s, these cars were literally everywhere from family cars, to fleet vehicles in the form of taxis and police cruisers.

So why are these cars going up in value all of a sudden? We have a few theories. First, the Impala SS is no longer a cheap car. Second, whereas the SS sports a cleaner look than its more pedestrian stablemates, few people in today’s world are buying these cars for their performance—why not look at the base car? Last but not least, there’s the magical effect of time and nostalgia. Now that these cars are all more than 25 years old and are no longer common, the general public is accepting them as collectible. Whatever the reason, we may be witnessing a resurgence of interest in the last of the land yachts.

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At 25 years old, the cars that America has been denied come of age. Under federal DOT rules, as soon as a model hits this milestone it can be privately imported, so with each new year come new gems for car fans looking for something a bit different to drive.

Here are 23 examples of foreign fun that will become legal in the U.S.A. in 2023.

Urban collective

For a city runabout with a small footprint the year 1998 has a curiosity of compact cars to consider. First comes the cute Honda Capa, born out of the Japanese automaker’s “Small is Smart” philosophy. A little too large to be a kei car, it came with a 1.5-liter motor and continuously variable transmission, and plenty of headroom thanks to its boxy design.

Over in Germany, Volkswagen’s Lupo might have got its name from the Latin for wolf, but really this three-door hatch was quite sheepish, unless you opted for the 1.6-liter GTi.

Back in Japan, the first-generation Nissan Cube was launched and couldn’t have been named more aptly. Based on the Micra platform it developed a cult following and the third generation, launched in 2009 even made it to the U.S.

However, by far the most popular city car of 1998 was the Tata Indica, the first car from India’s Tata Motors (which ten years later would buy Jaguar Land Rover). The basic runabout soon became the best-seller in its class and had sold a million units within ten years. It would be easy to find one, and it’s guaranteed you’ll never see another at the grocery store.

A family affair

If you’ve got people to move and you’re feeling especially brave, then 1998 has three options. The Fiat Multipla took its name from the wonderfully bizarre 600 Multipla of the mid-1950s and was no less unusual. Its sea-creature styling contained a 3×3 seating arrangement which made it a very spacious and practical wagon despite not being especially long. You could even remove the rear seats to turn it into a van. The 1.9-liter JTD diesel was the best version at the time, while a wide track meant it would tip into corners with enough enthusiasm to upset the family.

Russia’s optimistic answer was the Lada Nadezhda—an ungainly all-wheel drive MPV, which despite its name meaning “hope,” few people had enough to buy it.

Nissan’s Almera Tino, by contrast, did quite well, providing no-frills, cost-effective transport for families in Europe and Japan. Nissan even used Mr. Bean to advertise it, which presumably allowed Rowan Atkinson to buy another Aston Martin.

Slick sedans

The year 1998 brought a tidy selection of unobtainable sedans that could never grace U.S. soil … until 2023. Alfa Romeo was absent from America from 1995 to 2008 (when the 8C went across the pond), so the Alfa 166 was not sold Stateside. It carried over the charming 2.0-liter twin spark and 3.0-liter V-6 engines from the 164 it replaced, along with a 2.4-liter diesel. Top-of-the-line models received a lovely Momo leather interior, but it failed to sell in serious numbers.

The Rover 75 launched the same year, and its retro stylings appealed to patriotic Brits who were reminded of the glory of days gone by. The car’s 1.8-liter K-Series and K V-6 engines were excellent and the 75 drove well, but the car ultimately failed to save the firm.

Toyota, meanwhile, could do no wrong, despite offering up the Progrès which arguably cannibalized off other Toyota and Lexus models. Power was from a 2.5 or 3.0-liter V-6 and it featured the world’s first GPS-guided automatic transmission. (Since it was only sold in Japan, don’t expect that trick to be much use if you import one.)

Also in Japan, the mentalists at Mitsuoka got hold of Nissan’s perfectly sensible Primera, grafted a ridiculous retro nose onto it and called it the Ryoga. Mechanically it would be a sound enough buy, but aesthetically … that’s a whole different story. A matter of taste.

Plans hatch

1998 was a good year for fans of sporty little hatchbacks. Peugeot replaced its legendary 205 with the 206, which was more sophisticated, if a little less entertaining than its predecessor. The real fun from Peugeot came in the form of the second-generation 106 Rallye, however. Now powered by a 1.6-liter motor and stripped out to save weight and finesse handling.

Renault took a different approach with its RenaultSport Clio 172, opting to fit a two-liter 16v VVT engine into the little Clio and spawning a whole new series of hot hatches.

Malaysia’s Proton, having recently taken ownership of Lotus, decided to put the British sports car firm to work on its humdrum Satria to make the Satria GTi. Wearing “Handling by Lotus” tags and a sporty body kit it was far more than just badge engineering and genuinely quite a thrill to drive.

Rally-ready rockets

Mitsubishi’s annual updates to the Lancer Evolution were already in full swing and, for 1998, that meant the Evo V was the car of the moment. Chief among the enhancements over the earlier IV were a new bodykit with adjustable rear wing, a wider track, and some engine fettling to include a revised turbo and pistons, although the 276-hp remained the same due to rally rules.

Its rival, and undisputed champion, was the Subaru 22B. This wide-bodied two-door was built to celebrate Subaru’s 40th-anniversary and its third consecutive victory in the FIA World Rally Championship. 400 were made for Japan and sold out immediately, while a further 24 made it to export markets. One fetched $312,555 in 2021, making it the most expensive Subaru ever sold.

Track attackers

Britain’s Ascari was having some success in the British GT Championship when it decided that selling a road-going version of its FGT would be a good idea. Work began in 1998 on the Ecosse, a BMW V-8-powered, 420-hp supercar. Top speed was claimed to be in excess of 200 mph, but just 17 were built.

That’s mass production compared to the Mercedes CLK LM of which only one Strassenversion was ever made. A road-legal homologated version of the German company’s GT1 race car, which won every round of the 1998 FIA GT season but failed to finish at Le Mans, it was sold to a collector in Japan. Now residing somewhere in Europe, after achieving €2 million in 2016, you’d need very deep pockets to acquire it.

4×4 fun

Should you fancy the odd off-road excursion, what could be better than a 25-year-old odd off-roader nobody minds getting filthy? Kia has clearly come a long way from the days when it was selling a lightly re-purposed military vehicle called the Retona, with a two-liter diesel engine that meant it could barely get out of its own way.

The Lada Niva Travel was no better. Developed by Russia’s VAZ, it was supposed to replace the almost unstoppable Niva and was even sold as a Chevrolet for a while.

India had the Tata Safari 4×4, powered by a Peugeot diesel engine and with styling seemingly stolen from the Ford Maverick. Nonetheless it had a solid 12-year run. Our final off-road offering is actually worth considering.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin, also known as the iO or Shogun Pinin, is a pretty stylish, compact 4×4 that got its name from the Pininfarina factory in Italy where it was assembled. Reliable, capable and with a dash of Italian flair, what’s not to like?

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Contrary to thoughts on many corners of the Internet, the Malaise Era very much ended in the early 1980s. Performance cars were getting faster and more fun to drive, while family vehicles simply did their jobs better and more efficiently with the advent of computerized design and a smaller footprint with the same—or more—interior space as yesteryear’s land yachts. But not all brands recovered from this bout of blah at the same pace.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Chrysler took a longer time to shrug off that era. Be it lean burn engine computers, hurried-to-production Volares, or a controversial government bailout, the 1970s were not a good time for the Pentastar brand. It would eventually bounce back, paying the government back in 1983, but did its product line recover quick enough to ditch the malaise era moniker?

By definition? Yes, it did. But, depending on your perspective on Chrysler, the answer may be more complicated than that. Haters will point to the 1990 model year as more proof of the same missteps. Lovers will see the incremental improvements of a brand that was in the midst of transforming itself into a powerhouse, albeit one that was sadly taken for a ride just a few years later.

Perhaps both perspectives have merit, as seen in Motorweek’s assessment of the 1990 Chrysler lineup. A new decade deserves some new cars, right?

The 1990 Imperial is the poster child for a new vehicle with more than a modest influence of old school thinking. The top-tier luxury Chrysler was reborn as a competitor for the downsized, front-wheel drive market dominated by Cadillac and (to a lesser extent) the Lincoln Continental. While Motorweek didn’t put them head-to-head, the Imperial’s 3.3-liter V-6 would likely have had a tough time against Lincoln’s 3.8-liter Essex V-6, much less the 4.5-liter V-8 of the 1990 Cadillacs. And its Y-body chassis is objectively inferior to GM’s C-body and Ford’s lengthened Taurus platforms, as it lacked a fully independent suspension. (If I got this wrong during my research, I’d love to be proven wrong in the comments below.)

Luckily, the 1990 Imperial had an optional air suspension for Continental-like plushness, semi-independent rear setup aside. Sadly it lacked the Continental’s cutting edge, dual-mode dampers and variable rate steering. New Order was not on the playlist, as the Imperial sported styling that made it clear this New Yorker-derived flagship aimed to please a specific market: one that could care less about a wannabe-Mercedes Continental. In some ways, the Imperial was the best of old and new Chrysler.

On the other side of the spectrum was the new Plymouth Laser, borrowed from Mitsubishi. New for the 1990 model year, the Diamond Star partnership gave Chrysler a Mitsubishi Eclipse, rebadged for both Plymouth and the Eagle brand. The anthesis of the traditional Imperial, the Laser clearly set its sights on a demographic that was very unlikely to consider a Chrysler product influenced by the Malaise Era. It was the right sport coupe for the time, and perhaps the most famous example of the Mitsubishi-Chrysler partnership.

But Motorweek also mentioned other Diamond Star derivatives of the era. For 1990 there was the Ram 50 (Mitsubishi Mighty Max) compact pickup, a Dodge Colt/Eagle Summit, and a host of Chrysler family vehicles now powered by Mitsubishi’s 3-liter V-6. A handful of those Mitsu-powered cars could now be ordered with a 5-speed manual in cars like the Dodge Daytona. Ordering the big motor with a stick in a Daytona ES with the “V6 Performance Discount Package” netted the performance upgrades necessary for a compelling yet winter friendly front-wheel drive alternative to a Fox Body Mustang. Sometimes borrowing stuff from others is a great idea, no?

Sometimes not. As previously discussed, Renault’s interests in the AMC brand haunted the office hallways in Auburn Hills. Long story short, former AMC dealers needed cars to sell alongside Jeeps, possibly (likely?) without red tape of selling ChryCo cars against franchised Chrysler dealers already established in the area. Legal obligations aside, the automobiles of American Motors were long past due for an extinction. While the new Eagle Premiere was ItalDesign’s take on the Renault 25, just looking at the floor console’s design and texturing in the Motorweek video suggests it was not going to be class competitive. Nor would the 1990 Dodge Monaco, the Premiere’s clone for Chrysler dealerships.

For some reason Motorweek didn’t mention the Dodge Monaco, but perhaps nothing is as “past due” as the Dodge Omni. The L-bodied world car from Chrysler ended its 12-year model run in 1990, with Malaise era battering ram bumpers intact. Judging from Motorweek’s silence, nothing of significance changed. At least they learned that both the Dodge Dakota and Ram pickups sported Club Cab body configurations this year, while Jeep models received modest safety (rear shoulder belts, Cherokee) and convenience upgrades (rear wiper arm, Wrangler hardtop).

It’s more than a little ironic to see how little time was dedicated to the Dodge Truck and Jeep brands in Motorweek’s round up, as the same video shot today would be a complete role reversal for Chrysler Stellantis’ product offerings.

How times have changed. Possibly for the better, but again, that opinion depends on your opinion of the brand. No matter, the 1980s and early 1990s were a truly unique and mind blowing time to sell Chrysler products. May history never repeat itself in that regard!

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Homologation specials are funny things. On paper, they’re often heavily compromised road-going machines that simply exist to help a manufacturer play by the rulebook of whatever racing series it most wants to dominate.

In practice, however, homologation specials are machines steeped in legend, deeply humanized amalgamations of brilliance, beauty, and raw pace. Markers in the sort of storylines that build brands into monoliths that can define whole decades of competition.

Mitsubishi doesn’t enjoy the same intricately woven motorsports history as brands like Porsche or Ferrari, but the Japanese automaker is no stranger to the rigors of appeasing sanctioning bodies with showroom machinery in order to take the green flag. The Mitsubishi Pajero was the Tri-Diamond brand’s answer to the Toyota Land Cruisers and the Land Rover Range Rovers of the world.

First sold in 1982, the Pajero made it all of one year before Mitsubishi aimed the rugged SUV at the crucible of motorsport—specifically, the 1983 running of the grueling Paris-Alger-Dakar rally. The Pajero found immediate success, taking first and second in its class at a race that would go on to garner a reputation for difficulty, danger, and death. The ensuing two decades of dominance are still heralded as one of the most impressive runs in any form of motorsport; Mitsubishi would go on to win the Dakar outright 12 times from 1985–2007, including taking nine of 11 from 1997 on.

Of those wins, the 1998 victory is particularly noteworthy. In order to compete in the hotly-contested T2 class, the Dakar rulebook mandated that entrants be based on a road-going vehicle. Although Mitsu had won in ’97 with a Pajero II, it felt that the progression and development of the class would require a much more focused effort to take the top spot the following year.

Thus, in accordance with the rules, Mitsubishi engineers began to develop a road-going version of the car they wanted to run at Dakar in ’98.

Enter the 1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, a joyously cartoonish 4×4 with bulging fenders, massive tires, and scoops and flicks aplenty.

One of the most delightful homologation specials extant, the Pajero Evo looks like it’s doing 90 mph over dunes even while parked at a gas pump. A 3.5-liter, naturally aspirated, DOHC V-6 produced 276 horsepower and 256 lb-ft of torque to spin either the rear wheels alone or all four wheels, thanks to a two-speed transfer case. Cog-swapping was handled either by a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Other driveline components were similarly overkill. The Pajero Evo had four-corner independent suspension with double wishbones up front and a multi-link setup out back. The differentials front and rear were Torsen-style limited-slip units. Mitsubishi’s Super Select 4WD system boasted a viscous coupling center differential that could essentially unlock in tight maneuvers to mitigate the axle hop that other 4×4 systems had to deal with.

Recaro racing seats up front were yet another indication that this thing was built to go fast and chase the far reaches of the globe.

Production lasted just three years, 1997–99. Exact production numbers are a hot topic of debate in the Mitsubishi community, but it’s generally thought that around 2500 or so saw the light of day. They were never sold in America, however. Up until this year, fans of JDM legends, Japanese 4x4s, and homologation specials alike have been forced to hurry up and wait.

Behold, the opening salvo in what’s sure to be a fun car to follow in the coming months and years: A 1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, offered on Cars & Bids.

According to our data, this is the first Pajero Evo to ever go up for public sale in the states—and this one already has a Florida title. It features a five-speed manual transmission, which is the rarer of the two gearboxes offered. (Again, the numbers are murky, but it’s widely held that just roughly 1/5 of Pajero Evos came with a stick.) Despite an odometer that shows approximately 209,000 kilometers(129,900 miles), this thing cleans up remarkably well.

We like to think that whoever logged all those miles did so with a manic smile on their face, because look at the thing—who’s not gonna grin like an idiot whipping this beast around?

Modifications are few, but tasteful. There’s a Nardi steering wheel in place of the stock four-spoke unit, and a Pioneer Carrozzeria head unit to handle tunes and navigation. Other cosmetic tweaks are small—rain guards shroud the windows, and slim bezels frame the rear lights. The aftermarket “EVOLUTION” sticker on the front bumper harkens back to Mitsubishi’s motorsports heyday.

At the time of this writing, bidding is up to $34,000. But with five days left in the auction, expect the price to climb much higher. Just how high will it go? According to Hagerty Valuation analyst and resident Japanese-vehicle buff Adam Wilcox, we could be looking at a big number.

“This Pajero Evo has everything needed to reach a hefty final result,” he explains. “It’s a perfect blend of limited production, unique and wild styling, homologation racing history, obscure tech, and Americans being forced to wait 25 years to get one.

“There’s no other car like this—the Pajero Evo is one of the coolest JDM cars of all time. What’s more, there is no later generation that will steal this car’s thunder when it eventually becomes legal, like the issue that we’re seeing with R32 and R33 Nissan Skylines.”

This example also benefits from great timing. Here’s Wilcox again: “The Pajero Evo became legal at the perfect time, finally reaching U.S. shores under the 25-year rule right when values for retro Japanese 4x4s are reaching an all-time high.”

We’ve seen this blend of timing and collector interest drive big results recently—this 1996 Toyota Mega Cruiser sold for an eye-watering $314,500 just last month. While the Pajero Evo in question may not reach those heights, don’t be shocked if the auction ends with a final number in the six-figure range.

Once dominant in the crucible of cross-continental rally raiding, Mitsubishi’s vaunted Pajero Evolution may now find itself at the dawn of a new hot streak—one where the finish line is marked by a gavel, rather than checkered flags.

(Side note: Although some of these photos feature two silver Pajero Evos, just one is offered in this sale. However, that second one probably isn’t there by accident! We’d bet that one’s also bound for auction in the not-too-distant future.)

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It’s become something of a running joke that Canada is America’s hat. In terms of car collecting, the country could very well be America’s crystal ball. Not that car enthusiasts north of the border know something that their U.S. neighbors don’t, of course. They’re just living in the future. Sort of.

Since foreign-market cars are eligible for import after fifteen years—rather than after 25, as in the states—Canada is a decade ahead of the U.S. when it comes to European and Japanese metal. There are some pretty cool wagons roaming around the frozen north, and this Mitsubishi is one of the best: a 2006 Lancer Evolution IX wagon, imported into Vancouver, British Columbia and up for sale. Remember when Mitsubishi used to be cool? Lancer “Evos” were part of that street cred, combining rally-winning heritage with on-tarmac performance that was always just that little bit sharper than that of Subaru’s STI. Lancer Evo IX values have ticked up slightly since fall of last year, caught in a rising tide. Mitsubishi’s current milquetoast range and Subaru’s decision to axe the STI should only enhance the boxy wagons’ appeal. Toyota’s Grrr-olla hatch looks pretty tempting for a modern, rally-engined machine, but cars from the mid-2000s offer a mechanical flavor of feedback that’s not easy to replicate today. Though Lancer Evos are fitted with all manner of clever differentials, theirs is more of an analog driving experience rather than a digitally enhanced one.

Whether or not the Lancer Evo evokes nostalgia in you, the formula will be familiar: big engine, small car. In 1992 Mitsubishi took the powertrain from the larger Galant VR-4 and stuffed it into the smaller, lighter Lancer. Pre-Evo Lancers already boasted a rallying pedigree, and it would only grow richer as the breed captured podium after podium. Finnish driver Tommi Mäkinen cemented the nameplate’s legacy by winning the World Rally Championship (WRC) driver’s title four times between 1996 and 1999. Unfortunately for those in North America, “World Rally Championship” was as inaccurate a name as baseball’s World Series.

If you were a fan of rallying in North America, it wasn’t easy to watch unobtainable Mitsubishis and Subarus getting going hammer and tongs through the stages, especially if you couldn’t afford the expense of flying across the Atlantic to spectate in person. However, this era was also marked by the rise of the internet, which meant you could download grainy videos of Tommi shredding gravel in his red and white Lancer. If you were lucky enough to receive a Playstation, you could use a digital Evo to slice up some digital tarmac in the Gran Turismo games.

U.S. enthusiasts could not, however, hit the road in a real-world Evo. At least, not until 2002, when the Evo VIII arrived in the U.S., its arrival perhaps spurred by the success of the American-market WRX the year prior. Slightly detuned compared to the Japanese version, the eighth-generation Evo was worth the wait. Reviewers praised its quick steering, lively chassis, and all-wheel-drive confidence. It was about as quick as an contemporary M3 (E46) for a little over half the BMW’s price. Granted, the Mitsubishi was a lot less refined—but if performance was your priority, the diamond-star brand had a car for you.

However, let’s suppose you needed something that could both haul a stroller and harass Bavarians at a track day. No such luck. The Lancer Evo was fast and fun, but its practicality was limited. Subarus were sloppier but also more comfortable, so the WRX won out in the long run. The Lancer’s situation in the U.S. was absolutely not helped by Mitsubishi running much of the rest of its lineup into the ground.

If you lived in Japan, Mitsubishi had an offering just for you, the hotshoe parent. Built for three model years from 2005 to 2007, the Evo VIII Wagon is one of the coolest special editions Mitsubishi ever made. It would become one of the last truly interesting JDM-only models.

Officially, Mitsubishi built 2500 Lancer Evo VIII wagons, though some enthusiasts suggest the number is closer to 3000. Roughly half were fitted with six-speed manual gearboxes, the other half with five-speed automatics. The manual-equipped models were available in two trims: a standard GT with Recaro seats and 18-inch wheels, and the MR, which added Bilstein dampers and some cosmetic upgrades. The stick-shift cars also received Mitsubishi’s MIVEC variable-valve timing upgrade. The engines of the automatic models wore a slightly smaller turbocharger for quicker low-end response.

The Evo IX was overall easier to live with than the raucous Evo VIII, and in wagon form, it is particularly compelling. The angular looks have aged well. The sedan is a little lighter, but the wagon’s roughly 50-pound weight penalty is mostly to the rear, which actually improves weight distribution.

This one is a GT-A and yes, there’s a child seat in back. It belongs to Adam Trinder, a local machinist who has added a few sympathetic (and easily reversible) modifications, repainted the car’s original faded exterior, and refurbished the interior. He has other projects in mind—he once built a Mini with a mid-mounted Kawasaki 1300cc engine, to give you an idea of his tastes—and has put his Evo up for sale.

The earliest versions Evo VIII wagons were built in 2005, which means they won’t be legal to register in the U.S. until 2030. As the import window approaches, their values could rise. A similar hot-wagon example is Audi’s RS2: Values of wagons ranging from concours (#1) to daily-driver (#3) condition jumped an average of 26 percent from May 2020 to September 2020—about 25 years after the 1994/1995 model years—with another smaller increase about a year later. Hagerty’s valuation team has also seen similar, though less distinct, increases in price guide values for vehicles such as the Nissan Skyline GT-R as its import window approaches.

The Evo wagon also represents a bookend on the JDM market. 1990s Japan was awash in desirable cars we couldn’t get, from Skylines to Subarus. As the 2000s wore on, most of the performance offerings were available on both sides of the Pacific. With the slight asterisk that is the GR Yaris, there are few JDM products to inflame the jealousy of U.S. buyers.

However, if you’re a resident of America’s hat (or at least have a holiday igloo up here), here’s your chance. The Evo wagon is a fun, fast car you can drive right now. Plus, it may appreciate as it approaches U.S. importability. Pretty sweet ride there, eh bud?

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To put it bluntly, Mitsubishi just ain’t what it used to be. If you want to buy a new one in 2022, you get to choose between an SUV or a smaller SUV. And if you’re really on a budget, have you considered a Mirage?

It’s only sad because we don’t have to look back that far to see brighter days for the three-diamond badge, at least from an enthusiast’s perspective. Starions, 3000GTs, Eclipses and their Chrysler-badged brothers were all darlings of the tuner scene up through the 2000s. Same with hot Lancers, although things weren’t as straightforward for fans of the rally-bred Evolution model (“Evo” for short) here in America, since Mitsubishi’s spiciest sedan was already in its eighth iteration by the time it finally came to the U.S. But we were definitely aware of the Evo over here. Gran Turismo games and videos of bright red Lancers sliding and jumping through World Rally stages made sure of that.

Which is why our star sale this week snagged our attention, even though it happened on the other side of the Atlantic. First, it’s a cool car we rarely see. Second, the price. Sold on Collecting Cars (essentially the British Bring a Trailer), this 2001 Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition (aka “TME”) hit a winning bid of £140,500 (about $167,000).

Built to celebrate the Finnish phenom’s four consecutive WRC drivers’ titles behind the wheel of an Evo, the TME came with a bevy of improvements over a standard Evo, including a more responsive turbocharger, lowered suspension, quicker steering, a new front bumper, 17-inch WRC Enkei alloy wheels, embossed Recaro seats, and a Momo steering wheel. Colors were limited to Scotia White, Canal Blue, Satellite Silver, Pyrenees Black Pearl or Passion Red, and worldwide production totaled just 2500 units.

Most stayed in Japan, but this week’s car is one of a small number supplied new to the U.K. and shows just 10,354 miles. And unlike many an Evo owner, this one’s caretakers resisted the urge to modify and/or cane it within an inch of its life. Even so, a six-figure price for a 20-year-old four-door Mitsubishi seems pretty steep, right?

Of course it’s a little more complicated than that. “Tommi Makinen is to Mitsubishi what Colin McRae is to Subaru,” says Greg Ingold, valuation expert and editor of the Hagerty Price Guide. So, there’s pedigree for you. The limited-production and even more limited U.K. sales, plus the TME’s significant improvements (both cosmetic and performance) over a standard Evo VI are also big boosts to desirability. Other TMEs have sold in the mid-five-figure range as recently as this year, but low miles and clean history helped this one.

Collecting Cars touted this EVO TME as a world auction record price and it is, at least depending on how you look at it. With Collecting Cars’ £6000 buyer premium the final price for the car is £146,500. That’s just a few quid more than the £146,250 achieved by a 2000 model, with similar mileage but a more desirable color, sold last year by Silverstone Auctions. But from our side of the pond and thanks to the complexities of currency conversion, the Collecting Cars Evo sold for the equivalent of roughly $173,700 while the Silverstone Evo, sold when the pound was way stronger, brought roughly $203,500.

We can quibble about international exchange rates, but we can’t do too much else. Thanks to our 25-year rule on importing collector cars and since the Evo VI TME came out in 2000, U.S. enthusiasts will have to wait until 2025 to get their hands on one of these World Rally weapons.

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In the early 1990s, Honda was in deep trouble. Then-CEO Nobuhiro Kawamoto had just grasped the helm of a somewhat leaky ship. The death of company founder Soichiro Honda in August of 1991 left a gaping leadership void, and the company’s product portfolio was behind the times. Enthusiast-pleasing niche fare like the Acura NSX didn’t pay the bills. Japanese newspapers sensed blood in the water and warned of imminent hostile takeover from a rival Mitsubishi.

Kawamoto got to work quickly, developing vehicles like the Odyssey minivan for 1994 and the CR-V for 1996, both of which would prove sales leaders. He also ended the company’s expensive involvement in Formula 1. The engineers weren’t happy, but the accountants were; he righted the ship, and Honda narrowly escaped a Mitsubishi takeover. It’s hard to imagine how different today’s modern automotive world would look had Kawamoto not acted so decisively.

Given the degraded state of the company’s product line in North America, it’s perhaps difficult now to imagine a time when Mitsubishi had the financial wherewithal to threaten Honda. Today, in the U.S., it’s not unheard of for Honda to sell twice as many vehicles in a single month as Mitsubishi can sell all year. The revised Outlander crossover is a step in the right direction, but even with the funky Eclipse Cross, Mitsubishi showrooms seem sleepy when Honda’s floor plays host to everything from a light pickup truck to a raucous Civic Type R.

That wasn’t always the case. Even by the time of its performance heyday in the 1990s, Mitsubishi was a company with a long and rich tradition. Over more than a century, the Japanese automaker has produced a litany of interesting cars. Some of them becoming lasting pop culture icons. The story of Mitsubishi is that of a once-proud noble house, rising to own a large section of the market, which is now reduced to shadow of its former self. There is, however, a chance for it to rise again.

The samurai and the Model A

Iwasaki Yatarō, founder of Mitsubishi, was born a commoner in Japan in 1835. The country was closed off from the rest of the world at that time, in the midst of a self-imposed isolationism that would last two centuries. His family was well-off enough that he received a good education, but an eighteenth-century ancestor had sold off the family’s noble samurai status in repayment of debts. Trade with other countries was extremely restricted, and foreign visitors were essentially unheard of. A feudal system of government was still in place, one that began to fracture when the gunships of U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry steamed into Edo Bay on July 8th of 1853. Suddenly, Japan was forced to adapt to the modern world.

Once employed by the forward-looking Yamauchi trading clan, Yatarō found himself ideally situated to take advantage of Japan’s rapid modernization. He bought back his family’s samurai status and also became involved in the new imperial Japanese government’s efforts to destroy the feudal system. He became head of a shipping company which he later named Mitsubishi, its symbol a combination of the Iwasaki clan diamond crest and the triple-leaf Yamauchi clan.

The Tom Cruise period action drama The Last Samurai depicts a Hollywood-romanticized version of the Satsuma rebellion, which saw Japan’s new, modern army putting down a samurai revolt. In the real event, Mitsubishi ships carried Imperial troops to crush the samurai rebellion, knitting the company’s fortunes together with those of the imperial Japanese government.

By 1917, Yatarō’s nephew Koyota was the fourth president of Mitsubishi. The company had grown and diversified beyond shipping interests, and Koyota recognized the potential of the growing automobile market. Under his direction, Mitsubishi’s shipbuilding arm built 22 examples of the Model A, a luxurious seven-seater sedan similar to the Fiat Tipo 3. It had a 2.8-liter four-cylinder engine good for 35 hp, and a top speed of 60 mph. Few were made because of the expense of hand-building each one, but Mitsubishi could boast Japan’s first series-production automobile.

The company also created another first with the PX33 prototype sedan. Four examples were made as commissions to the Japanese government between 1934 and 1937, and each featured full-time all-wheel drive. The project was cancelled as Mitsubishi pivoted to wartime production.

Mitsubishi Jeeps and Dodge Colts

In the period immediately after WWII, Mitsubishi turned production to three-wheeled cars and scooters, as well as trucks and buses. It was also the distributor for Mazda vehicles, and some of the earliest Mazdas carry Mitsubishi’s logo.

Being inextricably linked to the wartime Japanese imperial government, which was dissolved in 1947 amid the formation of what is now modern Japan, was a black mark against Mitsubishi. The Allied forces called for the breaking up of many zaibatsu—huge, diversified, family-controlled businesses—and Mitsubishi was split into three parts.

Each section, West, Central, and East, developed its own automotive divisions. The Central Japan division produced one of the stranger footnotes in Mitsubishi’s history when it struck a deal with Kaiser to build the Willys CJ Jeep in knock-down kit form. Mitsubishi Jeeps started being produced in 1953 and the company didn’t stop building them until 1998.

By 1964, the three divisions were reunited as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and in 1970, the Mitsubishi Motor Company was formed as a subsidiary. Nameplates like the Colt, Galant, and the later Lancer appeared. In the Japanese home market, the tiny Minica (a portmanteau of Mini and Car), was a popular entry in the kei market segment.

Mitsubishi president Tomio Kubo, an engineer who had designed several successful fighter aircraft during WWII, staked the company’s U.S. export strategy on an alliance with Chrysler. Fifteen percent of Mitsubishi Motor Company was sold to Chrysler, and Dodge began importing small, rebadged Mitsubishi models.

Somewhat confusingly, the Dodge Colt was not based on the Mitsubishi Colt, but instead the slightly larger Galant. Either way, the move was win-win: Mitsubishi sales grew, and Chrysler had a well-sorted compact offering to go up against the likes of the Ford Pinto, Chevy Vega, as well as little Datsuns and Hondas. With the fuel crises of the 1970s increasing consumer demand for small cars, the Colt sold strongly. By 1980, Mitsubishi was producing a million cars annually.

Fast, furious, and totally Normal

By the early 1980s, Mitsubishi had started selling cars in the U.S. through its own dealer network. The most interesting of these offerings was the Starion, a handsome hatchback coupe intended as a rival to the Toyota Supra and Nissan ZX. Available with a box-flared widebody and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Starion truly appeared to be a compelling performance offering.

While the idea of a quick Mitsubishi was a new concept to U.S. audiences, it wasn’t in Japan. The company had a history of interesting, performance-minded cars in its domestic portfolio. The Galant GTO was introduced in Japan in 1970, and as its designer had trained at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, had the air of a shrunk-down Detroit fastback. The GTO wasn’t widely distributed, but it was enough of a success to prompt a followup in the 1990s.

More familiar on our side of the Pacific was the Lancer, which had a long period of success in rally racing. The 1600 GSR model was quick and durable enough to notch up a couple of East Africa Safari rally wins. When boxy styling and turbocharging arrived in the 1980s, the second-generation Lancer featured the mighty 4G63T 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a tuner’s delight. The top-spec Lancer EX 2000 Turbo was a pretty serious car at the time, a homologation special with 170 hp (impressive for 1981), and a reversed “2000 Turbo” decal on the front airdam to let traffic know to stay out of the way.

Sadly, turbocharged Lancers took their sweet time coming to America. In their place, U.S. performance enthusiasts got a trio of nameplates, one of which would go on to become arguably the most famous Mitsubishi of all time.

Mitsubishi wanted to move into the U.S. market on its own terms, but it was limited by import quotas; any cars rebadged and sold by Chrysler ate into that quota. The solution was for both companies to form a partnership called Diamond-Star Motors, and together they broke ground on a new factory in Normal, Illinois. The factory would have a production capacity of 240,000 vehicles a year, and the first ones to roll off the line were a trio of near-identical small sports cars called the Eagle Talon, the Plymouth Laser, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Faster than you can say “Danger To Manifold,” the Eclipse and its cousins became tuner car favorites. Even in stock form, the GSX version of the Eclipse was pretty quick, with 195 hp from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and all-wheel drive to put the power down. Unmodified versions are rare today, and it makes for an interesting and surprisingly accessible collector car.

If, however, you’d like to drop “ten grand” under the hood of your second-generation Mitsubishi Eclipse, you’d have a car quick enough to impress even Dominic Toretto. Everyone remembers the orange Toyota Supra from the Fast and Furious movies, but first on-screen was a green Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Paul Walker. One of the six used in filming fetched $170,500 at auction this year.

Jackie Chan and John Hennessey

The fictional Brian O’Connor’s Eclipse might be the most famous Mitsubishi, but it’s not the only one associated with a celebrity. In fact, one endorsement ended up being so long-standing that a special edition was created to honor it.

Martial arts action star Jackie Chan was introduced to western audiences with the first Cannonball movie, in which he was on a team driving a Subaru hatchback. However, in the Hong Kong films (and in Cannonball II), Chan was shown driving Mitsubishis. He had signed an endorsement deal with the company in the late 1970s, and Mitsubishi bankrolled many of his movies. The 1995 movie Thunderbolt, where he plays a racing driver, is essentially a feature-length Mitsubishi commercial. It’s surprisingly great fun to watch.

Because of the tie-in, everything from Mitsubishi vans to SUVs were always featured in these films, including several concept cars. Chan also received specially-tuned vehicles, including a Jackie Chan Power Starion, and he was made the honorary president of Mitsubishi’s performance division in China. Fifty special edition Jackie Chan Lancer Evolutions were produced in 2005.

At roughly the same time, one of America’s best-known tuning houses was just beginning to make his name with a modified Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR-4. The 3000GT—which resurrected the GTO badge in the Japanese home market—was a potent car out of the box. Also sold here as the Dodge Stealth, top-spec versions featured a twin-turbocharged V-6, all-wheel drive, active aero, and rear-wheel steering; they were heavy, complex cars, but worthy rivals to the likes of the Toyota Supra Turbo or Nissan 300ZX.

Texas-born John Hennessey took the 3000GT and boosted power up to 450 hp. The performance bump was significant enough to win him both the Unlimited Class at the 1991 Silver State Classic, an open road race in Nevada, and an F-Production/Supercharged class record at Bonneville. The car also competed at Pikes Peak, and was driven to and from each event like any normal road car. Three decades later, Hennessey Performance is all about 1000-hp Camaros and overboosted Raptors, but it all arguably started with Mitsubishi.

Evolutionary performance

At the tail end of the 1990s and into the early 2000s, Mitsubishi’s motorsport prowess was at its absolute peak. Finnish driver Tommi Mäkinen had won the company four WRC rally championships in a row, and Mitsubishi’s Dakar teams were equally dominant.

The two road-going vehicles behind the wins in the dirt were the Lancer Evolution and the Pajero Evolution. Shorthand for the latter is the Pajero Evo, and if you just say “Evo”, most Mitsubishi fans will know you’re talking about the lightning-quick Lancer.

The Lancer Evo was at the center of a long battle with the Subaru WRX, a rivalry that raised the profiles of both companies. Subaru had its wins, but Mitsubishi’s offerings were generally accepted to be a little sharper, particularly on pavement. Ten generations of the car were produced, though it didn’t arrive in the U.S. until the Evo VIII, in 2003.

The Pajero Evo was never officially sold in North America, but as production began in 1997, it’s poised to become a collectible JDM import under 25-year grey market rules. Around 2500 were built for homologation purposes, each a tough, box-flared little truck with a sturdy chassis and unique suspension. It’s Dakar-ready toughness you can park in your garage.

The Long Twilight

The early 2000s might have been a bright spot for Mitsubishi performance enthusiasts, but the company’s fortunes had already suffered a steep decline. In the Japanese home market, it was revealed that Mitsubishi had been covering up vehicle defects in an effort to avoid costly recalls. The scandal was as far-reaching and systematic as Volkswagen’s diesel emissions woes, and it directly impacted home market sales.

The situation in the U.S. was more complex. In 2003, the year when the Evo finally reached American markets, sales peaked at 346,000 units. Mitsubishi wasn’t competitive with Honda, Toyota, or Nissan, but it was holding its own against Mazda and Subaru.

So, what happened? Problems began when Mitsubishi decided to take on the bigger companies instead of pursuing niche markets. Both Subaru and Mazda had clear brand identities, one outdoorsy, one fun-to-drive. Mitsubishi’s message to consumers wasn’t quite as obvious, and while Subaru and Mazda both held their own and managed to broach the mainstream, Mitsubishi faded.

The company closed a hundred dealers in Japan, and U.S. sales fell off a cliff starting in 2008. Products like the Galant and the Lancer aged to the point at which they were uncompetitive, and they were shelved.

Since 2013 however, sales have rebounded somewhat to within sniffing distance of 2005 levels. Last year, the company’s U.S. volume was 102,000.The current Outlander is improved enough that it can perhaps help Mitsubishi to survive, but it’s not much more compelling than the Nissan Rogue with which it shares a platform. Korean automakers are now well established in the mix, armed with excellent products and stellar warranties. It’s hard to see where Mitsubishi grows from here, outside of Mitsubishi managing to create a dominant electric car.

Last chance in a van

Forget the Evos or niche JDM classics for a second. There is one group of diehard Mitsubishi enthusiasts out there that represent a potentially untapped market. You see them all over the West Coast, rolling up to the beach or the forest campsite in their diesel-powered Japanese imports. The Delica owners.

Built from 1968 onward, the Delica is Mitsubishi’s answer to the Ford Transit. But where the Transit is a commercial vehicle foremost, the existence of chunky-tired off-road Delicas act like like catnip to the sort of people who would ordinarily buy a Subaru Outback. People are willing to pay up to $20,000 for mid-1990s Japanese grey market imports, and a whole ecosystem has sprung up around servicing and selling these vans.

You see a similar level of enthusiasm for the camperized Mercedes Sprinter vans, but those are bulkier and vastly more expensive. In places, the Delica has effectively replaced the Volkswagen Westfalia as the van choice of the surf bum crowd. State governments have taken notice and in some cases revoked registrations for these types of vehicles.

In Japan, a new Delica with a turbodiesel engine and all-wheel drive will set you back roughly $35,000. Spec out one of the more off-road-ready versions, and it’s still competitive with a well-optioned Tacoma.

A rolling advertisement for #vanlife is probably not going to be a sales leader, but it would add appeal to a showroom and give the brand some kind of identity. Mitsubishi also has a proven plug-in-hybrid system in its fleet, so there’s perhaps the option of building a Delica variant for people who want a Wrangler 4xe but have four kids.

The alternative is to stay the course, and hope the current range of small-to-mid-size crossovers keeps Mitsubishi afloat for a while. However, Mitsubishi finds itself today in much the same position as Honda once did: financially troubled and needing a decisive hand on the helm. The ship is teetering in uncertain waters. Time to chart a daring course.

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240-mph “KillaJoule,” custom electric Harley descend on L.A.

Intake: Electric motorcycles are getting lots of attention these days, but that doesn’t mean they are a novelty. A new exhibit at Los Angeles’ Petersen Museum opens to the public Thursday, April 14, and will feature “the most innovative electric motorcycles ever made by cutting-edge designers.” A few notable inclusions are the 500-hp, home-built “KillaJoule,” driven by Eva Håkansson to 240.7 mph in 2014. The feat made her the fastest woman on an electric motorcycle, though the rig’s third wheel—necessary for stability—technically classifies it as a “sidecar streamliner.” Håkansson’s KillaJoule will be joined by “The One,” a six-figure, retro-futuristic design from Curtiss Motorcycles making its worldwide debut in L.A. There’s even a “Solar Scooter” built entirely from salvaged and recycled materials. April’s exhibit marks the second time electric motorcycles have been featured at this museum, with their first en-masse appearance occurring back in 2019.

Exhaust: The history of electric motorcycles traces back to two-wheeler’s very earliest days. For both customizers and manufactures alike, an electric machine gives a lot of leeway for customization and design. (Though in KillaJoule’s case, the necessity of a third wheel for stability at highspeeds classified it as a “sidecar streamliner” and not a bike.) This freedom, combined with ever-improving battery and motor technology means electric bikes are a package that go as well as they show. The Petersen’s latest exhibit will highlight both ends of the spectrum well. 

Mitsubishi’s smallest SUVs gains standard AWD for 2023

Intake: A year after receiving its first facelift (in 2022), Mitsubishi’s compact SUV is getting another round of upgrades for 2023, its sixth year on the market. In addition to aesthetic tweaks such as a new 18-inch wheel design and now-standard LED head- and fog lights, there’s a significant mechanical upgrade: All-wheel drive is now standard, even on the $27,090 base ES model (price includes destination). The deal gets sweeter thanks to another collection of standard equipment: lane-departure alert and forward-collision warning. The 2023 MY Eclipse Cross will cost $800 more than its 2022 sibling, but consider that adding AWD to a 2022 model, which comes standard with front-wheel drive, costs nearly $1600. Not a bad deal, with the extra aesthetic kit.

Exhaust: Though the Eclipse Cross doesn’t beat its competitors on speed or fuel efficiency, we found the 2022 model to be a delightfully weird, well-built offering in a notoriously bland segment. The 2023 MY updates should make it that much more compelling, especially for buyers who regularly deal with slush and snow. 

VW is cutting combustion cars and driving upmarket

Intake: Volkswagen is to axe 60 percent of its ICE-powered vehicles by 2030 and shift to selling fewer, but more profitable cars. “The key target is not growth,” VW finance boss Arno Antlitz told the Financial Times. “We are (more focused) on quality and on margins, rather than on volume and market share,” he added. Currently the VW group sells more than 100 models across its brands and that number will be dramatically cut to boost the bottom line. Instead of chasing the headline-grabbing world number one status which former CEO Martin Winterkorn wanted the company aims to increase profits without increasing production. “We are not adding capacity: we rework factory by factory,” said Antlitz.

Exhaust: By 2030 VW will be all-in on electric cars, but don’t expect them to be true “cars of the people” as prices will remain premium even as the cost of battery technology decreases. It’s a strategy being employed throughout the industry as it comes to terms with huge changes in legislation, the global economy and buyers’ habits, as re-iterated by BMW CEO Oliver Zipse who said, “I would like to really emphasize that we are not driving a volume strategy.”

Porsche, Polestar, and BMW are very into carbon-fiber alternatives

Intake: Bcomp, a Swiss materials company exploring alternative materials for carbon fiber components, has closed a Series B funding round of roughly $35M as it seeks to grow its footprint and production scaling capabilities. Among the investors are a handful of automakers interested in the viability of flax-fiber panels as replacements for some of their current carbon-fiber applications. BMW, through its I Ventures investment arm, led the funding and currently uses Bcomp’s ampliTex and powerRibs technologies in motorsports applications from its M4 DTM car to the newly announced BMW M4 GT customer racing car. Volvo used some of Bcomp’s panels in the 2021 Volvo Concept Recharge car, and says it intends to help its subsidiary Polestar adopt the materials tech for most of the interior panels on the forthcoming Polestar 5. Meanwhile, Porsche worked alongside Bcomp to develop the first natural fiber composite motorsport door in 2019, and now uses ampliTex and powerRibs tech in the production of the Cayman 718 GT4 CS MR, as well as the highly anticipated all-electric Mission R concept car.

Exhaust: Bcomp claims that its natural fiber composite tech offers significantly higher vibration damping than carbon-fiber counterparts, and the flax-based panels reduce the risk of sharp shattering, which can make handling broken carbon-fiber bits a dangerous endeavor. The tech is still clearly in a nascent stage, but plant-based alternatives for panels are certainly more environmentally friendly. Volvo has put plant-based textiles into play for some of its higher end models to court more environmentally-conscious consumers, and Bcomp’s tech will likely enable other automakers to pitch a similar appeal in future models.

Will Ferrari 512 BB’s rare, custom front clip be reunited with the car?

Intake: The 512 BB LM was the endurance-racing version of Ferrari’s road-going, flat-12-powered supercar. While the first series of cars proved unreliable, the second and third series of the BB LM proved themselves worthy. Career highlights included first in the GTX class and fifth overall at the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans. While most of these race cars were clothed in aerodynamic bodywork developed by Pininfarina, a custom front end was fitted to the second 512 BB LM (chassis #35529) and delivered to Fabrizio Violati’s Scuderia Bellancauto team in Rome. In its racing debut, the car won the IMSA GTX/GTP class at the 1000km of Monza in April 1981 and went on to race in two 24 Hours of Le Mans races, as well as the 1982 6 Hours of Enna-Pergusa, and the 1000km of Mugello. Now, this custom front end is being auctioned by Car & Classic, giving the owner of the car (which was purchased at auction for nearly $2.2 million less than five months ago) an opportunity to reunite the two.

Exhaust: Components of actively campaigned race cars often become scattered and lost to time, so this is a rare opportunity for the Ferrari’s owner to gather another piece of the car’s history. And for someone who can’t quite afford a Le Mans racer, it would make a cool piece of garage art that has some impressive history behind it.

New AMG 43 is the first four-pot SL since the ’50s

Intake: Mercedes-AMG has announced its entry-level SL with half the cylinder count of the SL 55 and SL 63. Not since the 190 SL of 1955 has Mercedes’ roadster been available with less than six cylinders, while buyers from 1992 to 2018 could opt for double that number with a variety of V-12s. The SL 43 will be no slouch, though as Mercedes-AMG has borrowed from its multiple championship-winning F1 team and fitted an electric exhaust gas turbocharger to the two-liter engine, which is a world first for a production car. Driven by a 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system the e-turbo can spin at up to 170,000 rpm and provides a rapid throttle response and plenty of low down torque. Between 3250 rpm and 5000 rpm there’s 354 lb-ft of twist, and maximum power is 381 hp at 6750 rpm. A further 14 hp boost is available from the car’s integrated starter generator. Drive is to the rear wheels through a nine-speed auto transmission with a wet start-off clutch. Off the line the SL 43 will reach 62 mph in 4.9 seconds and its top speed is 171 mph. Prices will be announced nearer to its U.S. launch date.

Exhaust: The SL has a history of an early adoption when it comes to technology. The 300SL of 1954 was the first production car with direct gasoline injection, so it’s reassuring to see the new AMG SL43 carrying on the tech tradition.

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Mitsubishi Motors North America has swung between bliss and blunder since its founding in 1981, but rising sales from 2014 through 2019 suggest that the company is finally figuring out how to succeed in the U.S. Part of its recovery is due to a narrowing of intention: No longer is it partnering with domestic brands to build spicy front-drive coupes, as it did in the ’90s, or turning out a tuner-friendly hot hatch to rival Subaru’s WRX STI. (Or trying to sell models with a 0 percent down, 0 percent interest, and 0 monthly payments for a year. That didn’t end well.) The 2022 Outlander, newly rehauled for its fourth generation as of this year, proves that Mitsubishi knows which kind of vehicle Americans want most—a midsize SUV—and can execute such a product competently.

Though it is no longer partnering with U.S.-based manufacturers, and is a bit player by volume, Mitsubishi still cares about the American market. The global company of Mitsubishi Motors is tied closely another major U.S. player—Nissan—thanks to an alliance made in 2016 that also includes Renault. It’s the first Mitsubishi to ride on Nissan’s global CMF-C/D architecture, a platform shared on this side of the Atlantic with the Nissan Rogue. However, the U.S-market Outlander is not built alongside the Rogue in Tennessee but imported from Okazaki, Japan. Even its 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission are built in Japan, despite their design being identical to that of the Rogue. Mitsubishi Motors is generally courting higher-profit, less-competitive segments, yielding North America to Nissan and China to Renault, but the arrival of an all-new fourth-gen Outlander on U.S. shores proves that Mitsubishi higher-ups want a presence here.

We tested the highest-spec Outlander in the five-trim lineup, an all-wheel-drive SEL with the Touring Package that rang in at $38,590 with destination. (The GT trim, which brought a 224-hp V-6 in 2020, is now gone, as is the mid-tier Limited Edition, which has been replaced by the Black Edition.) The Touring Package adds a snazzy two-tone leather interior, a sunroof, a 10.8-inch head-up display, a ten-speaker Bose stereo, and a heated steering wheel for a grand $2700.

Opt for any 2022 Outlander, and you’ll get a fresh-looking vehicle with significantly updated tech compared to the 2020 model (Mitsubishi offered only the Outlander PHEV for 2021.) Its funky fascia with its four headlights and chrome boomerangs may be too extroverted for some, but the change is welcome in a vehicle that has rolled on since 2015 without a major visual upgrade. The upper headlights and the taillights are squinter and more aggressive. The blacked-out A pillar is right on trend, and the sides now wear angular contours. It’s also a wider, taller vehicle than its predecessor—two inches broader and 1.5 inches higher.

The 2022 model’s cabin also wears a much needed and well-executed overhaul. The dash sweeps across in one simple, horizontal line, with a nine- or eight-inch LCD touchscreen perched atop it and air inlets arranged neatly below. The controls aren’t fussy or high-tech, like VW’s haptic sliders; like Hyundai and Kia, Mitsubishi keeps climate control and volume knobs simple and analog while creating aesthetic drama with upholstery color and material texture: Our SEL sports real leather (the black and tan scheme is only available on this trim), with plenty of quilted detailing. The textured metal accents are real aluminum. A 12.3-inch, fully digital instrument cluster is available behind the four-spoke steering wheel in all models above the base ES, which makes do with a 7-inch display sandwiched between an analog tach and speedo.

The Outlander offers a single powertrain for its fourth generation. Gone is the GT trim and its 3.0-liter V-6; all 2022 Outlanders come with a naturally aspirated, 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 181 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. Those figures split the difference between the 2020 model’s optional V-6 (224 hp) and default inline-four (166 hp). The only transmission is a continuously variable one, which gives the ’22 Outlander the dubious distinction of first shift-by-wire Mitsubishi in North America.

The Outlander’s on-road persona doesn’t quite live up to the composed interior design. Acceleration from the Rogue’s nasally four-cylinder is adequate, if you suppress the desire to kick the CVT in the shins when merging onto a highway, but the suspension can become ruffled by bumps at moderate to high speed. When cruising down Ypsilanti, Michigan’s main east-west drag between 45 and 50 mph, seams in the (admittedly ill-kept) road cause the car to pitch front to back. Bumps that only affect one wheel, or one side of the vehicle, the suspension can modulate satisfactorily; it is similarly adept cushioning passengers from low-speed potholes. Seams in a highway at 60+ mph, however, quickly become irritating.

Our Outlander did handle slippery conditions decently, even on all-season tires, thanks to its electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system. “Snow” mode retards throttle response to discourage abrupt inputs and proves quite useful traversing a few inches of fresh snow, though it isn’t idiot-proof: Nudge the gas midway through a slushy corner, and you’ll find yourself straight ahead but on the wrong side of the street.

The CVT, for all that enthusiasts snub its design, does succeed in producing a smooth driving experience—our only gripe is that finding neutral requires a delicate touch. Other details which Mitsubishi has executed well: Wireless CarPlay connects rapidly. There’s a handy space to chuck your phone for wireless charging. The adaptive cruise-control is adjustable by single mph increments. The back-up camera’s quality is appropriate for a $38K vehicle.

The Outlander’s only major ergonomic failing is in the third row. It’s tiny, for one—your five-foot-seven authorial head bumped the ceiling—and greatly compromises trunk space to boot. You’d have room for a single military row of Whole Foods bags, perhaps, but don’t expect to pack for a family vacation hosting more than four persons. If your kids are above car-seat age, however, they’ll appreciate the heated second-row seats on the SEL-spec Outlander.

Hyundai and Kia offer far more spacious three-rows for the same price point (Palisade/Telluride), and Japan builds a more elegant looking SUV in the Mazda CX-9, but it’s important to remember that Mitsubishi is content to be a small fish in the U.S. market. The Outlander aims at a lucrative segment full of ravenous buyers, showing that the brand is finally wising up to the American market. Even better, the SUV’s fourth generation is executed well enough to be approached without apology. (For those who are still nervous, consider the warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles for powertrain, five years and 60,000 miles for everything else.) The 2022 Outlander won’t cause VW, Honda, or Toyota a moment’s worth of concern, but for those who are shopping for an off-beat SUV sans Subaru’s puppy-dogs-and-trail-mix aesthetic, the Outlander is worth a look.

2022 Mitsubishi Outlander

Price (base/as tested): $34,940 / $38,590

Highs: Trim, modern, and generally ergonomic cabin. Funky exterior attitude.

Lows: Smurf-sized third row. Pitchy suspension. Soulless powertrain.

Summary: A bougie-on-the-cheap SUV for which neither Mitsubishi nor you need to apologize.

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One of the reasons we love high-profile concours events like The Amelia is their ability to draw eclectic automobiles out from the woodwork. During the festivities last week we soaked up the sheer diversity of vehicles in attendance, and that includes plenty of vehicles outside the top-tier roster that actually competed in Sunday’s official Concours d’Elegance. The cars we’ve assembled below were largely part of Saturday’s less formal Cars and Community show. From a purple carbon-fiber hypercar to a diminutive kei-class hatch fresh from the transport ship, here are six vehicles from Amelia Island this year that tickled our fancy during a weekend of automotive overstimulation.

1970 Isuzu Bellett GT-R

Back in the 1960s, Isuzu introduced the Bellett in a truly impressive range of configurations: a sedan, with either four or two doors; a coupe and a fastback, each with strictly two doors; a station wagon aimed at the commercial sector; and a one-ton pickup. In 1969, Isuzu welcomed a GT-R model was to the Bellett universe. A two-door model rolling on alloy wheels and sporting appropriately racy decals, this Bellett enjoyed a bit of spunk via a 1.6-liter, 120-horse four-cylinder. Only 1400 examples were made, and few find their way out of Japan—making Mark and Newie Brinker’s orange example at the 2022 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance quite a rare sight.

1992 Venturi Trophy 400

Though short-lived French supercar firm Venturi failed to upset the supercar status quo in the 1990s, it managed to bring a few exotic cars to market. The 400 GT wears Kevlar bodywork and claims the title of the first car to offer carbon-ceramic brakes as standard kit. Sitting amidships is a twin-turbo, 400-hp V-6 jointly developed by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo, a variation of which powered the original DeLorean DMC-12. You don’t exactly see these everyday.

1978 Puma GTE

No, it’s not a kit car. This Puma GTE was produced in Brazil between 1970 and 1980 with a fiberglass body and VW underpinnings. This particular model started life with an air-cooled, 1600-cc four-cylinder making 53 hp. Owner Rob Raulerson, who found this outlandish coupe listed on a VW website in Illinois, says that a previous owner increased this four-pot’s displacement to 2276 cc, granting it 150 hp in total. In a 1650-pound car, that’s quite enough to excite the senses. “It drives like a go-kart on steroids,” says Raulerson, leaning back in a Bass Pro Shops folding chair. He says there are only about 100 of these diminutive Brazilian oddities registered in the United States.

Daihatsu Mira Avanzato R TR-XX

Daihatsu began making the kei-class Mira back in 1980 and didn’t halt production of the urban runabout until 2018. That’s air-cooled Beetle levels of longevity—an eternity in the automotive timescale. This particular model, which hails from the L500 series produced between 1994 and 1998, arrived on the Amelia green fresh from the cargo ship; it hadn’t even been wiped of its transport markings and film of dust. Stickers on its tiny rump proclaim it a TR-XX Avanzato 5 model, which means an inline-four cylinder sitting up front, topped by a turbocharger the size of an adult’s fist. Count yourself a Mira Avanzato expert? Drop us a comment below, we’d love to learn more about this little weirdo.

2022 Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne

Hispano Suiza, erstwhile manufacturer of luxury autos and airplane engines, hasn’t made a car for decades. Many who remember the marque’s origins dismiss its 21st-century Spanish reincarnation, which is supervised by the great-grandson of the original founder. However, no one could argue with sheer number of showgoers on Amelia Island who flocked to this car, the first new Hispano Suiza delivered in the U.S. in years.

With a body made of purple carbon-fiber, a face that no one recognizes, and a lavish interior upholstered in white leather, the Hispano Suiza Carmen is strange and novel in the way that exotic supercars used to be. Four electric motors on the rear axle suck electrons from a 80-kWh, 700-volt battery. You’ll get tire smoke from this 1114-hp machine, but not flames.

1995 Mitsubishi FTO GR

This Japanese-market coupe was a nostalgia play produced between 1994 and 2000 whose “FTO” moniker evoked one of Mitsubishi’s earliest sports cars, the 1971–75 Galant FTO. (That’s for Fresco Turismo Omologato, or Fresh Touring Special, when translated by Mitsubishi into English. We’re not entirely sure how that happened, either.) Unlike its predecessor, the reborn FTO was a front-driver. It did, however, offer an inline-four engine as before, in addition to a transverse-mounted, naturally aspirated V-6. The GR model upped the ante with a six-cylinder powerplant, which produced around 168 hp at 7000 rpm. The lightweight, high-revving coupe proved so popular that it leaked out of Japan and into the U.S. through grey-market channels; this example’s presence at The Amelia’s Cars and Community event proves that the letters “FTO” still possess a magnetic attraction outside of their home market.

Bonus Round: Glickenhaus SCG 004S

The road-legal version of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus’ (SCG) GT3 race car isn’t goofy or odd, but it is outrageous … so we’re granting it “bonus round” status on this list. A supercharged V-8 engine hunkers in the rear of this three-seater (think McLaren F1), paired to a gated six-speed manual. This pre-production prototype showcases the eye-popping color and material combinations available from the New York–based boutique manufacturer, which also campaigned in the top class of Le Mans with the SCG 007 Hypercar in 2021. SCG will be back for round two this year.

Fun fact: Each 004S is built by four people in eight 10-hour days. Founder Jim Glickenhaus describes the build process as assembling Lego pieces. “There’s no drilling, sawing, or filing,” he says—if a component doesn’t fit, the company ships it back to the supplier.

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Hey, alright! It looks like the gang is all here—now the high-value 1990s Japanese icon party can kick off in earnest. Supra brought drinks, the NSX’s got the chips ‘n dip, and the RX-7 and 300ZX will be right back with some wings. It sure took a while, but Mitsubishi might have just rung the doorbell with the shocking $100,499 final sale of a 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 on Bonham’s new “The Market” online auction platform. With that, this might be signs of a significant cash spike for Mitsubishi’s enigmatic halo sports car. Maybe.

Or, this might be just another case of an unbelievably original example with absurdly low miles skewing the true view of the growing market. This particular black-over-black 3000GT was mothballed right from the get-go; according to the listing, it was purchased wholesale from a dealer in Indiana by the consignor, where it promptly sat static in a collection for the past two decades. Only 168 miles sit on the wrapper-fresh odometer, making this quite the museum piece. As such, this is an extraordinarily well-preserved specimen, with only superficial dullness to the paint due to age, and dried-out plastic and rubber components that are easily replaced.

The 3000GT has a lot of same things going for it as Japanese contemporaries, including a powerful turbo engine, a sophisticated chassis, and ahead-of-its-time technology. Mitsubishi, neck deep in rally competition by this point, fitted the 3000GT with all-wheel drive—hardly common tech for 1990s sports cars. Nevertheless, it received a lukewarm reception in era, with reviewers finding it bulky and unrefined compared to the 300ZX in particular. Nowadays, it suffers from a relative lack of recognition; Z-cars, Supras, and Mazda RX-7s enjoyed multi-decade runs that, in the case of the former two, continue to the present day. It surely doesn’t help that Mitsubishi’s presence in the United States has greatly diminished.

So, a signifier for big things to come for Mitsu’s long-undervalued super-GT? Maybe, maybe not. Hagerty’s Price Guide lists a 1999 3000GT VR4 in Condition #1—or concours-ready—as $60,900, with Condition #2 (excellent) dropping to $35,100. Healthy, but not even in the same stratosphere as The Market’s six-figure blowout. Consider that at $100,000, this is one of the most expensive Mitsubishi’s ever sold at auction, beaten only by the Eclipse used in The Fast and The Furious and a super-rare Tommi Makinen Edition Lancer Evo VI that sold last spring.

The latter was part of Mitsubishi Motors U.K.’s liquidation sale, where 14 museum-grade Mitsus went under the virtual hammer. Sure, the market wasn’t quite as volatile as it is now, but The Market’s 3000GT outstripped both a handful of rare Evos—historically more desirable than 3000GTs—and an honest-to-goodness Group N British Rally Championship winning Evo IX.

Even with the Bring a Trailer boost in full effect, excellent condition 3000GT VR4s with low-ish miles trade for between $25,000 and $45,000 on the ultra-popular auction site. Values of the 3000GT are undeniably on the rise—what Japanese classic isn’t—but don’t bother adding another zero to the “For Sale” sign on that Mitsu in your driveway—we reckon this is an outlier sale.

We’ll leave you with a little tip for you would-be 3000GT owners hoping to hop-in before values continue to climb the price graph. If you’re not absolutely obsessed with having the tri-diamond badge on your sports car’s schnozz, consider sourcing a well-kept Dodge Stealth. With only minor exceptions, Dodge’s mechanically identical captive import twin of the Mitsu 3000GT follows complete model parity at a moderate discount; Hagerty price guide pegs a concours-condition 1996 Stealth R/T Turbo at $28,500 against the $58,400 claimed for a #1 condition 3000GT Twin Turbo from the same year. As fewer Stealths come up for sale, your mileage—and price—may vary, but you’ll likely end up saving at least a few thousand.

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The post Is this $100,000 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 a sign of big things for the ’90s legend? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

With temperatures still below freezing in many states and summer holidays still a long way off, ice cream probably hasn’t been among your foremost thoughts in recent weeks.

But just as we’re often advised to buy convertibles during the winter when prices are at their softest, perhaps it’s also the best time to invest in an ice cream van. And if you want to find the customers that no brightly painted Econoline conversion can reach, then what you really need is this Mitsubishi Pajero ice cream van.

Mitsubishi’s rufty-tufty off-roader (known as the Shogun in the U.K. market) has been many things over the years. It was among the first family-friendly 4x4s, debuting in 1981, and even had a long and successful rallying career, achieving multiple Paris-Dakar wins in the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s.

No doubt those Dakar-winning crews would have appreciated a refreshing Klondike after each day’s stages, and this would’ve been the perfect vehicle. A Japanese import, it was converted into an ice cream van after arriving in the U.K. in 1998 by Whitby Morrison. For uninitiated, that’s one of the nation’s leading ice cream van–conversion companies.

Given its condition, this Pajero isn’t unlikely to have done any actual off-roading, unless you count a few grassy lawns (which is still more than your average SUV will achieve in its lifetime). With 120,000 miles on the clock, its 2.5-liter turbodiesel should still have plenty of life too, and an automatic gearbox and power steering mean the owner can save their strength for working those soft-scoop machines.

Speaking of, the Pajero apparently includes weird and wonderful accessories like a “High output Carpigiani Super Uno” soft ice cream machine with a “contra agitating beater,” which sounds like something you want to keep your hands away from, as well as a pair of sinks and a large six-lid Whitby Morrison stainless-steel freezer. We’ll just assume the ice-cream connoisseurs are nodding away at all this and move on.

The treat-dispensing Mitsubishi Pajero has no price attached to it, so you’ll have to inquire via the advertisement to ask how much it costs, but if you don’t fancy a retro convertible to give you those summer vibes, then a retro, off-roading ice cream van has to be the next best thing.

Via Hagerty UK

The post This Mitsubishi Pajero ice cream van is perfect for wilderness snack cravings appeared first on Hagerty Media.

There’s a big wide world of cars out there that, because of federalization laws or market-specific offerings, never make it to dealer lots here in the US of A. Buying a brand-new car from a foreign market and trying to import it on your own is nearly impossible, but it is possible to secure an exemption from certain red tape and regulations that allow you to register a car here. In that scenario, the vehicle in question just has to be 25 years or older. America’s so-called 25-year rule (it’s 15 years up in Canada) means that until the quarter-century clock runs down our favorite unobtanium cars, all we can do is watch them on YouTube or drive them on PlayStation.

One fun thing about the 25-year rule? Each year a new crop of cars becomes eligible for import. Below are 10 cars we’ve been looking at, all from the class of 1997, that meet the criteria import to the U.S. at some point during 2022. The list covers a melange of JDM greats and European delicacies (and one Aussie) which certain dedicated fans have been watching from afar for years in anticipation.

Remember, though—your experience with importing any out-of-market vehicle will vary depending on which state you live in. Federal law is one thing, but states also reserve the right to enforce their own regulations. You’re out of luck if you live in California, for example, and in 2021 some states in New England (Maine and Rhode Island, namely) began deregistering Japanese-market mini trucks for some strange reason.

Parts and service for a foreign-market car is also a whole different ball game. They don’t carry Renault alternators at Pep Boys.

As always, homework for the dizzying import process from docks to driveway is an absolute must should you be determined to go it alone. Buying from a reputable dealer that specializes in foreign-market imports will come with a premium, but these outfits will often fully handle the paperwork so you don’t have to. Nobody wants to have to look over their shoulder, worried that Uncle Sam will one day come with a tow truck sending an innocent Skyline GT-R to the crusher.

Alfa Romeo 156

Launched in late 1997 and built until 2005, the 156 isn’t the prettiest car in the world. And with Stelvio SUVs now meandering around suburbs, an Alfa Romeo isn’t as exotic a sight as it used to be for Americans since the brand’s 20-year hiatus between 1995 and 2015. It also hails from right in the middle of the company’s front-wheel-drive era.

So what does the 156 have going for it? Well, it’s an Alfa Romeo, and Alfa Romeos are both attractive and nice to drive. The most desirable engines are the Twin Spark 16-valve four-cylinder, and the 2.5-liter double overhead cam Busso V-6, both of which look good and make a pleasant sound. Other solid options included a Momo leather interior and mahogany steering wheel, Recaro seats, and lowered suspension. Fast wagon fans will pine for the 156 Sportwagon model, but it didn’t arrive until 2000. See you in 2025!

Honda Civic Type R

The third Honda with a Type R badge (after the NSX in 1992 and the Integra in 1995), the original 1997 Civic Type R is based on the sixth generation of Honda’s bread-and-butter-compact car, and Honda gave it a similar treatment to the hopped-up Integra but in an arguably prettier hatchback body. Lighter and stiffer body and chassis, upgraded brakes, close-ratio gears, limited-slip differential, and minimal sound deadening are all part of the mix, while on the inside there are Recaro seats, a titanium shift knob and a Momo steering wheel.

The star of the Civic Type R show is the hand-ported B16B engine, a 1.6-liter four that screams out 182 hp at 8200 rpm and can scoot this hottest of hatches to about 140 mph. This being a VTEC Honda, though, torque is basically an afterthought with just 118 lb-ft at 7500 rpm.

The Integra Type R, which sold briefly in the States, is already a proven modern collector car, as are clean examples of the 1999–2000 Civic Si coupe. This JDM Civic on steroids, then, is maybe the most anticipated car from the class of ’97 for American gearheads, some of whom have wanted one ever since playing the first Gran Turismo.

Holden Commodore (VT)

GM’s Down Under subsidiary—Holden—never technically sold cars in America, but chances are you’ve seen one before. The 2004–06 Pontiac GTO, 2008–09 Pontiac G8 and 2014–17 Chevrolet SS all shared Aussie underpinnings courtesy of Holden. And if you look up close, it’s not uncommon to see the Chevy bowtie badge or the Pontiac dart swapped out by owners in favor of a Holden lion.

If we turn back the clock a little bit further to 1997, that’s when Holden introduced the third generation of its large family car, called the Commodore. Also known as the VT-series Commodore, it was available with a variety of engines and as a sedan or station wagon. Enthusiasts, though, naturally gravitate toward the Commodore SS with its 262-hp 5.0-liter V-8 and five-speed manual. Like the later Holden-based Pontiacs and Chevrolets, the Commodore is a charming sleeper—a muscled weapon that nonetheless looks like something your accountant might drive. The right-hand drive might, however, let on that this is no ordinary sedan.

Subaru WRX STi Type R (two-door)

Subaru WRXs are a favorite among tuners and vape enthusiasts, and since the early 2000s it has been one of the most popular ways for young Americans to go fast in a variety of weather and road conditions. Outside of America, though, the WRX goes way back to 1992, and in 1997 Subaru introduced a new two-door model.

Called the WRX Type R STi, it served as the basis for the later and more hardcore 22B. The 22B (which turns 25 years old next year) has since become a legend, but the ’97 Type R was the first two-door WRX.

Renault Kangoo

There is no shortage of vans to choose from in America, but let’s say you own a French restaurant or bakery. Maybe you want to serve croissants in Euro-correct style. Maybe you want a company runabout with a little more joie de vivre than your average Ford Transit.

Enter the Renault Kangoo, which isn’t just fun to say, it’s also one of Europe’s best-selling multipurpose vehicles. The first gen Kangoo debuted in late 1997 and could be had in either standard form or a panel van, called the “Kangoo Express”, with a variety of four-cylinder engines a choice of front- or four-wheel drive.

BMW M Roadster (European spec)

This one’s a bit of a stretch, I admit. BMW already sold the M Roadster in this country from 1998–2002. Back in 2020, Hagerty even suggested that buying one was a great idea. (We were right.) However, in a classic case of us Americans getting watered-down versions of hot foreign cars, the M Roadster sold on our shores came with an S52 straight-six engine good for 240 hp. Plenty to have fun with, but pretty pedestrian compared to the 316-hp S50 that came in the rest of the world’s M Roadsters.

Importing a Euro-spec M is an expensive way to chase some extra horsepower, especially when you could just shop for the upgraded 315-hp (S54-powered) M Roadsters (and Coupes) that came to the U.S. for 2001-02. But, if you really wanted to, you can do so in 2022.

Ford Puma

Built from 1997–2001 at the Ford plant in Cologne, Germany and based on the Mk 4 Fiesta, the Puma is a neat little hot-ish hatch that looks a bit like a shrunken-down eighth-gen (1999–2001) Mercury Cougar. Pumas came with a Zetec four-cylinder of 1.4, 1.6 or 1.7 liters, driving the front wheels.

From a driving and collectibility standpoint, the most interesting of these euro Fords is the “Ford Racing Puma,” of which 500 were built for the U.K. market. They came with special brakes, wider bodywork, suspension upgrades, a front splitter, Speedline wheels, a stronger gearbox, an optional limited-slip, a racier interior, and a more powerful engine. The Ford Racing Puma didn’t come out until 1999, however, so you’ll need to wait another couple of years to ship one over.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

A different kind of Evo, the Pajero Evolution may be an SUV but it’s still a rally weapon with a motorsport pedigree to rival that of its Lancer-based cousin. Mitsubishi built two-door Pajeros for competition beginning in the early 1980s, and they found great success in the Paris-Dakar Rally, winning the event in 1985, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2003–07. Pajeros have won the Dakar Rally more than any other automobile.

To homologate the Pajero Evolution for the Dakar Rally’s T2 class, Mitsubishi built 2500 road-going Pajero Evolutions from 1997–99. Powered by a 3.5-liter 24-valve V-6 with a dual plenum variable intake, the Pajero Evolution also features double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, fender flares, two shark-fin like appendages on its tail, a prominent hood scoop, skid plates, and mud flaps.

LTI TX1 London Taxi

Introduced by London Taxis International (LTI) at the London Motor Show in October 1997, the TX1 took over black cab duty from the old, iconic Austin FX4 that dated way back to 1958.

Is a TX1 black cab fun to drive? With a four-cylinder Nissan diesel engine, not in the traditional. Is it nice to look at? Well, not really, as it was shaped for max practicality by designer Kenneth Grange, whose resume mostly includes kettles, food mixers, clothes irons, and washing machines. But it is unmistakably a London taxi, and for the automotive anglophile it sure would be a neat way to ferry around a few friends (to and from the pub). Too bad Uber cars need to be 15 years old or newer.

Nissan Skyline GT-R NISMO 400R

Technically the 400R came out in late 1996, but it’s our list and we’re adding it. It’s also the priciest car of the group, with a seven-figure value in the Hagerty Price Guide, and by far the fastest. It’s essentially an R33-generation (1995-98) Skyline GT-R turned up to eleven—both the hottest R33 and extremely rare, to boot. Just 44 examples are considered to have been built, so anybody shopping for one will probably have to be patient. Not to mention rich.

Borrowing from NISMO’s Le Mans program, the 400R is lowered nearly 2 inches from the standard GT-R and features Bilstein dampers, NISMO springs, NISMO brake pads, and a unique brake master cylinder with a stopper to reduce fore/aft movement and improve pedal feel. The hood and driveshafts are made of carbon fiber, while the exhaust, strut tower bar, and shift knob are titanium. A full body kit features a special front bumper that directs air more efficiently to the intercooler. The 400R’s RB-X GT2 engine has a reinforced block, forged internals and upgraded intake and exhaust. Despite Japan’s famous “gentleman’s agreement” to limit published horsepower figures to 276 ponies, the 400R proudly boasts 400.

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Cars with Paul Walker provenance are continuing to command blockbuster prices. This 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse fetched $170,500 at Mecum Auctions Kissimmee sale thanks to its appearance in 2001’s The Fast and the Furious where Walker is seen behind the wheel.

Walker’s Brian O’Connor doesn’t have the easiest time with the Eclipse, however. Early on we follow O’Connor trying to get to grips with the car in the Dodger Stadium parking lot. He redlines the engine, the speedo whips past 150 mph and then the car is suddenly sent into a huge spin, before stopping inches from roadside barrier.

The Eclipse is O’Connor’s way entry into the illegal street racing scene, so he perseveres, entering his first race against a Mazda RX-7, a Honda Civic Type R and an Integra Type R. O’Connor opens the taps on his nitrous tank, but proves to be no match for Vin Diesel’s rotor power, losing the floorpan and destroying the manifold of his Eclipse in the process.

None of this deterred bidders at the auction, mind, and the Eclipse joins a Walker-driven Toyota Supra in fetching a furious price. The Mitsubishi is one of six units built for the film and is visually tricked up like the rest, with an APR Performance rear wing, seven-spoke alloy wheels wearing Toyo Proxes tires, custom mirrors. The interior features diamond-plate floor pans, Recaro seats and a Jensen stereo. Mechanically, it’s stock, with the two-liter 16-valve four mated to an automatic transmission, while the roof scoop is a dummy.

Cinema Vehicle Services provided documentary proof that this Eclipse—known as Buck Car 35—was seen on the big screen and that was enough to convince one movie fan to act decisively and cough up the highest price ever paid for an Eclipse that we know of. It’s not, however, the biggest ticket Mitsubishi ever sold—that honor goes to a 2000 Lancer Evo VI Tommy Makinen Edition, which went for a record $197,000 at Silverstone Auctions in 2021.

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Ringbrothers unveils a somehow-subtle ’69 Charger with a Hellcat heart

Intake: Four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy is now the proud owner of Ringbrothers’ latest restomod. The years-long effort resulted in a Hellcat-powered muscle car riding on a one-off chassis. Though it’s heading back to New Zealand—where Murphy will take possession of the supercharged, six-speed beast—the 4000-hour project (dubbed “CAPTIV”) remains left-hand drive.

Exhaust: While there are significant changes under CAPTIV’s skin and inside the cabin, where MoTeC digital dash replaces the factory gauges, the Coke-bottle shape of the original Mopar sheetmetal is still totally intact. We’ve always been fans of the Ringbrothers’ creations, especially with the way the shop melds late-model performance (hello, carbon-fiber driveshaft) and styling hints (like the custom HRE rims) into the vehicle’s classic lines. We particularly like how the custom supercharger lid is shown off by way of a hood cutout.

Porsche eats $113M to eschew VW Group’s flagship EV platform

Intake: Porsche has backed out of an arrangement to have its new flagship EV built at a VW commercial vehicle plant and has had to pay $113 million dollars’ compensation to its parent, reports Automotive News Europe. The Hanover factory was set to build the next generation of Porsche electric vehicles alongside electric Audis and Bentleys, all based on the upcoming Artemis architecture (the Volkswagen Group’s answer to Mercedes-Benz’ EQS electric sedan). However, Porsche argued that its customers will always be driving enthusiasts and therefore wouldn’t want all of the advanced autonomous features that the VAG has planned for Artemis-based vehicles. Instead Porsche will further progress its Premium Electric architecture, which is already under development with Audi, and is set to underpin the electric Macan SUV and Panamera saloon. Some 25,000 Porsches EVs were scheduled to be assembled at the Hanover plant, which will shift the capacity to to the new VW ID.Buzz and other models.

Exhaust: It’s a costly move, but one that should delight Porsche fans as it shows that the brand remains focused on providing cars for drivers into the future and not simply autonomous luxury travel devices.

Toyota introduces Capstone as top Tundra trim

Intake: Toyota announced that its all-new Tundra will have a new trim level, or “grade” as Toyota puts it. Capstone will sit atop (pun intended) the Tundra hierarchy, a position previously held by the 1794, which started at $57,690. Capstone will come standard with 22-inch wheels, the largest wheels ever offered on a Tundra, along with a luxury interior featuring semi-aniline leather-trimmed seats and a 10-inch color head-up display. The top trim will only be available as a CrewMax with a 5.5-foot bed.

Exhaust: Toyota is looking to capitalize on the rapidly expanding high-end pickup market. As it had already established the Platinum and 1794 trims that start at around $60,000, the Capstone gives the brand room to go even more upscale without abandoning buyers who had come to love their preferred grade. With Ford’s $73,000 Limited and GMC’s $80,000 Sierra Ultimate, manufacturers clearly are bullish on premium half-tons.

2022 Detroit auto show has a date and a venue

Intake: After what will ultimately be a 44-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the North American International Auto Show announced that its 2022 event will be held September 14–25. The NAIAS, which was last held in January 2019, will take place in the Detroit’s Huntington Place Convention Center and around downtown. Press and tech days will be September 14 and 15, and the annual Charity Preview—with proceeds going to Detroit area nonprofits—is set for September 16. The NAIAS will be open to the public from September 17 to 25.

Exhaust: The Detroit auto show, once a highly anticipated winter reprieve, was transitioning to a summer rebirth when the pandemic hit, so the Motor City has been without its automotive showcase event for way too long. Unless (knock on wood) health concerns wreak havoc on the schedule once again, the 2022 NAIAS promises to be an enthusiastic celebration of automobiles—and the opportunity to gather and admire them together.

Noble M500 flies in with Ford GT power and gated-shift goodness

Intake: Boutique British supercar maker Noble is finally replacing its aging, Volvo V-8–powered M600 with a new M500 model driven by the V-6 from the Ford GT. The move will make Noble driving more affordable than before, if a tad slower. New bodywork grants this Noble a more up-to-date look, that’s tidy if a little derivative—we see elements of McLaren 720S, Lotus Emira, and even Audi R8—but underneath, the steel chassis and suspension are essentially the same as the old M600’s. Inside, there are figure-hugging Recaro seats and digitized displays replacing the M600’s old-school clocks. True to Noble form, the driving experience remains distinctly analog, with a Graziono six-speed gated manual transmission and little in the way of driver aids. You won’t even find ABS brakes on the menu. The 3.5-liter Ford EcoBoost V-6 is good for 507 hp and top speed is said to be just shy of 200 mph. Pricing is expected to be around £150,000, or $204,000, with Noble aiming to build 50 cars per year.

Exhaust: Noble has long had a reputation for building fantastic drivers’ cars with track-ready handling and performance. With a lighter Ford V-6 on board we can’t see much changing there. If you’re a fan of old-school supercars who’s a bit wearied by Ford’s relentless appeals to its racing heritage, or if you’re left unmoved by the auto-only R8, join the line.

China no longer requires joint ventures for domestic auto production

Intake: China no longer requires foreign automakers to partner with a local brand to sell their wares in the world’s most populous country. On the books since 1994, this rule was removed from its “Special Administrative Measures for Foreign Investment Access” document for January 2022. While it was seemingly applied everywhere, Tesla inked a deal with the Chinese government sans local partnerships back in July 2018. China softened its stance with automakers, but other industries (like medical institutions) still need a partner, and others (like mining) are ineligible for foreign investment. Another aspect of the now-extinct rule was the number of allowable Chinese partnerships by a foreign manufacturer. It was originally two but, as of this writing, General Motors has 10 partnerships, applicable to its numerous brands.

Exhaust: While China’s governmental controls on automotive partnerships were stricter than those of America, General Motors and Toyota were in a similar situation back in 1984 and did the same thing on their own accord (sorry). The New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI) was a joint venture between both automakers, which provided many of the same long-term benefits seen in the Chinese partnership scheme: Toyota learned how to successfully make cars in America and General Motors learned Toyota’s manufacturing principles firsthand. The irony in this analogy is that Tesla was a big winner both times: It took ownership of the Fremont factory from Toyota upon GM’s bankruptcy and garnered the aforementioned preferential treatment from the Chinese government just eight years later. No matter, it’s clear that the Chinese automotive industry has matured to the point where joint ventures are irrelevant—to the point that it is even giving Tesla a record-setting 2.1 billion yuan subsidy to liquidate some of its inventory.

Mitsubishi channels Ralliart heritage into amped-up Outlander concept

Intake: Mitsubishi has its heart set on reviving Ralliart, a performance sub-brand and historic motorsports arm of the Japanese automaker. At the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, Mitsubishi laid out how it intends to leverage nostalgia along with modern demand for crossovers. Say hello to the Vision Ralliart Concept—essentially an Outlander PHEV (a model that will be available in the U.S. starting in the second half of 2022) with an amped-up hybrid drivetrain. We can expect higher output from the electric motors, though Mitsubishi isn’t yet saying how much, and a larger-capacity battery pack (again, mum’s the word). As of now, the 2021 Outlander PHEV is a 221-hp proposition with a 60 kW and a 70 kW motor front and rear, respectively, paired with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Naturally, the matte-black beastie’s four-wheel drive system has been returned for a sportier personality to mesh with the uprated powertrain.

Exhaust: You may well turn up your nose at yet another electrified SUV with sporting pretensions, but here’s why we’re curious about this spiced-up Outlander: Its smaller sibling, the Eclipse Cross, is an authentic (and, in many ways, authentically  weird) Japanese product. Like the Eclipse Cross, and all other Mitsubishi models apart from the Mirage, the Outlander PHEV will be built in Japan. Neither it nor the new Ralliart concept will be everyone’s cup of jasmine tea, but any performance-minded Mitsubishi is a step toward something more exciting. Just look at that badass diffuser!

The post A ’69 Charger with a Hellcat heart, Porsche eats $113M for EV independence, a boutique Brit with Ford GT grunt appeared first on Hagerty Media.

This is everything you need to know about the refreshed-for-2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in a single sentence: If you couldn’t buy one, you’d really want to buy one. Wait. Hear me out. The Eclipse Cross is the only Japanese small crossover you can buy. I don’t mean Japanese-brand small crossover. Those are all made in the United States or Canada, in places like East Liberty, Ohio, and Smyrna, Tennessee. Furthermore, they’re all painstakingly adapted to American tastes by dedicated American engineering teams. The current-day RAV4, for example, is basically an old Highlander in size and function; it has nothing in common with the funky, curvy subcompact two-door whack-a-mole that wore the RAV4 badge twenty-eight years ago. The CR-V is a family wagon almost identical to the RAV4. And the Nissan Rogue is just like the other two, only it’s sold to people whose Equifax reports contain Surgeon-General-style warnings about lending them any money. There’s nothing unique, interesting, or quirky about these basic boxes, and it’s been that way for a decade now.

The Eclipse Cross, on the other hand — well, if Mitsubishi called it the Minica Lettuce Town Box and declared it would only be sold in certain Japanese prefectures, we’d all go nuts for it. It’s as JDM as you can get without actually driving the car from the right side: built in Okazaki with ninety-eight percent Japanese content. The powertrain is appropriately nutty: a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder twisting all four wheels through a CVT, adaptable to “snow” and “gravel” modes. It has the ungainly proportions of something you might see crawling through the background of the original Blade Runner film. The interior is basically a high-quality remix of a 1990’s Diamond Star Motors car, aka Eclipse/Laser/Talon, aka Dee Ess Emm, aka Disposable Speed Machine, complete with inexplicable touches like massive Lambo-style aluminum shift paddles fixed to the column, a heads-up display that disappears into the dash when not in use courtesy of not one but two motorized panels, and a glowing green perspective grid display between the instruments that is strangely reminiscent of either the movie TRON or the old Dimension X video game. You get the idea. This thing is strange.

Strange to drive, as well. It’s not fast in any sense of the word, not with 152 horsepower pushing north of 3500 pounds, but it’s oddly eager to turn and it’s not shy about leaning a bit in the corners. Make that a lot. Sharp applications of the brakes will put the nose down in a manner almost unheard of nowadays. It’s the first new car I’ve driven in quite some time that wasn’t really comfortable on the freeway. Like Sonny Crockett, it belongs to the city, and to the night. That’s where the impressive array of LED exterior lights really shines, pun intended, the CVT keeps the engine on the boil, and the quick steering enables the driver to grab the next desired lane with little effort. Exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese city car on stilts, really. If only it got better fuel economy; no amount of finessing the throttle on my part would push the mileage past 30. Not great for a tiny engine in a small-ish car. A CR-V or RAV4 will do much better in this regard, while being no less willing to answer the call of the wild right foot.

The reader is free to form his own opinion on the looks of the Eclipse Cross; I think it certainly looks unique. It’s a little shorter than the competition, even after a restyle that added a few inches to the back. The quality of the paint was outstanding, and the panel gaps are very tight. The matte-black Range-Rover-style “E C L I P S E C R O S S” badging front and rear is apparently an option; I could do without it.

Speaking of options. The Eclipse Cross comes in at $25,535 base price for a moderately-equipped 2WD variant. This “SEL” model, loaded for bear and equipped with all-wheel-drive, costs $34,075. That’s a lot of money. But you do get a lot of stuff. Power seats in a decent grade of leather, power panoramic sunroof, power folding mirrors, all the various moronic electronic safety doodads, the aforementioned robotic HUD, heated seats on all corners, and a Mitsubishi Power Sound System that earns its name by being very dynamic but not particularly musical; it should really be badged “Rockford Fosgate” as it sounds like every mini-truck system with a pair of Punch 45s bridged to a Bazooka tube behind the seat. (Trivia time: Mitsubishi did, once upon a time, have Fosgate-branded sound systems in their cars. The name is gone, but the vibe remains.)

If your neighbor has one of those $65,000 imitation CR-Vs that scream “My credit is MAXED OUT!” like a Porsche Macan or AMG GLC 43, rest easy in the fact that most people won’t be able to discern any substantial difference between your Eclipse Cross and their fun-sized wunder-wagon at twice the price. The only real way to tell is the size of the center LCD screen, which isn’t impressive in the Mitsubishi.

On the road, the Eclipse Cross is quiet enough, with a rigid body and no sloppy noises coming through the door or hatch apertures. There’s adequate room for six-foot-two people in both the front and back seats. Cargo space is about par for the compact-crossover course, although the feisty little slope to the rear window makes this car a bit less practical than an upright and uptight RAV4. Really, Mitsubishi would rather sell an Outlander to people who are cross-shopping the default-choice competition. This vehicle is for people who want something a little different.

The last time I drove an Eclipse-badged Mitsubishi it was a three-day Los-Angeles-area rental of a 2011 Eclipse Sypder. Here’s the weird thing: I just went through and looked at my pictures of that car. In most respects, particularly with regards to the proportions and shapes of the interior, that Eclipse was actually quite similar to the modern Eclipse Cross. No, this cute-ute is not a fire-breathing beetle-backed street racer the way the 1991 Eclipse GSX was, but let’s be fair: neither was the 2011 Eclipse. By then the car had matured (or declined, you pick) into a vaguely-sporty vehicle for bargain shoppers. In that context, there is nothing particularly heretical about the Eclipse Cross. Would I like the firm to sell a true successor to the original Eclipse? Yes. Would anybody buy one if they did? You know the answer to that.

Therefore, I come not to bury the Eclipse Cross, but to praise it, within reason of course. While I can’t really recommend that you drop thirty-four grand on a fully-loaded SEL Touring S-AWC like the one tested here, I think the $25,000-and-thereabouts versions are a very safe bet. For that money you get a truly astounding warranty (10 years and 100k on the powertrain, 5 years and 60k on everything else) on a vehicle that doesn’t appear to need it; a quick look for used Eclipse Crosses turns up a surprising number of examples with 120,000 miles or more on the clock despite being just three or four years old. We’re in a bit of an inventory crunch for new cars as I write this; you’ll have better luck finding an Eclipse Cross at your local megadealer than you will a CR-V EX-L.

As I prepared to write this review, I did something I almost never do: I read what other people in the business had to say. Most of them panned the Eclipse Cross as a slow, thirsty, and just plain odd crossover that can’t match the competition in most respects. While I agree with the subjective truth of the above, I also can’t help but admire the car just a little bit. It’s that rarest of vehicles nowadays: something with a bit of what we used to call national character. Most of the entries in this market segment are essentially interchangeable. The Eclipse Cross is not. Five minutes behind the wheel and you’ll recognize it as A) authentically Japanese; B) obviously a Mitsubishi. In a world of bland grey boxes, I think this deliberately weird blue box deserves a thumbs-up. It just needs a different name to emphasize this. Forget “Eclipse Cross”… how about “Lancer Lettuce”?

2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Price: $25,535/$34,075 (base/as-tested)

Highs: Fun, weird, built rather well, likely to last a while.

Lows: Small, slow, thirsty, not truly class-competitive.

Summary: In a segment of vehicles defined by their lack of appeal to emotion, here’s the emotional choice.

The post Review: 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SEL S-AWC appeared first on Hagerty Media.

We’re living in an age of $50,000 Civic Sis, of clean Miatas that outsell Corvettes, of soaring values for just about every Nissan with a “Z” in its name. It’s gratifying to see the golden age of Japanese sports cars get its due. Yet that same phenomenon means that many of these vehicles, the gateway drugs for a generation of enthusiasts, are now climbing out of reach.

Many, but not all. There are cool, interesting, fun rides whose prices have not yet gotten silly and may never achieve risible status. Two brash, box-flared, badge-engineered beauties from the Reagan/Thatcher years fit the bill. The Mitsubishi Starion and the Chrysler Conquest, affectionately known as “Starquests,” are quite a bit more expensive than they were a year ago but have appreciated later and in smaller increments than most of their hair metal–era peers. Considering how popular ’80s automotive kitsch is at the moment, that’s a surprise to us. Then again, Starquests suffer from a bit of an identity and obscurity problem, and this confusion may keep prices affordable. At the risk of letting everyone in on the secret, here’s a bit of background.

Nissan, of course, pioneered the mass-market Japanese sports car in the early ’70s. A decade later, nearly every Japanese automaker was building a sporty coupe or hatchback. Mitsubishi joined the game for the 1983 model year. Its handsome but somewhat generic Etch A Sketch–style bodywork hid a remarkable degree of sophistication: The Starion’s 2.6-liter four-cylinder was one of the earlier combinations of turbocharging and electronic fuel injection. Leaning hard into the all-things-turbo craze of the day, one Starion ad boasted “ultimate refinement of Turbo Age technology … the entire car is ‘turbo tuned.’” Later Starquests even have bright “Turbo” script screaming at you from their motorized seat belts. The car also boasted an independent rear suspension, a limited-slip differential, and five-speed manual. One of the early, narrow-body cars also snagged a prominent role in the 1984 movie Cannonball Run II, with Jackie Chan and Richard Kiel (Jaws from the James Bond movies) evading the authorities in a customized black Mitsubishi.

Because the ’80s fell right in the midst of Mitsubishi’s long and fruitful fling with Chrysler, there were also Plymouth/Dodge/Chrysler versions of the Starion, called the Conquest. Other than some trim and badging, the Chrysler versions were mechanically identical, and all Starquests rolled out of Mitsubishi’s plant in Okazaki. To its credit, Chrysler didn’t try to take credit for the car. One TV ad from the era features a bright red Conquest in a cage being lowered onto the docks of a cargo ship, with the narrator warning of the “a fire-breathing creature Chrysler has imported from Japan.”

Things got even better in 1986, with the Starquest’s first (and only real) major revision. Under the hood, Mitsubishi threw in an intercooler, bumping performance to 178 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque. If you’re a firm believer that more letters equals more better in an ’80s performance vehicle, these later Starquests were dubbed Starion “ESI-R” and Conquest “TSi.” Wider wheels and bulging fender flares likewise called attention to the extra grunt while making the car look something like a Porsche 944 with some creases ironed into it. At around $17,500 in either Mitsubishi or Chrysler guise (the Plymouth and Dodge versions were axed with the refresh), the Starquest was far cheaper than the front-engine Porsche, not to mention more affordable than its closer-to-home rivals like the Mazda RX-7 Turbo and Nissan 300ZX Turbo.

In 1988, the Starquest gained another 10 hp and 11 lb-ft, and performance-minded buyers could tick the box for a Sport Handling Package with eight-way adjustable shocks and wider wheels. In motorsport, meanwhile, a Starion ESI-R won the SCCA’s Escort Endurance Series, and Starions were moderately successful in touring car competition in Europe and Japan.

They enjoyed far less success with customers. Even Mitsubishi played into this, with TV ads boasting: “You don’t see a sports car like this every day. And with so few available, you probably won’t.”

Like other Japanese manufacturers, Mitsubishi aimed even higher, both in terms of technology and price, in the 1990s. But whereas other carmakers continued to invest their established, well-known badges (Supra, RX-7, 300ZX), Mitsubishi/Chrysler went in a different direction. Rather than build a next-generation Starion/Conquest, they introduced the Mitsubishi 3000 GT/Dodge Stealth, and effectively replaced the Starion with the new, Illinois-built Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon/Plymouth Laser. These later Mitsubishi models went on to bigger sales figures and had a much larger cultural impact.

That short, relatively obscure run probably explains why Starquests are so cheap. It probably doesn’t help that the Mitsubishi brand is on life support in North America and that Stellantis née Chrysler is (understandably) more interested in recalling its 1960s performance heritage. Until very recently, even the best-preserved Starquests with the more desirable fat flares and intercooled engines could be bought for well under five figures. Over the past 12 months, however, Starquests appear to be moving beyond cult status. Back in mid-2021, these cars saw their first significant increase in the Hagerty Price Guide since we started tracking them, with average condition #2 (Excellent) values growing by 26 percent. And from January 2021 to today, median #2 values for Starquests are up 45 percent. The current #2 value for a Starion in the Hagerty Price Guide is $18,600. The captive import Conquest is actually worth 3 grand more, at $21,700.

There aren’t a lot of clean, unmodified Starquests left, but—no surprise—several have found their way to Bring a Trailer in 2020 and 2021. Since 2019, 11 Starquests have brought over 15 grand on that platform, and seven of those have brought over 20, including a mint Fiji Blue 1988 Conquest that brought $33,365 back in May 2021. Mecum sold a similarly clean, 41,662-mile Conquest in Houston in April for $26,400. That’s a big jump from what we’re used to seeing with these cars, but Starquests still cost comfortably less than most of its better-known contemporaries.

They seem likely to remain attainable. Although they have lower production numbers (aka rarity), they lack the name recognition or relevance to established car culture that boost values for RX-7s, 300ZXs, or even Eclipses. Nor do they enjoy as large a support system. There are some caveats, then, but if you’re on the hunt for a four-wheeled ’80s nostalgia-mobile and want something a little different and much cheaper, reach for a Starquest.

The post Want an affordable, off-beat ’80s performance car? Reach for the Star(rion)s appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Small-size JDM vehicles are being targeted by DMVs in Maine and Rhode Island, and owners of those vehicles—legally brought to the U.S. under the federal 25-year import law—are fighting back. So is SEMA.

Maine began deregistering small Mitsubishi Delica vans in April, and Rhode Island started down a similar path earlier this month, notifying registered owners of kei cars and trucks that their Japanese rides could no longer be driven on public roads and they should turn in their plates.

Rhode Island resident Chuck Whoczynski, an avid auto enthusiast and co-host of the Revival Motoring podcast, owns a 1990 Honda Acty and a ’90s Daihatsu Mira TR-XX Avanzato hatchback, which he registered three years ago and two years ago, respectively. In Whoczynski’s podcast on August 12 (beginning at the 105-minute mark), he described the situation as “an attack on motoring enthusiasts,” and he vowed to fight, even if that means going to court.

“You’re going to need a f*****g wrecking ball to get those plates back from me,” he said. “You’re going to need to send in a f*****g S.W.A.T. team.”

Whoczynski told The Drive that he received a letter, dated August 2, from Law Enforcement Investigator Billy Goodwin directing him to contact the DMV regarding a “registration investigation.” When Whoczynski called as instructed, a DMV representative cited a low-speed law (Chapter 31-19.4-1) that was written in 2012 for Prudence Island, which can only be reached by boat and has a population of fewer than 100 people.

Whoczynski points out that Rhode Island has no state laws restricting the use of kei-class vehicles on public roads, and he asked the DMV what has changed since he legally registered his vehicles. Whoczynski said he was told, “They do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards”—a moot point since they were imported under the 25-year law, which states, “A motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be lawfully imported into the U.S. without regard to whether it complies with all applicable FMVSS.”

Whoczynski claims kei cars are no more dangerous than 1960s Volkswagen Beetles or 1970s Ford Pintos, some of which caught fire in rear-end collisions—“They had bumper stickers that said, ‘Hit me and we’ll die together.’” He also claims the DMV told him, “There’s been an influx of (these) cars in the state.” To which he said, “So what?”

Meanwhile in Maine, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) now considers the Mitsubishi Delica an “off-road vehicle” and, in accordance with Title 29-A, “Off-road vehicles may not be registered.” According to detailed reports in Crankshaft Culture and Autoblog, that term would not have included a Delica until June 15, when Maine passed a law that clarifies the definition. Maine now describes an off-road vehicle as “a motor vehicle that, because of the vehicle’s design and, configuration, original manufacture, or original intended use, does not meet the inspection standards of chapter 15, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s pollutant requirements, or the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration’s crash testing standards and that is not a moped or motorcycle.”

Concerning the Delica, in particular, the Maine Secretary of State told Autoblog: “Given that these vehicles are generally right-hand steerage and have few, if any modern safety features or emission controls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and EPA have both ruled that this class of vehicles may be only used for off road farming (or similar) use. Maine considers these vehicles to be ATVs.”

Christian Robinson, Director of State Government Affairs for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), concedes that “this type of language is not abnormal and is generally what you would see for farm-use vehicles, or certain types of OHVs or ATVs,” but that doesn’t mean it’s right. SEMA has already been in contact the Maine Secretary of State’s office, and Robinson says, “It is our belief that a legislative fix may be required to resolve this issue.”

As for Rhode Island, the “situation is still developing. We’ve reached out to the DMV and are working to ascertain on what grounds they are cancelling registrations. The letters vehicle owners receive do not specify the statute on which their license plates are being revoked.”

Robinson says Rhode Island may already be backtracking. Late last week, The Drive reported that some kei car owners have been told “they’re free to drive their vehicles like normal.” On the other hand, others who turned in their plates to the DMV as instructed have not been able to get them back.

Hagerty reached out to the Rhode Island DMV for clarification, but we have not received a reply.

As for Chuck Whoczynski, he told The Drive that the flip-flopping proves Rhode Island knows it “doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on … They know they’re gonna lose.”

While Rhode Island has not instituted a law that speaks directly to kei car registration—which is owners’ main bone of contention—SEMA’s Robinson points out that “there are two distinct issues at play here,” the federal 25-year import law and each state’s right to define what vehicles can and cannot be legally registered.

“The federal law referenced deals with the importation of foreign vehicles,” he says. “The Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act (1988) allows collectors to legally import vehicles that are over 25 years old that were not intended for the American market. However, the import law does not require that states title and/or register these vehicles. In general, it’s up to each state to determine how to handle vehicle registrations. That’s why you see a patchwork of different rules and regulations regarding titling and registration. One state’s requirements can vary dramatically from the next.”

To that end, the SEMA Action Network publishes a toolkit to help enthusiasts navigate their state’s laws.

You can bet, however, that with SEMA’s support, JDM owners in Maine and Rhode Island will continue to fight for the right to register and operate their vehicles. Some are just voicing their displeasure more loudly than others.

As Whoczynski warns, “They’re kicking a hornets’ nest.”

The post Maine and Rhode Island take aim at JDM cars, but why? appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The Pininfarina Battista is the first vehicle in the Italian styling house’s 75-year history to be produced fully under its own name. As the Battista edges closer to customer driveways, it provides an opportunity to reflect on Pininfarina perfection—not only the stunners, but also the everyday heroes that don’t always get their fair share of the limelight.

Though many superstar cars have been shaped by Pininfarina for the likes of Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Ferrari, it’s the more humble cars, sculpted for mainstream manufacturers including Peugeot, BMC, and Austin, whose influence reaches the furthest.

Along the way were there have been a few misfires—the Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet and Mitsubishi Colt CZC probably won’t be featuring in any classic design books, and the Cadillac Allanté will always be, er, divisive—but we won’t dwell on those.

Here, then, are ten of our top Pininfarina pinups and humdrum heroes.

Pininfarina Battista

Pininfarina has been under the ownership of India’s Mahindra Group since 2015, but it was to Croatia that the company turned for the underpinnings of its first own-brand hypercar. Beneath the Italian lines of the Battista is Rimac technology. With four electric motors and 1900 hp it’s said to be faster than a Formula 1 car, accelerating from 0–62 mph in less than two seconds, yet still able to cover more than 300 miles on a charge. Only 150 Battistas are to be built, priced at $2M apiece.

Lancia Aurelia Spyder

Long before Lancias were seen flying through forests of the world’s rally stages, Pininfarina was tasked with crafting a convertible version of the 1954 Aurelia. Just 240 examples were made, with wonderful wraparound windshields and cute quarter bumpers.

Alfa Romeo Spider

Pininfarina first helped Alfa Romeo to be roofless back in 1947 with the 6C Super Cabriolet, and then in the mid-1950s along came the original Spider based on the Giulietta platform. However, it’s the beautiful boat-tail, Dustin Hoffman-driven Duetto of 1966 that everyone immediately thinks of when you say “Spider.” Amazingly the car stayed in production until 1993, albeit with numerous updates which could never improve on the original.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB

Pininfarina’s relationship with Ferrari began in 1952 with the 212 Inter and ended with the last F12. As front-engined Ferraris go, the short-wheelbase 250 GT of 1959 has to be one of the best Pininfarinas ever created. Just 176 bodies were made in both steel and alloy, and today even recreations are worth a fortune.

Ferrari Testarossa

Prancing horses with engines amidships also made fine fodder for Pininfarina, with the curvaceous Berlinetta Boxer and 308 GTB starting the trend by looking sexy in the ’70s. The 1980s required something a little more showy, however. The Testarossa of 1984 did not disappoint and its sensational side strakes literally defined the decade in automotive design.

Austin A40 Farina

Post-war Britain was an austere place. Food rationing only ended in 1954, so it’s not surprising that the first British car to be styled by Pininfarina was rather less flamboyant than its continental counterparts. Still, the 1956 Austin A40 Farina was a smart-looking sedan, even available as a hatchback. It proved hugely popular with Brits hoping to add a dash of Italian flair to their gray lives.

BMC ADO16

The British Motor Corporation certainly made the most of Pininfarina’s “Landcrab” ADO16 design. From 1962 it was available as an Austin, MG, Riley, Morris, Wolseley, and Vanden Plas. With so many different versions available, it’s no wonder this became one of Britain’s best-selling cars of the 1960s.

Peugeot 504

The first Pininfarina Peugeot was the 403 of 1956, but it’s the 1968 504 that provided the most work for the Italians. Having first penned a stylish sedan and estate station wagon, Pininfarina then created a pretty coupe and cabriolet. The design was a timeless classic and lasted into the early 1980s.

Peugeot 205

The Peugeot 205 was the most chic city car to drive in Europe in the 1980s. Pininfarina’s 1983 design was so simple and pure that even the base models cut quite a dashing figure on the streets of Paris, Milan, and London. When the GTi arrived, it became the hottest hatch available.

Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin

We’ll end on an oddity. Apart from a brief dalliance with Honda for the Beat of 1991, Mitsubishi has been the only Japanese carmaker to call upon Pininfarina’s services for cars such as the 2017 Lancer and the best-forgotten Colt CZC of 2006. However, we do rather like the peculiar Shogun Pinin, which was essentially a shrunken version of Mitsubishi’s swanky Shogun 4×4. Rugged, cute, and posh all at the same time.

The post 5 Pininfarina pinups and 5 humdrum heroes appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Don’t get me wrong: The 1999–2000 Civic Si, with its revvy engine and snappy handling, is an incredible car. But is it half-a-hundo incredible? Not so sure. A few years ago, when you could pick up a good Si for under $10 grand, it was a no-brainer. Now, though, the best low-mile cars are going for $50K and run-of-the-mill examples are nearly $15,000. Outrageous. Especially considering that EM1 Civic Si values are now a stone’s throw from those of the Acura Integra Type-R, a car that many consider the greatest front-driver ever created. Even wilder when you realize Honda made 10 times as many EM1 Civic Sis than it did ITRs.

That’s before you start thinking about the other, quicker, more exotic, non-Honda choices that are out there for the money. The whole point of the Si when new was to offer a ton of driving fun in a practical, affordable package. Once they start selling for used-Corvette money, some of the appeal fades, doesn’t it? So if you love the EM1 Civic Si (and you should) but still set yourself a reasonable budget, here are a few Japanese cars from that era that offer a similar experience but are much better buys.

This article originally appeared on Hagerty Insider.

1997–2001 Honda Prelude Type SH

Hagerty Price Guide condition #3 (Good) value: $7400

Of course this list starts with the Prelude—pun intended. Since many people shopping for classic Hondas won’t look anywhere else, I’m sure you already considered the Prelude. I’m here to convince you to give it a second look.

Honda brought out all the stops for the fifth and final Prelude generation. Though four-wheel steering wasn’t available in the U.S., as it had been on older Preludes, Honda attempted to remedy understeer with an all-new tech cheat in the Type SH trim. An acronym for “Super Handling,” the Type SH featured Honda’s new Active Torque Transfer System (ATTS) that, through a bunch of mechanical wizardry, directed more of the engine’s torque to the outside-front tire during cornering. Many period reviews praised the Type SH for its handling but claimed the ATTS wasn’t worth the extra 44 pounds; consensus held that the Type SH’s firmer springs, dampers, and antiroll bars should get more credit for the Prelude’s super handling. Either way, Honda’s engineers knocked the proverbial ball out of the park. The Type SH beat out rear-wheel-drive cars like the NA Miata and BMW 318ti in a 1997 Car and Driver handling test despite the ATTS system breaking halfway through.

In a side-by-side comparison, the Prelude isn’t far behind the Civic Si. The 2.2-liter inline-four is good for 200 horsepower (40 more than the Civic Si), which makes up for the extra weight. That extra displacement also means more torque, and every single lb-ft counts for a lot when we’re talking about VTEC Hondas. Each car will hit 60 mph in about 7 seconds, though you’ll never see 8000 rpm in the Prelude or brag about 100 horsepower per liter in the Prelude. Even though the Prelude weighs 500 pounds more, it achieved 0.83 g on a skid pad—not far behind the Civic Si’s 0.85 g. Plus, every millennial knows that the Prelude was the cooler car to have in high school. Now, they are half the price.

1990–94 Nissan Pulsar GTI-R

HPG condition #3 value: $13,300

For the same price as a Civic Si, why not buy a way cooler, quicker, and more exclusive car?

For those who don’t know about the GTI-R, buckle your five-point harness. The Pulsar GTI-R was a homologation special for Group A rallying that was designed to compete against legends like the Lancia Delta Integrale and Toyota Celica GT-Four. Though Nissan wasn’t particularly successful in Group A, never finishing better than third, the GTI-R is a hell of a hot hatch.

At the heart of the Pulsar is a unique variant of the 2.0-liter SR20DET inline-four, which sends 227 horsepower to the ground through an ATTESA all-wheel-drive system. The 2400-pound curb weight allows for a 5.4-second sprint to 60 mph and a 13.5-second quarter-mile, two whole seconds faster than the Civic Si and still speedy by today’s standards. Think of this car like a miniature Skyline GT-R. The Pulsar GTI-R also has one of the weirdest hoods ever fitted to a production car—for some reason, it reminds me of the Cave Troll from Lord of the Rings.

The GTI-R is still going unnoticed in most car circles, so promise to whisper when talking about it.

2001–05 Lexus IS300

Condition #3 value: $7500

If the whole point is to have a fun, practical car with a legendary engine—why not also get an extra set of doors? Two extra cylinders isn’t so bad, either.

Having spent the 1990s taking on (and often beating) the established German luxury cars at their own game, Lexus introduced the IS300, aiming at the gold standard of sports sedans—the BMW 3 Series. Though the IS300 never beat the 3 Series in comparison tests, Lexus proved its talents went beyond quiet, comfy cars. The IS300’s naturally-aspirated Supra-derived 2JZ 3.0-liter inline-six sends 215 horsepower to the rear wheels through an optional Torsen limited-slip differential. If that’s not enough power for you, just slap a turbo on it—Toyota engineers practically dared you to.

The 2JZ is one of the most overbuilt engines ever; you could triple the horsepower without modifying the engine’s internals. Because of this, the IS300 might be one of the only sedans to suffer from the drift tax. Low-mileage, stock examples are becoming very rare, but you can still pickup a good one with a five-speed for under $10K—if you can find it.

In stock form, the IS300 is no slouch. Despite the IS300’s 7.4-second 0–60 time (0.2 seconds slower than that of the Civic Si), it clears the quarter-mile faster—15.5 seconds at 90.0 mph versus the Honda’s 15.7 at 88.4 mph. On top of that, Motor Trend managed to run the IS300 through a 600-ft slalom at 67.6 mph. The Civic Si could only hit 65.5 mph. For icing on the cake, the IS300 has a much nicer interior. (It is a Lexus, after all.) Instead of beach towel–quality cloth, the Lexus seats are made of leather with suede inserts. Just make sure the Chronometer-style gauges don’t drive you crazy.

2000–05 Toyota Celica GT-S

Condition #3 value: $6500

The Celica GT-S was Toyota’s answer to the Acura Integra Type-R. The love-it-or-hate-it styling may turn off some, but the performance numbers should please everybody. In a 2000 Motor Trend comparison test the Celica GT-S managed to out-handle the Acura, running the 600-foot slalom at 69.1 mph compared to the ITR’s 68.2. Mind you, this was without the optional TRD suspension package, which further improved handling. The Celica also stopped from 60 mph in only 111 feet, 4 less than the Acura. The GT-S’s 1.8-liter 2ZZ inline-four, codesigned by Yamaha and made famous in the Lotus Elise, makes 180 horsepower at 7600 rpm. Good enough to rocket the 2500-pound coupe to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds—three-tenths of a second slower than the ITR, but a half-second quicker than the Civic Si.

This is arguably a better car than the Civic Si in every way. The Celica GT-S is faster, handles better, has a leather interior, comes with more power, and is still roughly the same weight. You can tout the 100-hp-per-liter title, too.

1995–99 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

HPG condition #3 value: $9500

The 1990s was the golden age of sporty compacts, Civic Si included, and Mitsubishi wasn’t left outside. The 2.0-liter 4G63T inline-four was turbocharged and intercooled to 210 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque. JDM fans might recognize that engine code from the Lancer Evo and, much like the Evo, the Eclipse GSX sends power to all four tires. The Eclipse GSX is almost like an Evo for a fraction of the price—and in a smaller package.

The GSX is a perfect example of Japan’s over-the-top car design of the 1990s. Much like its big brother, the 3000GT VR4, the GSX held nothing back. It came standard with a leather interior and had an optional limited-slip differential out back which pushed the MSRP over $27,000—and that’s in 1999 money (well over $40K today). Like many cars on this list, you’ll struggle to find stock examples. You’ll likely sacrifice some reliability compared to the Honda, but you’ll have money left in your budget for unexpected repairs. If you don’t mind sticking to front-wheel drive, look for an Eclipse GST. It has the same 210-hp engine as the GSX, but drops the AWD system and 330 pounds. You can find a good Eclipse GST for $7100.

The world hasn’t seen a car like the Eclipse GSX since it was discontinued. There’s no better example of this than the Mitsubishi Eclipse, which eventually evolved into a crossover.

The Civic Si still lives on, meanwhile, largely thanks to Honda refusing to force it to become something it wasn’t.

The post Civic Si too expensive? Here are 5 cheaper, better alternatives appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If there was one thing made painfully clear by recent events, it was that self-contained exploration of this grand country cannot be over-valued. As the nation tried to figure out how to escape its own four walls without endangering the neighbors, camper and RV sales went through the roof. Airstreams were the new Airbnbs, and one way or another, those who could traded wings for wheels and set out on road trips to anywhere else.

Although it was already growing in popularity prior to the world’s sudden stop, “overlanding” rode the pandemic lightning to new heights. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, think “backpacking meets 4x4ing meets the normal side of doomsday preppers.” It’s as self-contained as can be, with sleeping quarters either atop of or inside vehicles built to flatten forest roads, desert trails, and harsh terrain. The journey itself sets overlanding apart from the other forms of camping.

Like so many cooped up inside during quarantine, I had become quite taken with the idea of an overlanding rig. Moving to Northern Michigan, with its endless green forests and gorgeous lakeshores, only compounded that interest. Without the stack of cash I’d need to just head over to a dealership and scoop up a new 4×4, I spent more time than I should have scouring classifieds for the right candidate. Problem is, the vehicles best suited for these sorts of activities have become immensely popular (my grand fascination was anything but original), so used ones were either gone in a flash, or grossly overpriced.

My search began where many used car searches do—Toyota. The 4Runner and Tacoma are some of the most universally loved vehicles in existence, but the Toyota Tax is real. Perhaps a Jeep XJ or maybe even a four-door Wrangler? The former didn’t pass muster with the wife, the latter was still too pricey. Here’s an option: a Lexus GX470, which was basically a cushier 4Runner, right? Not a chance. When the soccer moms sell them, there’s a line out the door; I was priced out of every one I looked at. Still. My most recent fly-and-drive experience in a 1997 Lexus LS400 cemented my love for Japanese cars, and save for the perfect Wrangler, I really didn’t want to venture elsewhere. Slowly, the envelope of appeal widened, and the Mitsubishi Montero came into play.

Disregard the marque’s woeful current state and consider, for a moment, Mitsubishi around the turn of the century. The late 1990s were arguably the zenith of the company; the preceding decade brought motorsport glory in every dirt-based racing discipline the brand contested. In 1998, Mitsubishi finally captured its first World Rally Championship constructor’s title, at the hands of the inimitable Tommi Mäkinen, who notched his third of four consecutive WRC driver’s championships, all behind the wheel of the vaunted Lancer Evolution. That ’98 WRC accolade fit neatly in the cabinet next to the four Dakar Rally trophies that the marque had amassed by then. It would take its fifth title in ’98, and clock-off seven in a row from 2001–2008, making Mitsubishi the winningest manufacturer ever at one of the world’s most grueling—and occasionally tragic—off-road races.

That motorsports success trickled into the showroom. In 1998, you could walk into a Mitsu dealership and see a bold twin-turbo V-6 grand tourer in the 3000 GT; a lithe, four-pot sports car in the Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder (both of which would be immortalized three years later with the release of The Fast and the Furious); or the Montero, a more road-worthy take on the Land Cruiser formula backed by years of motorsport development.

Here was a tried and true, globally-adored 4×4 with plenty of capability for the adventures I had in mind. I knew that Hagerty Editor-at-Large, Aaron Robinson, owned a second-generation Montero that was looking for a new home. The seed was planted. As quarantine dragged on and the itch to overland grew, I began to badger him about the Montero; questions and bi-monthly check-ins to see if he was willing to relinquish the keys yet.

Not long after the world told 2020 to kick rocks, a message from Aaron: Replacement truck found, let me know when you want to come. Within the day, I booked one-way travel to Moab, Utah, where he kept the Montero for high-desert hijinks.

The truck was even better than I’d hoped. Navajo Green over Munich Silver, with paint that had seen a lifetime of adventures chasing vast skies and red dust. Atop its roof, a fold-out tent flanked by a retractable awning, both from a South African company with the slogan, “Keeping you out of the food chain.” Inside, a real, wobbly handle for Mitsu’s Active-Trac four-wheel-drive system, which employs a viscous coupling center differential to eliminate that pesky hopping while turning in four-high. Seats, worn thin from butts sliding out of them to getting a better glimpse at the majesty their occupants had trekked to.

Moab feels like a cheat code. The tiny village carries a year round population of roughly 5000 people, but in the spring and fall that number can balloon to over 20 times that. Every vehicle stores mountain bikes, camping gear, or meaty tires meant to help you eschew pavement in favor of burnt orange rocks. Passion for the land—easily some of the best public off-roading in existence—hangs in the air thicker than the red dust.

With just two-and-a-half days to explore this grand area, we decided to be conservative and take the paths more traveled. When you’re within a 40-mile radius of two of the greatest national parks in existence, neither of which you have seen before, you swallow your own pride and line up at the gate, happy to pay an entry fee for the chance to feel small.

Arches National Park is just five miles north of Moab on Route 191. Its 76,519 acres of high desert tapestry are punctuated by rock formations that look like God’s dribble castles, protruding proudly from a hundred-mile horizon. Vehicle-wise, there’s nothing taxing about exploring the park; you could do it in a Prius, or an Odyssey, or a Tesla. But we were in the Montero, a plodding vehicle happier at 45 than 70. We loped along in our tippy green toaster content as could be, marveling at what we saw out the upright windshield. A suggestion: If you’re coming from the east coast, stay on eastern time and pull up to the gate at 6:00 a.m. Moab time to guarantee that you won’t get caught in the throngs of people who have also (rightly) decided the place is worth seeing. The parks are dealing with insane visitor numbers and occasionally have to suspend entry in the afternoons because they’re so full. The early bird gets the generic, crowd-free picture at Delicate Arch—the park’s signature feature.

If Arches is a park for specifics, Canyonlands National Park is a park for scale. On a previous excursion involving Japanese SUVs and Canyonlands, Aaron himself said it best when he described the park and surrounding area as “Mother Nature cranking the volume up to 11 and breaking the knob off.” There are arches, rock formations, and hikes aplenty throughout each of the park’s four regions, but mostly, you’re seemingly never more than 15 minutes from the edge of a cliff with miles of canyons snaking out towards the sky. In the gorges below, side-by-sides—the new steed of choice for thousands of Moabites—slithered along trails such as the fabled White Rim Road. We wanted to join them, but had neither the time nor the right provisions to do so. (Another tip: Dead Horse Point State Park, the next-door neighbor to Canyonlands, is equally as impressive. Visit both, they share a common access road.)

Between the hikes and the short jaunts down dirt paths simply because curiosity demanded so, I had plenty of time to think about our new vehicle. Turn-of-the-century Japanese automotive engineering is some of the best to ever exist. Offerings from the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, and Mitsubishi were compelling, full of value, and sensible no matter where you looked. In 1998—the model year of our new Montero—you could buy a brand-new Mazda Miata, Acura Integra Type R, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus LS400, Mitsubishi Montero, or Toyota Supra. Some twenty years on, all of these cars boast some level of collectible status. The Montero is lagging behind the others mentioned above; it’s not as recognizable today as the Land Cruiser, and it never had the lore of the Integra. But there’s a budding community of enthusiasts and aftermarket support springing up for Monteros, full of smart people developing work-arounds for common problems or helping fellow owners scour other countries for replacement and region-specific parts. It’s an invigorating group to be a part of, and I’m just getting started.

We camped for three nights in Moab, the first two of which were in camp grounds—once out of a desire to ease into the rooftop tent life, once because of a planning error on my part. On the third night, we finally got the hang of what these Bureau of Land Management grounds had to offer. We didn’t think it was real at first. Just pull off the road down a trail and you can camp wherever free of charge, so long as you leave your site as good or better than you found it. We meandered down what felt like a goat path headed straight towards some cliffs with the La Sal mountain range in the background as the moon chased the sun from the sky. Once we found a suitable site, I positioned the Montero just so and we began setting up camp, which by then was down to a 30-minute endeavor. Within the hour, we had a small fire going and cold beverages in hand, reveling at what was around us.

Before the light had completely gone, my wife flipped the tent cover open and snapped a photo of what we’d be greeted by the following morning. That picture—the grungy desert foliage showing green against a dusty red ground with massive snow-capped mountains just out of view—is among my absolute favorites from the trip. It would be topped later that night, when I awoke randomly and climbed out of the tent, just to see what absolutely zero light pollution could feel like in a place already too beautiful to process. There, spanning the entire width of the sky, was an arm of the Milky Way galaxy, clearer and more vivid than anything I’d seen on a screen. Although those kinds of moments can be few and far between, they’re too good to miss, and part of the allure of overlanding. I climbed back in bed, drifting off to dreams of adventures to come in the months and years ahead.

The highways headed east on our journey home revealed that, yep, this was still a late ’90s SUV. Despite the independent front suspension, the Montero proved wobbly in crosswinds. Not unmanageable, but certainly not helped by the rooftop tent and the truck’s two-inch suspension lift. Following behind semi trucks was a handful, as was any speed north of 75 mph. Over the next two-and-a-half days, we traded the deserts of Utah for the mountains of Colorado, where we climbed the fateful Eisenhower Pass on I-70 using of all four of our transmission’s forward gears. Eventually the mountains gave way to the ranch and farmland east of Denver, scenery that kept us company all the way to just east of Joliet, Illinois, where we split off I-80 and headed north to Michigan. We made it home without much issue, tired but fulfilled by what we’d seen, and smitten with our new rig.

There are a lot of ideas rattling around in our heads for what to do—and where to go—next. Park something outfitted for exploration in your driveway, and every day not spent doing that can feel somewhat wasted. Real life beckons, naturally; we’ll be lucky to get away more than handful of times this summer. It’s still comforting to know that no matter what sense of normality returns in the year to come, we now have the keys to a vehicle well-suited to escape it all. Lots to do and learn. Even more memories to make. We can’t wait to get started.

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Mitsubishi Motors is gearing up to leave Great Britain and is selling off a fleet of 14 heritage cars at auction before its own Brexit in fall 2021.

The Japanese company says it will continue to support the 400,000 Mitsubishi owners in the U.K. with aftersales and service, but anyone wanting to buy a new model will be out of luck in a few months. Despite its Outlander PHEV being a surprise hit, thanks mainly to tax incentives, Mitsubishi has struggled for some years in the U.K. with just over half a percent market share in 2020 and sales of 9076 cars.

Fans of the brand are now being offered the opportunity to buy a piece of history as it sells of its fleet of heritage vehicles. Highlights of the sale, which will run on autoauction.co.uk through April, include two of the earliest cars sold in Britain.

The 1974 Colt Lancer is a sweet-looking 1.4-liter two-door which actually sat on the stand at the 1974 British Motor Show, and there’s also a two-liter four-door Colt Galant from the same year. Other cars that caught our eye include a 1979 Jeep CJ-3B which was made under license from Willys and brought to Britain in 1983, a 1988 Starion Turbo, and a 1992 3000GT.

Rally enthusiasts will be lining up to bid on a 1989 Galant that’s a replica of the car entered in the 1989 Lombard RAC Rally by Pentti Airikkala and an ex-works Evo IX which won the British Rally Championship in 2007 and 2008. Other Evos offered are a 2001 Tommi Makinen edition Lancer Evo VI signed by Makinen himself, 2008 Lancer Evo IX, and a 2015 Evo X. All cars are offered without reserve, alongside a lineup of private number plates.

The post Mitsubishi sells its history and quits the U.K. appeared first on Hagerty Media.

An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is generally defined as an automaker or a company that supplies parts to an automaker for a final product. This definition, perhaps, should in honorary instances be extended include engineering companies like Cars and Concepts and the American Sunroof Corporation (ASC).

Cars and Concepts was involved in re-introducing the Mustang convertible in 1983, but the ASC went even further: With Mitsubishi’s blessing, ASC engineered and installed a retractable hardtop for the Japanese automaker’s flagship 3000GT sports coupe, creating the 1995-96 model year 3000GT Spyder.

Back in the day, Motorweek got an insider’s view of how California-based ASC took these special ordered, uniquely prepared 3000GTs from the factory in Nagoya, Japan and transformed them into the retractable hardtop Spyder models. This was not a simple sunroof swap; ASC’s three-zone process includes adding significant structural rigidity to the unibody before cutting the roof and adding a bespoke folding hardtop design. Designing and engineering this system was a major undertaking that included developing unique components and harnessing untold hours of skilled labor to finally turn out a complete 3000GT Spyder.

Much like the Ford Skyliner that came before it, the Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder (in either SL or hotter VR-4 trim) was a byproduct of contemporary tastes and market conditions. Japanese sports cars were experiencing a resurgence in the 1990s, and from the NSX to the Lexus LS400, there was an ambitious, full-on product assault on the American market.

Over time, however, automakers began to increasingly move operations of this sort in-house. This trend, combined with ASC founder Heinz Prechter’s death in 2001, led to ASC’s downturn and eventual demise in 2017. The last vestige of what was once ASC’s empire is now an an accessory and trim outfit in San Diego ostensibly performing much less comprehensive work, including being an “authorized installation center” for Webasto branded sunroofs. (The painful irony should be noted here, seeing as ASC sold thousands of its own drop-in moonroofs to luxury car dealers in the Texas region alone.)

The 3000GT Spyder wasn’t cheap, which was a common weak point for this era’s technologically advanced Japanese sports cars, including the famous Mark IV Toyota Supra. The Spyder VR-4’s $68,766 asking price in Motorweek’s review was just grand cheaper than a baseline Mercedes SL320 roadster, and the twin-turbo Mitsubishi would eat the Mercedes for breakfast.

Of course, in the long run, Mitsubishi’s 3000GT has not set the collector world on fire nearly to the extent of the Supra Turbo. If they ever do, there’s a case to be made for the Spyder VR-4 leading the charge: limited production (1034 units over two years), sports cars charms, and mechanized roof appeal are evidence of a proud and confident Mitsubishi very different from the company we know today.

Don’t believe me? Just look at how well slab-sided Lincoln Continental drop tops of the 1960s are regarded today, relative to how few people actually wanted them back in period.

The post At Mitsubishi in the 1990s, a convertible 3000GT was no simple thing appeared first on Hagerty Media.

If you grew up playing Gran Turismo and other driving video games, pat yourself on the back; you are a big part of the reason that the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru WRX/STI made it to America. When gamers became licensed drivers, they wanted those cars. Manufacturers listened.

Today, more than two decades after Kevin Dubois immersed himself in Gran Turismo as a teen, he is immersed in the real things. His business, Evolution Dynamics in Lewisville, Texas, is a go-to shop for Evo maintenance, repair, modification, and race prep.

Customers call the shop “Evo D,” and they keep the place busy. Dubois struggles to make space to park the Evos coming in from all over the region and beyond. Evo D has built engines for customers as far away as Hawaii and Alaska, and a car even came in from Panama. The shop remotely dyno-tunes Evos over the internet and recently did so for a car in Madagascar.

Fixing and building high-performance cars for a living was not on Dubois’ radar growing up in Michigan. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, he landed a job with defense contractor Lockheed Martin in Texas.

“I took my hiring letter to the Mitsubishi dealer and bought a brand new 2004 Evo,” says Dubois. He coaxed more performance out of his car and then began doing the same for other Evo owners. After about six years, that side work eventually turned into the business that let him leave his day job and do Evos full-time.

Naturally, Dubois has a lot of advice for Evo newbies who should know a few things before committing to owning one of these maniacal machines.

Lancer, Evolution

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive tarmac terror that formed the basis for the Japanese automaker’s heroic WRC rally efforts in the 1990s. Driving Evos, Finnish driver Tommi Mäkinen won four World Rally Championships from 1996–1999, and Mitsubishi took the 1998 World Constructor’s title.

Other markets had been importing the Evo since the ’90s, but the 2003 model was the first to make it to America. It was known widely as the Evo VIII but not badged as such. The Evo IX, an upgraded version of the VIII, followed in 2006.

The Evo X came out for 2008 with a new platform and a new 291-horsepower aluminum 2.0-liter engine. The GSR model used a five-speed manual transmission, while the MR came exclusively with the six-speed Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST, as Mitsubishi called it). The Evo X’s Super All Wheel Control system used the Active Center Differential (ACD), as on most previous Evos. The U.S. version of the Evo X also finally got the Active Yaw Control (AYC) rear-wheel torque vectoring that other markets enjoyed on earlier cars.

Mitsubishi sold just over 43,000 Evos in the U.S. through 2015, nearly half of them Evo Xs.

From garage band to center stage

While working at Lockheed Martin, Dubois was tuning 2-3 customer Evos every night out of his Texas garage. He was also studying for his Masters degree in Systems Controls at the University of Texas at Arlington, which he chose for its renowned Formula SAE program.

If you’re not familiar, Formula SAE is like a farm team for major automakers and suppliers, which hire engineers right after graduation. The schools’ teams even build 600-cc open-wheel racers and compete in their own series. Dubois was thinking of getting a job with an OEM or a supplier, such as Bosch, but the Evo work just kept growing.

“In 2005, we had the arrival of open-source software, so you could tune your Evo with a laptop,” Dubois says. “I was the first and only one in the area to take it on to tune the cars. It’s been further developed by people throughout the car community. I’ve been able to do more and more with it over the years.”

At first, Dubois was doing street tuning. He eventually rented a dyno, before going all in and buying his own. When the city forced him to stop running a business out of his garage, he rented a 1500 sq.-ft. space for his first real shop. Over the next 10 years, he’d move three times into ever-larger spaces, all on the same street in Lewisville. He is purchasing the building he’s in now.

To help handle his booming business, Dubois and a partner developed a management software specifically for high-performance shops, called My Shop Assist. He also dedicated time to developing a podcast called “Do It for A Living” to encourage others to start automotive businesses.

Factory stock? You’re kidding, right?

If you missed your chance to buy a new Evo, getting one today most likely means you’ll be getting a modified car—not lightly either.

“It’s very rare to see just basic mods like an air filter and exhaust,” Dubois says. “I almost never see totally stock Evos, but it doesn’t mean they’re not out there.”

Dubois and his long-time friend, tech Richard Fielder, work on more than 200 Evos per year, handling everything from basic maintenance to drag- and road-race builds. The shop also tackles the occasional JDM Evo, though Dubois says getting some parts for those cars can be difficult.

He has owned about 20 Evos since 2004, but these days Dubois buys them mainly to flip. That happened, in a literal sense, to his Evo race car. In 2012, friend and customer Jeremy Foley, with navigator Yuri Kouznetsov, drove Dubois’ highly modified Evo VIII at Pikes Peak and became famous for surviving a spectacular crash.

“After the crash, Yuri bought Jeremy’s Evo, brought it to me, and we basically made a clone of the crashed car—wide body, big wing, and painted matte silver,” says Dubois. “We took it back to Pikes Peak two years later and finished. It was basically a flawless effort.”

Kouznetsov took 37th place out of 130 finishers at the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, with an 11:03.910 time. He still races the car in time trials.

Performance in stages

Mitsubishi dealers do still work on Evos, but local dealers refer customers to Dubois for modifications. He says he sees a range of quality in the work done at independent shops.

“It’s not a hard car to get fixed for routine things, but most shops don’t understand the specialty aspects of the car,” he says. “For example, with ‘check engine’ lights, I can figure out the problem quickly. A shop that doesn’t work on these cars may charge for several hours of diagnostics.”

Most customers with modified Evos build their cars in stages, he explains. They might start doing autocross and National Auto Sport Association (NASA) events with stock engine cars, seeking more performance down the road.

“We offer upgrades in stages, starting with the chassis,” Dubois says. “We try to keep people away from adding more speed until they can drive them better.”

He recommends lowering springs and new anti-sway bars as a good first upgrade yet also praises the stock suspension. “A lot of people think you need expensive coil-overs, but that’s not the case. We’ve done astoundingly fast lap times with stock shocks.”

Evo problem spots

Dubois pointed out the major problem areas for the Evo VIII, IX, and X. Hold onto your credit cards, because some of these are pricey.

“The cars we do are expensive enough that you don’t have the real young kids driving them, but owners do hoon them and wreck them,” he says. “It’s common for people to hurt the engine and not want to fix it. They take off the oil pan and replace a couple of bearings. Then I get the new buyer coming in hearing a tapping sound, and I have to tell him the engine needs a lot of work.”

Slipping clutches are common across the board. For the Evo VIII, Dubois says the biggest problem is the transfer case.

“The ring and pinion gears would go bad quickly and begin to howl loudly,” he says. “If you hear a humming noise when driving, it’s probably got a bad transfer case or wheel bearings, or both. The transmission synchros are also pretty crappy. Most need to be rebuilt, and that also applies to the Evo IX. They’ll grind going into third, fourth, and fifth.”

The Evo X has several potential and trouble spots, the most expensive being the TC-SST transmission in the MR model.

“The SST is not very strong and is incredibly expensive to fix,” he says, quoting a price of $8000. “I don’t rebuild them. I send them out to a couple of shops.”

The Evo X also has issues with its rear differential. “They crack, leak and burn up, and some have bad ring gears,” Dubois says, adding that the AYC pump is bad on nearly every Evo X that comes into his shop.

“And that’s just from regular driving,” he adds. “Mitsubishi didn’t do a recall but did put a 10 year/100,000-mile warranty on it.” A new AYC pump can cost about $1800 plus installation. A shop local to Dubois rebuilds them, but he says it’s hard to judge results so far.

When the Evo X came out, some questioned whether its 4B11T aluminum engine would be as robust as the iron-block 4G63 used in previous Evos. Dubois confirms that it is a durable engine. “The block is stout. It’s rare to break unless you’re running a lot of boost,” he says. He of course means a lot more than the stock engine’s 21-22 PSI of boost.

Some small parts in the Evo X motor can cause very big problems, however, starting with the iridium-tip spark plugs. “The ceramic on the tip slips down,” Dubois explains. “If you’re mashing on it when that happens, the ceramic will break, go through valves and mash up the piston tops.”

Evo X piston ring lands sometimes go bad. “I can hear the problem right away,” he says. “The car will start to sound like it’s running on three cylinders. The compression tests might not be terrible, but I can borescope it and see a broken piston or scratches on the cylinder walls.”

The bottom line is that the factory Evo X engines can be pushed to 500-550 hp as long as you check the spark plugs often and don’t have bad ring lands. To go higher reliably, Dubois recommends a new build, which gets into expensive territory with parts.

“We’ve built them to 900 hp. English Racing has gone well over 1100 horsepower with an Evo X and run a 7-second quarter mile.” (That company’s website offers drag-race crate engines for $19,990.)

Dubois confirms that Evo VIII and IX engines, too, live up to their legend, remaining “pretty indestructible to about 500 hp.”

Long live the Evo

Despite the Evo being out of production and not destined to return, Dubois feels confident in his business. “People will continue to modify, race, and break them.”

His biggest concern going forward is parts supply. Right now, he buys all stock parts from Mitsubishi dealerships, despite the markup.

“They’re simply higher quality than from parts chain stores,” he says. “Most common stuff—pistons, rods, ARP hardware—likely will be around forever. But it’s smaller stuff, like the front oil pump case, for example, that I worry about. The OEM is only one that makes that. If they drop that, you can’t rebuild the engines.”

Many enthusiasts mourned when Mitsubishi retired the amazing Evo, but it’s heartening to know that there’s still strong support from businesses like Evo D that keep these rally terrors alive and running hard.

The post From home garage to Pikes Peak, this Texas tuner is all about Evos appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The 2021 Dakar Rally wrapped up on January 15, after 14 days and 7646 kilometers (4751 miles) traversing the unforgiving desert terrain of Saudi Arabia. Fifty-five-year-old Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel, the most successful competitor in Dakar’s history, won his eighth title in the car class (he also won the bike class six times in the 1990s), and Argentinian Kevin Benavides became the first South American rider to win the two-wheeled category. Russian Dmitry Sotnikov won the truck class. French rider Pierre Cherpin died from injuries sustained on the event’s 7th stage.

This was only the Dakar’s second running on the Arabian peninsula, but it was the 43rd iteration of the world-famous rally. The raid has gone through three continents over the decades, but its reputation for toughness and danger has never wavered. This year also marks 35 years since the 1986 running of the event, a year which gave rise to some of the greatest triumphs (and certainly some of the greatest tragedies) in the history of the Dakar Rally.

By 1986, the Paris-Dakar (as it was known then) was in its eighth year, and the competition’s amateur spirit was very much intact. But if an event as dangerous as Paris-Dakar ever had any wide-eyed naiveté, ’86 was the year reality set in.

Massive, professional factory teams had arrived in full force in all three classes (motorcycles, cars, and trucks), including three experimental supercars from Porsche. Sports car fans mainly remember the 1986 Paris-Dakar for those Porsches and their sparkling performance in the desert that year, but the event was also marred by rough weather and an especially treacherous route, which contributed to 1986 being one of the deadliest years in the event’s history. Six people lost their lives, including two participants, a famous singer, and the event’s founder and figurehead. Let’s take a look back at what the official Dakar website calls “The Black Year.”

Paris-Dakar’s origins

Back in 1977, while riding a Yamaha XT 500 in the Abidjan-Nice Rally, a wealthy French motorcycle racer named Thierry Sabine got lost in the Libyan desert. Forced to wait for rescue, he was captivated by the landscape and became inspired to organize a rally raid (essentially a long-distance, multi-day endurance rally) through the terrain. He wanted “to go beyond my limits and to take other people beyond theirs,” and in turn introduce the world at large to the natural beauty of the Sahara.

Sabine made it happen the very next year, and the first Paris-Dakar began the day after Christmas in 1978. The official start was at the Esplanade of the Trocadero, near the Eiffel Tower, and the race finished in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The thousands of miles of punishing rocks, boulders, dunes, rivers, and other dangers in between took several weeks to conquer.

Of the 182 participants who set out from Paris, 108 failed to finish, and the event’s first fatality took place in Niger. The big winner was 21-year-old Cyril Neveu, of France, who won the event riding a Yamaha bike, while a Range Rover took fourth overall and first in the car class. A few dozen more adventurers found themselves tempted by the second running in 1980, and Paris-Dakar’s official motto became “A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind.” It quickly gained a reputation as one of the most grueling, most controversial, and most violent events of its kind anywhere in the world.

For the first few years, however, the Paris-Dakar entry lists were mostly full of French amateurs in lightly modified road vehicles. Many were in it just as much for the adventure as they were for the competition. One group tried to tackle the first rally in a 1920s Renault KZ, and a quartet of riders gave the 1980 event a go on their Vespas.

It wasn’t until 1982 that Paris-Dakar achieved mainstream international buzz, but hardly for rosy reasons. During the rally, in the desert near the Algeria-Mali border, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark went missing. Serving as navigator in a rally-prepped Peugeot 504 that he called “the very worst car to do the trip in,” he made it most of the way through Algeria before the rear axle broke and stranded him, the driver, and the on-board mechanic. The organizers went looking for them—albeit in the wrong place—and newspapers ran headlines like “Maggie’s Son Lost in Sahara” and “Fears Grow For Lost Mark” as the trio waited six days, drinking water from the Peugeot’s radiator to keep from dehydrating, until their rescue.

From there, Paris-Dakar got a little more serious, attracting more determined competition beyond just amateur thrill seekers and eccentrics. The notoriety of the rally attracted more money, more corporate sponsorship, and OEM involvement. Big-budget factory teams were keen to score unforgettable PR value, and engineers wanted to put new technology to the toughest of real-world tests. Even stars of Formula 1 and sports car racing wanted a crack at the rally’s rigorous challenges.

All the while, danger persisted. The 1983 rally entered the Ténéré section of the south central Sahara for the first time, and 40 competitors (still navigating by compass and paper maps) got separated and became lost during a massive sandstorm. Jacky Ickx won the event in a heavily modified, Texaco-sponsored Mercedes G-Wagen.

Porsche arrived as one of the first factory teams in 1984, enlisting Ickx to lead the effort sponsored by Rothmans tobacco. Despite garnering considerable skepticism for fielding a small sports car to an infamous vehicle-breaking trial like the Dakar, Porsche’s 953 (essentially a 911 with upgraded suspension and manually-controlled four-wheel drive system) silenced the naysayers by finishing first, sixth, and 26th. The influence of these rally Porsches can still be felt today.

The stage for ’86

A longer, more difficult route set the stage for the 1986 Paris-Dakar rally. Having worked long hours through the holidays prepping, checking, and figuring out logistics (international travel and shipping were a lot more complicated in those pre-E.U.days), the competitors officially set off on New Year’s Day from the Place d’Armes in Versailles.

Ahead of them were 15,000 km (over 9300 miles), almost none of it on paved roads and over half of it on special stages winding through seven countries and along several war-torn borders. In the Sahara, competitors could expect temperatures of up to 120 degrees F in the daytime, but below freezing at night. Traveling with them and accessible at night was a mobile base camp, or bivouac, offering food, few hours of rest, and time for vehicle repair and maintenance. Each day would start with a briefing with up-to-date information on the route for that day, but both the briefing and the road book provided were exclusively in French. The organizers planned for the whole thing to take about three weeks, with competitors divided up into three classes: bikes, cars, and large purpose-built trucks. (The parts-laden support trucks for the bigger-budget teams could technically compete in the truck class, too.)

For 1986, the rally also announced it would donate water pumps to some of the villages along the route. Was this purely an act of goodwill? Maybe, but it was more likely a calculated hedge against bad publicity; the year before, the rally-goers bought up all the fuel in Timbuktu, and one charity reported a three-week shortage after it left.

According to the official tally, 486 competitors lined up at the start in Versailles, divided between 131 bikes, 282 cars, and 73 trucks. Star of the bike class and going for his third consecutive Dakar win was Belgian rider Gaston Rahier on a Marlboro-liveried BMW motorcycle, who said his “first opposition is the desert.” Rahier had plenty of other opposition as well. Honda developed a new NXR750 for the 1986 Dakar with a new 779-cc, 70-hp overhead cam V-twin, and the favorite on the Rothmans-sponsored Honda was 1979, ’80, and ’82 race winner Cyril Neveu. Hubert Auriol, the 1981 and 1983 winner, was also a favorite, riding for Cagiva.

The bike class was the most affordable to enter and thus hosted many amateurs paying their own way and performing their own repairs. For them, just finishing the rally would be victory enough. The car class, meanwhile, demonstrated how the desert can truly level the playing field. Nowhere else would you find Toyota Land Cruisers and Porsche supercars all vying for the same prize. Among the entrants was a group of German Opel Kadett 4x4s, Russian Ladas, and British Range Rovers. Mitsubishi, winners in 1985, arrived with even faster versions of its proven Pajero SUV. Among the privateers, and also running a Pajero, was Prince Albert of Monaco, having his second go at the event after failing to finish the year before. (A few days later, he would lose some of his royal luggage after the door of his Mitsubishi flew open mid-race.)

Porsche, winners of the 1984 event, were back with a vengeance after bad luck and a few tactical errors took all three of its cars out of the 1985 rally. The weapon of choice for ’86 was the 959, the full-fledged concept of a four-wheel drive competition supercar that had been carefully developed over the previous two years. With water-cooled heads and two turbochargers, it developed nearly twice the power of the winning 1984 car but was barely any heavier. Suspension included double wishbones and twin dampers up front, with double wishbones in the rear as well. There were more advanced touches, such as knobs on the dash to control ignition timing (the fuel in Africa could be as low as 75 octane), but also simple solutions: pieces of wood on which to set the jacks prevented the car from sinking into the Sahara sand.

The Rothmans Porsche team, fresh from a win in the 1985 Pharaoh’s Rally, fielded three 959s and brought over 20 people, two large MAN support trucks, a DC-3 chase plane, and a “fast service vehicle” in the form of a Mercedes G-Wagen packed with a Porsche 928S 4.7-liter V-8. Porsche even consulted a doctor to concoct special drinks with vitamins and electrolytes to keep the drivers, co-drivers, and mechanics in peak condition.

Piloting 959 #186 was 1984 winner René Metge, a desert specialist known for chain smoking Gauloises cigarettes, along with his co-driver Dominique Lemoyne. Jacky Ickx and Claude Brasseur were in another, while Porsche engineer Roland Kussmaul and co-driver Wolf-Hendrik Unger were in the other.

In the truck class were several purpose-built rigs, as well as the support trucks for the larger car and bike teams. But even some of the race trucks had their own support trucks, another sign of how this whole crazy enterprise had scaled up in the eight years since it began. Among the main competitors were some Spanish Pegasos and Czech Tatras, while the Minardi team—fresh from a disastrous debut season in Formula 1—made things harder for itself by braving Dakar in a CVS (Costruzione Veicoli Speciali) truck. Dutchman Jan De Rooy’s purpose-built DAF was the favorite; with two twin-turbo engines making 500 hp each, it boasted a 200-kmh (124-mph) top speed and promised to be as fast as the cars on some of the open stages.

Merciless fury

On January 1, the “Prologue” started from Versailles. This first stage through the relatively tame terrain of Europe determined the starting order when the rally reached the rough-and-tumble in Africa. As the competitors made their way from Versailles to the French port city of Sète, some 300,000 spectators turned out to watch the parade of loud bikes, cars, and trucks making their way across the country. The prologue was supposed to be the easy part, but things got off to a rough start. Weather conspired against the nearly 500 vehicles, and a snowstorm blasting through France made things particularly hard on the bikes, causing several wipeouts. Then, in a road accident in between stages, the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally saw the first of several fatalities when Japanese rider Yasuo Keneko got hit by an automobile. Some reports cited a drunk driver as the cause of the incident.

With the starting order set following the completion of the Prologue, the rally departed on Algerian ferries across the Mediterranean with the vehicles, participants, organizers, fuel, and supplies. The next five stages through Algeria greeted competitors with rocks and boulders known for breaking axles and bursting tires. The retirements began to mount, as four-time Le Mans winner Henri Pescarolo’s Range Rover caught fire just 15 km into one of the first Algerian stages and burned to the ground.

The Rothmans Porsche team’s all-out assault wasn’t off to an ideal start, either. Having suffered problems in these stages the year prior, Porsche was purposely taking things easy, waiting for the more open desert in the southern Sahara to press their speed advantage. Even so, the team lost both the 928-powered G-Wagen support vehicle and one of the large MAN support trucks, so Roland Kussmaul’s 959 was loaded up with spares and relegated to the role of backup car. A spare intercooler and some radiators were strapped to the spoiler of his 959.

Algeria was hard on everybody, and the danger wasn’t just limited to the competitors. During the sixth stage, a loop through the Hoggar mountains that started and ended in the town of Tamanrassett, a helicopter filming the rally crashed right next to the route. One of its rotors had to be moved to allow the competitors to pass. Aside from that obstacle, the trucks in particular struggled to maneuver through the tall, steep mountain passes. Several tipped over while rounding tight bends.

For the seventh stage, the route went 828 km (514 miles) south from Tamanrassett in Algeria to Agadez in Niger. There were still rocks to hit, but the landscape mercifully opened up a bit. In the car class, which had the only night stage of the rally along this part of the route, the Porsches of Metge and Ickx were able to open up a convincing lead over the Mitsubishis that had been the early leaders. In the bike class, Gaston Rahier suffered a crash, cracking six ribs and breaking his collarbone, but he kept riding in hopes of a third win. He relied on acupuncture treatments at the end of each day’s ride.

Once the rally entered the Ténéré, the landscape opened up to wide open sand, deep dunes, the horizon, and little else. The only real points of reference were a metal tree sculpture and a downed aircraft—a press plane that happened to crash during the 1985 Paris-Dakar Rally while going in for a close-up. It was both a landmark and a warning.

Porsche driver Roland Kussmaul compared the varying terrain to surfing, because the Ténéré has “small up and downs, and with the car you go up and fly down, up and fly down. And it was easy, it was soft, it was not harsh … So you sit in the car and you are smiling. But then, when you hit a step in the sand, it steps down and the smiling is gone.”

The stages winding to Dirkou and Zinder (both in Niger) saw steeper, more dangerous grades. There may not have been boulders, tree stumps, or livestock to hit, but the combination of deep sand and steep dunes with rapidly moving vehicles proved even more dangerous than the rocky and mountainous parts of the desert. Flying through the sand on his Cagiva, Hubert Auriol launched into the air on his bike over one dune and wiped out. While uninjured, he lost precious time restarting his motorcycle. After nosediving over a ridge, both codrivers in one of the Czech Liaz trucks suffered internal injuries, while a Range-Rover Proto flipped over a dune and crushed the roof. Jan De Rooy’s DAF became so bogged down in the sand that it had to be dug out with shovels. The Minardi team’s CVS truck, meanwhile, experienced an electrical fire and completely torched itself. The truck had been in second place.

Then came the sandstorms. The air fleet that normally follows the rally was grounded. With mounting injuries among the competitors, the organizers commandeered a Hercules aircraft to use as a mobile hospital. Veronique Anquetil, a 26-year-old Yamaha rider, was one of several to crash in the dunes before being carried unconscious to the bivouac at the end of the stage. Jean Michel Baron, one of the top-running Rothmans Honda riders, was even worse off, sustaining serious head injuries in the dunes. Doctors operated in a makeshift hospital area at the edge of an airstrip, but both Baron and Anquetil were ultimately airlifted to hospital in Paris. Baron fell into a coma, from which he never awoke. He passed in 2010.

After 14 days, the rally reached the two-thirds mark. Fewer than one-third of those who set off were still in the running. Just 99 cars, 44 bikes, and 37 trucks reached the Niger River. On the 12th stage of the rally, from Niger’s capital of Niamey to Gourma, 1985 winner Patrick Zaniroli, in a Mitsubishi, got lost and received a 10-hour penalty for not finishing the allotted distance in time. Meanwhile, on the evening of January 14, amid worsening sandstorms and as the rest of the aircraft associated with the rally remained grounded, event organizer and figurehead Thierry Sabine took off in his white helicopter, nicknamed Sierra, on another mercy mission looking for lost competitors. Sabine was frequently dressed in a white jumpsuit and he wore his blonde hair long. He also kept a beard, and all this naturally that led to the nickname “Jesus” as lost Dakar competitors could frequently count on Sabine coming to their rescue.

After January 14, 1986, they couldn’t count on him anymore. Near Gourma-Rharous in Mali, Sabine’s helicopter crashed in the midst of the sandstorms, killing everyone on board. Sabine, 36 years old and engaged, was on board with famous French singer Daniel Balavoine, 25-year-old reporter Nathalie Odent, journalist Jean-Paul Le Fur, and pilot Francois-Xavier Bagnoud—a cousin of Monaco’s Prince Albert. Some wondered if the rally would be stopped then and there, but the organizers decided to continue on, noting that it was what Sabine would have wanted. They did, however, cancel the January 15 stages. The competitors who were left made a silent convoy to Bamako in Mali. Sabine’s deputy, Patrick Verdoy, took the reins for the remaining stages.

Upon arriving to Labe in Guinea, the organizers announced an extra rest day (usually there is only one rest day for the entire event). Several members of the Rothmans Porsche team had their passports stolen before leaving Labe, but the 959s had a comfortable lead in the car class and filled the top three places. But as the landscape changed to trees, rocks, streams, and villages, their outright speed and power advantage diminished. Jan de Rooy’s twin-engine DAF truck, which had been seriously fast so far, broke its front axle and retired as the rally moved to Mauritania. Meanwhile, Gaston Rahier on the Marlboro BMW suffered more bad luck, with two flat tires and a gearbox problem delaying him enough to earn a 10-hour penalty and dash his hopes for a win. With nothing left to lose, he threw caution to the wind and pushed hard on the last three stages, finishing first in all three just to prove a point.

As at the dunes of the Ténéré, the crossing at the Senegal River proved to be a major impediment that would unexpectedly shuffle the standings. An abnormal amount of rain for that time of year brought lots of mud, too much for the top three contenders in the truck class to manage. Suddenly, the Mercedes Unimog support truck for the Honda of Italy motorcycle team found itself in the lead.

Meanwhile, in the car class, the Porsche team was witnessing an emerging threat to its once-comfortable lead. Both Metge and Ickx’s 959s got stuck in the mud. Roland Kussmaul, in the third 959, then watched carefully how one of the motorcycles crossed the river, and he successfully followed the same path before turning around to help the other two Porsches. Using some spare cable, he was able to pull both other cars to safety; in the process, however, his own car sunk down to the hubs in thick, gloppy earth. Metge and Ickx wanted to stick around to help, but Kussmaul honorably sent them on their way to take the class win. After digging himself out and making his way to the bivouac, he was too exhausted to speak and had to see a doctor. Had he gone on ahead instead of helping his teammates, he might have won the entire 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally.

Reaching Dakar

Exactly three weeks after departing Versailles, just 100 competitors (fewer than 21 percent) reached Dakar. There were just 29 bikes and a handful of trucks at the finish along the beaches of Lac Rose, a salt lake known for its pinkish water.

The last stage was a short 60-km dash down the beaches. After three weeks’ worth of racing, the finishing order was typically set by this point, and the final side-by-side sprint on the sand was more a procession for the finishers than a serious competition stage. Yet even here danger lurked, as both water and wet sand posed tangible threats. Cagiva rider Giampaolo Marinoni crashed and died just 40 km from the finish.

Understandably, celebrations were subdued out of respect for the fallen, but the finishers had all accomplished something remarkable. Cyril Neveu on the Rothmans Honda took his fourth bike win (he won again in 1987). The Rothmans Porsche team took first and second, while Roland Kussmaul came home sixth despite his sacrifice (which included carrying piles of parts for the other two cars). The 959 had proved its worth, and a production version followed that would be the fastest and most technologically advanced road car at introduction. In the truck class, the surprise winners were Giacomo Vismara and Giulio Minelli in the Mercedes support truck for the Honda of Italy bike team.

Endurance rally

After Sabine’s death in the 1986 event, many wondered if the rally could or would continue on at all, but it persisted. Porsche, having achieved its goal, didn’t come back for 1987 but another big factory team arrived to take its place. Peugeot, stuck with obsolete 205 rally cars after the FIA banned Group B rallying in Europe the year before, brought them to Africa and won the car class with 1981 WRC Champion Ari Vatanen at the wheel. Cyril Neveu won yet again in ’87, after Hubert Auriol broke both his ankles in a fall. Jan de Rooy came back to win the truck class.

Criticism of the event was gathering steam. A 1988 New York Times article quoted one French group campaigning to end the Paris-Dakar, criticizing it for using “Africa’s poorest corner as a playground for the rich.” A company called ASO bought the rally in the early 1990s, but despite more corporatization and sponsorships its fearsome reputation carried on. A journalist once quipped that Paris-Dakar was “like war without the bullets,” but sometimes there were actual bullets. In 1991 a support truck driver for the Citroën team was shot dead, and the Malian army escorted the rally through the rest of the country. In 1996 another support truck driver ranover an old Moroccan army land mine and died. But the final nail in the rally’s coffin, at least in its original form, came years later. When terrorist groups in Mauritania threatened the 2008 rally directly after the slaying of four French tourists there on Christmas Eve 2007, the event was shuttered and moved to South America for 2009 with the “Dakar Rally” name intact. It’s unclear if the Dakar Rally will ever go back to Africa, but the event appears to have found a successful home in Saudi Arabia after the last two years in that country.

There are endless stories that come out of the Dakar Rally in any given year, but 1986 was the most eventful iteration of an already notoriously crazy event. No doubt the competition will continue to be a source of adventure for as long as it endures.

The post Remembering the triumph and tragedy of the 1986 Paris-Dakar rally appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Mitsubishi was a dominant force in World Rally Championship (WRC) racing throughout the late ’90s. Battling the likes of Subaru and Colin McRae, Mitsubishi team driver Tommi Makinen took home four consecutive WRC driver’s championships from 1996 to 1999 in the venerable Lancer Evolution. For the year 2000, Mitsubishi commemorated his achievements with a Tommi Makinen edition Lancer Evolution IV RS. A lot of us probably remember ripping around circuits with it in Grand Turismo 2, and this extremely clean example recently up for auction on Collecting Cars in the U.K brings all of those virtual memories to the surface.

At its core, the Tommi Makinen edition is a standard, road-going 2000 Evo VI RS with some well-thought-out tweaks. The most apparent change is the special body kit, which replicates the one used on the actual competition rally cars. Seventeen-inch, white Enkei wheels completed the rally stance. Paint schemes could be had in Scotia White, Canal Blue, Satellite Silver, Pyrenees Black Pearl, or the highly desired Passion Red with the optional decal package to emulate Makinen’s real rally machines. Changes to the interior included Recaro seats embossed with “T. Makinen Edition” on GSR models and a sporty Momo steering wheel.

Upgrades were not purely cosmetic, though. Plenty of mechanical improvements help make to make this the ultimate Evo VI: 10-mm lower suspension, quicker steering ratio, strut tower bracing, special fuel tank baffling, and a quicker-spooling turbo. Mitsubishi built 4092 examples of the Tommi Makinen Evo in total, according to GTR-Registry.com, with the majority destined for the Japanese Domestic Market.

The car that was featured on Collecting Cars, before the vehicle was withdrawn from auction, is a near-flawless, 26,386-kilometer (18,259 miles) RS model in Scotia White. The RS was Mitsubishi’s stripped-down variant, so the more loaded GSR is the one to have, but the quality of this car’s condition should outweigh that disparity.

Anyone who follows Evos already knows that these cars are almost always driven hard and have been upgraded at one point or another. While 276 horsepower is nothing to scoff at (remember, this figure was the “limit” according to a gentleman’s agreement between Japanese manufacturers), the Evo’s 4G63 engine is incredibly responsive to upgrades and can crack 500 hp without much effort.

Bidding got up to £35,250 ($47,490) at the end of last week, before the sale abruptly ended. The top auction result for a Tommi Makinen Evo currently stands at $61,000. Those of us in the United States will need to wait until 2024 at the earliest until we can import one of these JDM beauties. Who knows what values will look like when that day comes, although these will most certainly a hot commodity when it’s eligible for import under the 25-year rule. If this is any indication of the money it will take to turn your Gran Turismo dreams into a reality, the time to start start saving is now.

The post This squeaky-clean Tommi Makinen edition Evo VI gives us serious rally fever appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Danny writes:

Hi Sajeev! My ’91 Mitsubishi Montero is showing signs of valve stem seal failure: the engine shows good compression but burns oil excessively (especially when cold) and one of my spark plugs gets consistently fouled out with oil deposits. Originally I was looking at just replacing the heads completely with remanufactured examples, but some members of the Montero Facebook page seem confident that I should just replace the seals in my existing heads and enjoy smoke-free driving.

Remanufactured heads are fairly cheap, roughly $300 each, but valve stem seals are less than $1 each. I’ve done a timing belt and water pump before on my IS300, so this doesn’t seem too far beyond my capabilities, unless I’m missing something. Is there any great advantage to rebuilt cylinder heads, or am I taking a gamble on their condition? I drove the truck 2000 miles home from Montana last year with this issue, so another option is to just keep driving it as is and adding oil, but I’d like to be running consistently on all 6 cylinders.

Sajeev answers:

Rebuilt cylinder heads are great in theory, but it depends on the quality of the rebuilder. Since you still have good compression, odds are you are only seeing blue-white smoke upon cold starting, or upon initial acceleration after long periods of idling (when engine vacuum is the highest). If so, it’s just oil passing by failed valve stem seals. And $1 each sounds like a mighty affordable repair, for someone with your mechanical aptitude.

I’d worry about replacing the cylinder heads when it’s time to replace the rest of the motor: Just get a remanufactured long block when the time comes. We discussed the procedure for changing valve stem seals in the past, and I’d get a compressed air tank and the appropriate threaded insert for the spark plug holes to make this job easier. It sounds like you might not be in a hurry to fix it, so perhaps this is be a good wintertime project!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com, and give us as much detail as possible so we can help! If you need an expedited resolution, make a post on the Hagerty Community.

The post Piston Slap: Hunting down the right fix for Montero oil consumption appeared first on Hagerty Media.

For the enthusiast on a budget, a hot hatch checks a lot of important boxes. It’s fun, but it’s also practical. Distinctive if you’re in the know, and often affordable. It likes to be driven hard but doesn’t gulp gas. Fortunately, these qualities are reflected in classic hot hatches just as they are in new ones.

Here in America we’ve often missed out on some of the best hot hatches from Europe and Japan, but if you’re looking for a vintage ride that you could take to an autocross then pack full of luggage for a weekend getaway, there are plenty of viable choices. We narrowed it down to three (well, technically five) hot hatches that can still be found in Good (#3) condition for four-figure prices.

1985–91 Honda CRX Si and Civic Si

Average #3 (Good) value: $7200 (CRX); $7100 (Civic)

Honda’s Si badge has a long history that continues with today’s Civic coupes and sedans. (VW’s trendsetting sporty Golfs are longer-lived, but not by much.) And it all got started with the Civic S (Sport) way back in 1984.

The Civic S wasn’t so much a hot hatch as a warm one, using the base carbureted 1.5-liter four from other Civics, albeit with sport seats and a rear stabilizer bar. The next year, though, American buyers got a proper “Si” version of the CRX, Honda’s popular two-seat Civic-based hatch. The “i” stood for “injection” as the 12-valve 1.5-liter ditched the carb for fuel injection and made a then-respectable 91 horsepower and 94 pound-feet of torque. For 1986, Honda added an Si trim for the four-seater Civic hatchback.

Things got even better in 1988, when a second-generation CRX Si debuted with double wishbone suspension at all four corners, significantly improving the pocket-sized CRX’s already nippy handling. On the engine front, the engine grew to 1.6 liters, added multiport fuel injection, and saw output grow to 108 hp. Again, the four-seater Civic hatch was a year behind, but in 1989 the Civic Si was back with the same mechanical upgrades as the CRX, along with a deeper chin spoiler and a stubby rear wing above the window. Both cars lasted until 1991 before they were replaced by the Del Sol and the fifth-generation Civic hatch, respectively.

We’ve already noted the appeal and the collectibility of the CRX Si, putting the pint-sized autocross favorite and tuner legend on our 2020 Bull Market list. We’ve also seen clean, low-mile, unmodified cars sell for over 20 or even 30 grand in some cases, but most examples of these cars still offer very affordable fun. Cleaner cars sell in the teens, but the current #3 (Good) value for an early CRX Si is $6600 to $7000, while later 1988-91 models are worth $7600. Four-seater Civic Si hatches are mechanically identical but haven’t caught the same kind of attention that CRXs have, so they’re cheaper in nice condition. They carry a #2 (Excellent) value of $9000 for 1986-87 models and $12,000 for 1989-91 cars.

1984-92 Volkswagen Golf GTI

Average #3 (Good) value: $5600

The Golf GTI wasn’t technically the first hot hatch, but it was among the first become popular worldwide and so it gets props. Back in the 1970s, the first Giugiaro-designed Golf Mk1 was a commuter car first and foremost, the kind of car that drove in the slow lane on the Autobahn. Despite that, a small team at Volkswagen set about building a sporty version. That first GTI debuted in 1975, for the ’76 model year, and originally the folks at VW didn’t plan to build more than 5000 examples, unaware of the smash hit they had on their hands. Actual Mk I GTI production reached close to half a million. The combination of usability, high-performance fun, and low price was a revelation. Other carmakers scrambled to catch up.

The first of these newfangled hot hatches appeared in America in 1983, badged as a Rabbit and built at VW’s assembly plant in Pennsylvania. A Mk2 version soon followed, now badged as a Golf in the U.S. The MkII GTI was heavier despite having the same 1.8-liter engine, and U.S. versions were always a bit down on grunt compared to the Euro versions, but as an all-rounder the GTI was still attractive. An ad called it “as fast as any big name performance car and twice as practical; as usable as any shopping hatchback but twice as much fun to drive.”

VW eventually remedied the power problem with a 16-valve version in 1987 that offered nearly 140 hp. Prices for these particular GTIs are up a few percent over the past couple of years, but growth has been slower than it has for other modern VWs like the Corrado or air-cooled classics like the Karmann Ghia. Even MkII GTIs in #2 (Excellent) condition carry values under 10 grand, so they’re up for the taking.

1995-99 Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon

Average #3 (Good) value: $8300 (Eclipse); $7100 (Talon)

Diamond Star Motors (DSM) was a years-long fling between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. It ended in divorce, but the connection did produce some neat cars. The most well-known, especially to the Fast and the Furious generation, is the Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon/Plymouth Laser—a set of hot, badge-engineered liftback triplets that quickly became tuner favorites. (Though they don’t look like the traditional hot hatch, their manufacturers classified them as such.)

By 1995, the platform was in its second generation. Chrysler axed the Plymouth-badged Laser from the lineup, but production of the new Eclipses and Talons kept humming right along at the DSM plant in Normal, Illinois. Like the first-gen cars, they offered cheap thrills and tempting tunability, while top-spec versions provided American speed freaks with a turbocharged all-wheel-drive rocket years before Subaru gave us the Impreza WRX.

The engine, Mitsubishi’s famous 4G63T 2.0-liter four, got a smaller turbo in the second-gen cars to reduce lag as well as extra boost to increase power, which grew to 210 hp. Suspension also improved, the body stiffened, and the dimensions grew with a wider track and longer wheelbase. The appearance got slightly rounder but didn’t introduce a drastic styling change, and the distinctive hump on the left side of the hood remained. Talons set themselves apart from the Mitsubishis with a large Eagle badges and a black roof.

High-performance versions were dubbed Eclipse GST, Eclipse GSX (all-wheel drive), Talon TSi, and Talon TSi AWD (all-wheel drive). Chrysler killed the Eagle brand after 1998, while the second gen Eclipse soldiered on for another year.

It’s hard to find clean examples of either the Eclipse or the Talon, but that just means you’ll stand out when you do snag one. Expect to pay more for a car with a car with a Mitsubishi badge and, naturally, all-wheel-drive cars command more than front-drivers.

The post 5 hot hatches you can find for under $10,000 appeared first on Hagerty Media.

We have a certain rule here in the States, and it’s often frustrating. To get an exemption from the various forms and regulations that allow a car to be registered here, the Department of Transportation requires vehicles to be 25 years or older. That means we’ve had to watch with envy from afar as enthusiasts in Europe, Japan, and elsewhere enjoy cars that are effectively unobtainium for us, at least until the clock runs down on them. Our neighbors up north, in Canada, also have a 10-year head start on us with their own 15-year import rule.

If there’s a silver lining to the 25-year rule, it’s that every 12 months we get a crop of classic cars that are, to us anyway, fresh and exotic. Exemptions are also granted according to a car’s production date rather than model year, which means there is a rolling list of vehicles that become newly available as the months press on.

Below are eight cars we’ve had an eye on from the class of 1996 that will be eligible to import at some point in 2021. Keep in mind, however, that your results may vary depending on what state you live in. If you want to register one of these cars in California, for example, you’re out of luck. 

Lotus Elise (Series 1)

Lotus brought the Series 2 Elise to our shores in 2005, although it took some safety exemptions from the Feds to get it here (thanks, NHTSA!). This was the most exciting new Lotus we’d seen in a generation, but across the pond the Elise had already been a track day and back-road favorite for nearly a decade.

Initially intended as a limited-run vehicle to promote Lotus Engineering (the part of the company that actually made money), the Elise was the car with which Lotus finally moved away from the backbone chassis. Instead, Lotus designed and patented a system for building a frame out of bonded extruded aluminum that is both very light and very strong. Also, no rust.

Cutting-edge chassis aside, the rest of the car was a back-to-basics package in the classic Lotus tradition—fiberglass body, no-frills interior, a small smiley-faced grille, and of course some parts bin bits like Rover Metro mirrors and Peugeot switchgear. The 1.8-liter Rover K-series four, also found in the MGF, provided 118 horsepower in a car weighing fewer than 1800 pounds. These were the days when Romano Artioli, who also owned Bugatti, was the boss at Lotus. He kept with the tradition of Lotus road cars by giving the new model a name starting “E,” but did so with a personal touch. Elise was the name of his granddaughter.

Artioli also pushed the unveiling of the Elise ahead a month, for the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1995 instead of the London show in October. Upon its debut, the Elise struck just the right balance between hardcore roadster and usable driver with enthusiasts, and it went on to become the company’s best-selling model ever. Lotus sold over 10,000 Series 1 Elises from 1996–2000, but that original version never had a chance of passing U.S. safety regulations.

That won’t matter starting next year, however, and you can get an original Elise shipped from the U.K., E.U., or Canada. Just remember that these are 25-year-old cars that were often driven hard, and that the Rover K-series has known head gasket issues.

Renault Sport Spider

A bare-bones bug-eyed racer for the road, the Sport Spider hails from the country that does automotive oddities better than any other: France. Built from 1996-99 at the Alpine factory in Dieppe, the Sport Spider came with an aluminum chassis, plastic composite body, a rollbar, and that’s about it. If you wanted to keep the bugs out of your teeth, you had to pay extra for a windshield. Same for a radio.

At 2050 pounds with a 148-hp, 2.0-liter four from the Clio Williams and a five-speed manual, the Sport Spider can hit 60 in less than six seconds, but you buy a car like this because it’s a corner carver, not to win any drag races. (And because it’s French high-performance at its weirdest, and possibly best.) Renault sold about 1800 of these cars and they mostly stayed in Europe, although a few have made it to Canada.

Nissan Skyline GT-R LM Limited

R33 Skylines became eligible to import last year, and boatloads of them have already pulled into port for eager American JDM fans. If you’re already lusting after an R34 you’ll unfortunately have to wait until 2024 to bring one in, but there are a few special editions of the R33 GT-R (1995–98) coming down the pipeline that might be of interest. One, built very briefly in the spring of 1996, is the GT-R “LM Limited.”

The GT-R isn’t known as a Le Mans winner, mainly because it wasn’t. Despite four tries with the R33 GT-R, Nissan never could eke out a class win at La Sarthe with Godzilla, despite the car’s domination elsewhere. Nevertheless, Nissan celebrated its efforts at Le Mans by selling 188 GT-Rs in LM Limited Trim. All wore Championship Blue, featured special decals, and got a carbon spoiler blade as well as different cooling ducts and bonnet lip.

Tatra 700

Tatra built some of the world’s most advanced and interesting cars in the 1930s, and although the Czech company mostly paid its bills by selling heavy trucks, it had a decent side hustle building limousines for Party bigwigs during the communist years. For decades, the formula for Tatra cars didn’t change much. They typically featured a distinct shape, a rear-mounted air-cooled V-8, and a roomy interior. The T700, which turns 25 next year, has all of the above. It also bears the unfortunate distinction of being the very last Tatra.

By the time the 1990s arrived, Tatra remained an independent company and was selling trucks, but it didn’t quite have the funds to develop an all-new car. Instead, Tatra opted to overhaul its 613 model that dated way back to 1974. All hand-built, these T700s feature a 3.5-liter air-cooled and Bosch fuel-injected V-8, a five-speed manual transaxle, and pleasing walnut trim on the dash.

Unfortunately, the T700 wasn’t much of a hit. Many Czech buyers, now free to buy Western cars, preferred something like a Mercedes or BMW. Tatra built fewer than 100 T700s, and in 1999 the company ended car production after a 102-year run, to focus on the truck side of the operation. Good luck finding one, but if you do, you’ll have a friend waiting. There is one lone T700 that somehow made it to the U.S. already, and it’s at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville.

Toyota Classic

In 1996, Toyota had a big birthday to celebrate. It had been 60 years since the company built its first automobile, called the AA. According to Toyota, it was also the first all-Japanese-built passenger car. While not a groundbreaking design (the engine was copied from Chevrolet and the body aped from DeSoto’s Airflow) it was still a big milestone for what would become the world’s largest carmaker.

Given that this was ‘90s Japan and retro-styled cars were in vogue, Toyota marked the occasion with the aptly named “Classic,” a modern take on the car that started it all. Toyota sold just 100 examples, all in two-tone black and dark red with a wood-rim steering wheel, wood trim, woodgrain dashboard, and leather seats. And although it looks like a ‘30s sedan on top, the Classic is all Toyota Pickup (a.k.a Tacoma) underneath.

It’s not exactly pretty. Certainly not fast, and probably not fun to drive, either. It is, however, an ultra-rare piece of Toyota history, and as of next year you can have one. It will definitely be the only one in town.

TVR Cerbera

We recently featured the Cerbera on our list of the craziest factory steering wheels, but the rest of this car is just as wild. Of course it is, because TVR made it. The doors don’t open with handles, but by small buttons under the mirrors, and from inside you open them with buttons in the door pockets. The rest of the swoopy, leather- and aluminum-trimmed interior looks like something out of Star Trek. As for that steering wheel, it has two minor gauges sitting below the column, along with buttons that operate the wipers and horn. There’s also a large air vent in the middle pointing right at your face, handy on a hot day. And that’s just the interior.

The Cerbera, named for Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the Underworld in Greek mythology, was TVR’s flagship model during some of the company’s best years. Autocar called it “one of the fastest, hardest production cars ever made.” It was also the first TVR to use the company’s proprietary engines, bringing with it significant pluses and minuses. The so-called “AJP” (named for designers Al Meling, John Ravenscroft, and Peter Wheeler) engine is a compact, racy 75-degree V-8 with a flat-plane crank and forged pistons and rods. In the Cerbera, it ranged from 4.2 to 4.5 liters and from 360 to 440 horsepower in a 2+2 coupe weighing less than 2500 pounds. That’s about 800 pounds less than a Viper GTS, by the way. TVR also sold a few Cerberas with its 4.0-liter “Speed Six” straight-six, which itself was far from a wimp at 350 hp.

The minuses? Well, TVR engines were something of a ticking time bomb if not carefully maintained. Some lasted just 20,000 miles before needing a rebuild, and something as simple as an alternator replacement is an engine-out affair. Being a TVR, rust is also a concern, as the exhaust runs along the top of the backbone and can trap condensation in difficult-to-see areas. Also, good luck finding TVR parts and specialists here in the States.

If you want to play it safe(r), previous TVRs like the Chimaera and Griffith are already eligible to import, and they use the tried-and-true Rover V-8 under the hood.

Nissan Stagea

We can never have enough fast wagons, and next year we’ll get one more: the Nissan Stagea. When Nissan debuted in 1996, it aimed this car straight at the Subaru Legacy. Underneath this car is a lot more interesting than it sounds; the Stagea shares lots of parts with the R33 Skyline. Because of that, many of the common upgrades for the Skyline also work on the Stagea.

All Stageas got a version of Nissan’s famous RB-series straight-six, from a 2.0-liter normally aspirated version all the way up to the legendary 2.6-liter RB26DETT from the GT-R. The hottest version from both a collectibility and performance standpoint is the 260RS sold by tuning company Autech. In turning the Stagea into something like a five-door GT-R, Autech took top-spec Stageas using the RB26DETT, five-speed, and ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system from the GT-R.  Then came Brembo brakes, BBS forged alloys, handling upgrades, a GT-R steering wheel, and other interior improvements. Otherwise, most people bought their Stagea with all-wheel drive (rear-drive was available), a four-speed automatic, and a less potent engine.

Finding a clean, unmodified (or lightly) modified Stagea from overseas won’t be easy, but if you do you’ll have yourself a real JDM unicorn. We say unicorn, in particular, because of the Stagea’s super cool badge. It’s two unicorns arranged to form the letter “S.”

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV

Americans didn’t see a Lancer Evolution in the showrooms until the Evo VIII of 2003, but we were keenly aware of what remained out of reach. This all-wheel-drive dynamo had already been making a name for itself for a decade on the road, on the stages of the World Rally Championship, and in video games like Gran Turismo.

In 2021, the Evo IV will be the next one eligible for import. Compared to the Evo III, the IV got a larger intercooler and new twin-scroll turbo for more power out of its 2.0-liter 4G63T engine. It also got newly designed multi-link rear suspension. The Evo IV was also the first to use Active Yaw Control to enhance cornering performance and braking stability, and its taillight design would become a signature feature on future Lancer Evolutions.

The Evo IV came in either RS or GSR trim. The RS was essentially a bare-bones version built to meet homologation rules for the World Rally Championship, and the Evo IV definitely has some rally pedigree going for it. Tommi Mäkinen won the 1997 WRC Driver’s title in an Evo IV, beating Colin McRae by a single point (Subaru won the Manufacturers’ title). The GSR model, meanwhile, was the more proper road car with more creature comforts and sharper-looking alloy wheels.

The Evo IV didn’t debut until August 1996, so it’ll be a while yet before you can import one, but it isn’t too early to start looking. Mitsubishi only built 9000 examples, and many have been drifted or driven to their doom by now.

The post 8 amazing cars you can import in 2021 under the 25-year rule appeared first on Hagerty Media.

When it comes to collector automobiles, it can seem like your money doesn’t go as far as it once did. We dug into the data to see what affordable vehicles can be had for a reasonable budget of $15,000 in #3 (Good) condition. Why #3 condition? Our research has found that, time after time, the condition of the average collector automobile falls right within this classification. A #3 car is ready for a long drive without making excuses, but it may have some flaws and/or incorrect parts.

Here are 8 cars and 2 trucks we found that fit the bill. While this is not a comprehensive list of vehicles that fall within a $15,000 budget, these are some well-known and emerging collectors to consider if you’re in the market. We also posted a livestream on this subject, which you can find here.

1984–1996 Chevrolet Corvette

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $6500

When it comes to bang for your buck, it is hard to beat a Corvette. In the case of the C4 Corvette, that saying is as true today as it was back in the day. The C4 offers a wide variety of options that fits within most price ranges. While the ZR-1 and Grand Sport are beyond the scope of this list’s budget, you are still spoiled for a sub-$15K choice when it comes to the C4.

You can find a near-perfect 1984 model for $15,000, but if you desire performance, the LT1- and LT4-powered cars of the 1990s are well within reach. Perhaps the ideal choice for this budget would be a 1996 C4 equipped with the 330-hp LT4 engine, which required the inclusion of the six-speed transmission when ordered new. Never fear the dreaded Optispark system on the LT1/LT4 cars either—by now most issues with the ignition on individual cars have been fixed or were never a problem in the first place.

2004–05 Mazdaspeed Miata

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $10,400

Of course Miata is the answer to the question at hand, and internet meme lords would not let us get away with a list of affordable cars that didn’t include a Miata.

Adding some grunt to an already nimble and zippy little roadster, the Mazdaspeed Miata made waves in 2004 and 2005 with a turbo engine that yielded an extra 36 hp over the standard NB-series Miata. Not enough of a boost to set the world on fire, but more than enough to shave more than a second off of the standard Miata’s 7.9-second 0–60 time. A factory-installed turbo means that it was engineered for the application and built with quality parts.

Driver-quality cars average $10,400, but #2-condition (Excellent) examples are still sub-$15,000. That’s not as cheap as many people expect when buying a Miata, but the price is well worth it if you desire a little extra punch. The added exclusivity of a two-year-only model is worth mentioning, too.

1979–93 Ford Mustang

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $7700

Few cars epitomize the 1980s like Fox-body Mustangs. They look great and offer very good performance from an era in which auto manufacturers were starting to gain back some of the horsepower lost in the mid-1970s. Much like the third-generation Camaros and Firebirds, Fox-body Mustangs offer a lot of car for the money and have only recently started to experience notable gains in value.

The more popular 5.0 GT hatchbacks from the late ’80s can be had in Good condition for under $8000, but truly pristine examples can also fall under our $15,000 budget. If you are willing to sacrifice some of the ground effects for the 5.0 LX “notchback” coupes, a perfect example can usually be had for just over $15,000. Watch out for cheaper examples though; as with any unibody car, undercarriage and strut tower rust can be a problem and although these are resilient cars, no vehicle can sustain infinite abuse. Be wary of cars that have been driven hard and show obvious signs of neglect.

These are great machines for anyone on a budget desiring a rear-wheel-drive, V-8 car. They perform well in stock form, but an abundance of aftermarket upgrades means that Fox-bodies can be a blank slate for anyone who wants to create something unique down the road.

1989–91 Porsche 944 S2

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $15,000

Porsche is not the first make that comes to mind when you brainstorm affordable vehicles. Over the past several years, values for just about every Porsche model have experienced a hefty bump, and the few that have settled have done so at levels nowhere near where they started. Even the previously snubbed transaxle Porsches have flipped the script. That said, a few good models can still be picked up at a reasonable price.

The 944 S2 is a great option for the budget-minded buyer who wants a great grand tourer. Power output for the S2 got a much-appreciated 43-hp gain with its larger 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Still not quite as powerful as the Turbo, but enough to satisfy. This is a slam dunk of a car from a time period that is becoming increasingly desirable, and by virtue of it being a Porsche, you are joining a fraternity of hardcore fans who deeply love their cars. At a price tag of $15,000 for a Good example that’s been well cared for, it’s hard to go wrong.

1983–89 Mitsubishi Starion, Dodge/Chrysler Conquest

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $8000

The Mitsubishi Starion and Dodge/Chrysler Conquest (aka Starquest) is not an obvious choice for an affordable collector car, and for good reason. They’re fairly obscure cars these days; finding a choice example is a challenge. These vehicles were used hard.

Assuming you do find a quality example, Starquests represent great value for a rear-wheel-drive, turbocharged enthusiast car. Very few cars have sold publicly above our $15,000 budget and the average-condition Starquest is usually well under $10,000. Of course, these figures can fluctuate depending on options and make. Starions command a premium over Conquests, and 1986-and-later cars are in higher demand due to the intercooled G54B four-cylinder engine, which is good for 188 hp. The top models are the Starion ESI-R and Conquest TSi, packing all the available performance improvements plus the added benefit of a wide-body kit.

When it comes to Starquests, you should buy the best example you can afford. Since parts are far less plentiful than those for a comparable Honda or Toyota, previous owners and their level of care matter just as much as the overall condition of the car.

1981–87 Alfa Romeo GTV-6

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $14,600

An Italian sports car for under $15,000?  The GTV-6 is a beautifully designed ’80s Alfa Romeo, and the V-6 engine has a shriek as intoxicating as any Italian exotic from the era. These cars are known to be great fun to drive. The downsides aren’t many, assuming that the car was well cared for throughout its life. The synchros are a known weak point and build quality is typical of any 1980s Italian sports cars.

Best practice with a GTV-6 is to buy the best car you can afford with as complete of a service history as possible; it may save you a massive headache down the road. Expect to max out our $15,000 budget to ensure the car you are buying is in good running order. Pristine examples can be had for more, of course.

1992–99 Chevrolet Blazer/Tahoe and GMC Yukon

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $14,000

After an 18-year run, General Motors finally updated the Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy for 1992. The Chevy kept the Blazer name, but GMC adopted the Yukon moniker. As with 1988 GM pickups, the Blazer and Yukon traded the solid front axle for independent front suspension, in turn picking up many standard creature comforts: better sound deadening, improved ride quality, and more amenities. The basic formula would remain the same, albeit with a shortened half-ton chassis and driveline on the two-door utility vehicle. The Blazer name would be dropped in 1995 and Tahoe swapped in,  but the biggest change to the lineup would be the change from throttle-body injection to multi-port fuel injection in 1996. GM thus introduced the Vortec engine, boosting power an additional 45 horses in its 350 V-8.

Like the prior square-body Blazers and Jimmys, the Blazer/Tahoe/Yukon have remained quite affordable, and two-door models still command a niche following. Good specimens with the Silverado and SLT trim packages can be had for about $12,000, but expect to pay a premium for the rarer Blazer Sport and Yukon GT. With the rates for earlier Blazers spiking and 1990s Ford Broncos rising quickly, don’t expect these trucks to remain a good buy forever.

1965-1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Sedan

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $8,700

Usually the terms “budget” and “Rolls-Royce” uttered in the same sentence is cause for great concern. It’s a widely accepted truth that the cheapest Rolls-Royce will cost you the most in repairs down the road. While that is certainly something to keep in mind when looking at a Silver Shadow, a $15,000 Rolls-Royce isn’t necessarily cause for panic.

For starters, by Rolls-Royce standards the Silver Shadow was a mass-produced model: The firm built 16,717 of these sedans. They are not over-the-top complicated cars, but like with any Rolls-Royce, regular documented service is crucial. Be especially wary of problems with the braking system and suspension; they are especially costly to fix. The budget-conscious might be tempted to go for an imported right-hand-drive model, but approach with caution: Many have been exported from their native U.K because they’ll no longer pass MOT inspection.

If you know what you’re getting into, you can enjoy the Rolls-Royce brand for what it is: a titan of the British luxury industry. Very good cars are affordable and within reach of a $15,000 budget, but you’ll look and feel like you are driving around in something worth substantially more.

1997–2006 Jeep Wrangler

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $12,400 

TJ Wranglers are rightfully regarded as peak Wrangler among the Jeep faithful. Wranglers have a lot to offer; they are very capable off-road, but take the top and the doors off and you have the perfect weekend cruiser. As far as Wranglers go, the TJ has some special sauce.

The obvious perk is that the looks were greatly improved over the previous YJ, but the major attraction is that it retains Jeep’s venerable 4.0-liter inline-six, and it was the first Wrangler to sport a more capable four-link rear suspension. The TJ also introduced the Rubicon variant, which added heavier duty Dana 44 axles with locking differentials, noticeably improving off-road capability and toughness. Mechanically, these are bulletproof vehicles. However, like all Jeeps that came before it, rust is a pain point. Frames are especially susceptible to rot, so be sure to get underneath any TJ you are considering and inspect it carefully. Rust issues are fixable by a competent welder, but it is best not have to deal with the issue at all.

Values for TJs in #2 (Excellent) condition have begun to creep up across the board, but depending on where you live, values can vary widely in regions with a strong Jeep following. $15,000 can net you a very solid Rubicon. For less money you can snag a standard model and have cash left over for a bunch of upgrades. Like the Fox-body Mustang, the TJ is a canvas for the imagination.

1962–1970 Datsun 1500/1600/2000 Roadster

Average value in #3 (Good) condition: $9700

Datsun Roadsters should not be overlooked. They’ve been long overshadowed by the MGB, which came out at about the same time and were built in larger quantities. Japan’s take on a small, sporty roadster was equally capable and creatively designed. Throughout the years, the engine size grew from a 1500- to 1600-cc four-cylinder, finally settling on a very peppy 135-hp 2000 cc.

More powerful models, such as the 2000, will max out a $15,000 budget for a good-quality car, but 1500 and 1600s allow for better selection under the price cap. The only downside is that the comparable MG will have better parts availability, so while Datsun has a good reputation for reliability, finding a part when something does break will be more difficult. Overall, the Datsun Roadster is a great alternative for the enthusiast who wants to stand out among the more numerous British roadsters out there.

Like this article? Check out Hagerty Insider, our e-magazine devoted to tracking trends in the collector car market.

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Last weekend’s Raleigh Classic Car Auction was full of special cars, but prior to the event we weren’t sure to what lengths buyers would go to fight over them. Turns out, a number of well-kept vehicles attracted serious bids. Here are some of the offerings that sold for more than their top-condition average values.

1990 Chevrolet Suburban

Sale Price: $38,850

Average value in #1 (Concours) condition: $26,500

At nearly $40K, you could almost buy a brand new Suburban—but that wouldn’t be as cool. Even when selling for 47 percent above Concours condition value, this 1990 Chevrolet Suburban is still a lot of truck for the money. With only 21,000 miles from new, this Suburban is flawless and completely original. The overtly red corduroy interior looks brand new on all three rows of bench seating (which still leaves a surprisingly large cargo area).

1981 Datsun 280ZX

Sale Price: $24,300

Average value in #1 (Concours) condition: $19,400

This 280ZX is an incredible survivor which was owned by the same family for the first 36 years and only driven 24,000 miles. The striking Blue and Diamond Mist Metallic paint over a matching velour interior looks brand new. Although previously overlooked, the 280ZX has started to gain attention in the collector car world. In fact, our data shows the 280ZX now outpaces its “more desirable” siblings. In the last quarter, the 280ZX saw a 14 percent increase in traffic while the 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z remained relatively flat. This could be a sign that the market is starting to turn for later Z generations as the S30 moves out of the budget for many enthusiasts. Big sales like this are likely to continue.

1991 Mazda Miata Special Edition

Sale Price: $30,510

Average value in #1 (Concours) condition: $29,290 (with 15 percent Special Edition premium)

The 1991 Special Edition is the most-coveted Miata ever made. So, its not surprising that a flawless example with only 8000 original miles would be the first Miata to break the 30-grand barrier. The NA Miata has recently moved from “cheap roadster” to “investment” status as low-mileage examples become harder to find. This, in turn, has driven up price—the average #1 (Concours) condition value increased 10 percent in the last year alone (from $22,800 to $25,100). This is a record for a stock NA Miata, and at this price you could buy a Miata that’s 30 years newer. However, while that new ND will depreciate the second you drive it, this NA will only become more valuable.

1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder

Sale Price: $28,620

Average value in #1 (Concours) condition: $21,200

Radwood’s influence is being felt in the market. Obscure cars from the 1990s, especially from Japan, have been selling for insane prices. This 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL Spyder is no exception, checking all the boxes. Weird styling? Check. Rare? Only 1034 Spyders ever produced—check. Unnecessarily complicated technology? The retractable hardtop added 400 pounds and rendered the trunk completely unusable when down—check. Fun fact: the 3000GT Spyder was the first retractable hardtop sold in America since the 1959 Ford Skyliner. This 3000GT is in amazing condition and was only driven 42,000 miles under single-family ownership from new. The SL trim was front-wheel-drive with a naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter V-6 making 222 horsepower—not too bad for 1995, but a major step down from the more desirable VR4’s all-wheel-drive and 320 horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6.

1985 Cadillac Eldorado

Sale Price: $21,600

Average value in #1 (Concours) condition: $18,600

Luxury cars from this time period have been doing well lately. The average #1-condition value for a 1979–85 Cadillac Eldorado  has increased 58 percent in the last two years, from $12,200 to $19,300. It makes sense; they just don’t make cars like they used to. The boxy styling with right angle metalwork is something we likely to never see again. This Eldorado in particular could be the best surviving example of it’s kind. This car was originally bought by a woman who’s husband bought an identical Eldorado on the same day. Since they had two identical cars, they ended up only driving one of them, which explains why this Eldo has only 3800 miles.

Other notable sales

Although it was in definite need of a refresh, a 1975 Bricklin SV-1 with 200 actual miles sold for $35,640 (right at #1-condition value).

A wood-paneled brown-on-brown-on-brown 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Mark Cross Town & Country commanded a $15,660 sale price—possibly the highest price ever paid for a LeBaron convertible that wasn’t associated with Frank Sinatra or Lee Iacocca.

A fully original 1970 Chevrolet Corvette 454 Coupe sold for just over its Concours-condition value of $74,000 (when all options are considered). This Corvette was driven only 7400 miles and has its original factory tires. The listing didn’t say if the tires hold their original St. Louis air.

The post 5 surprising results from the Raleigh Classic Car Auction appeared first on Hagerty Media.

It was the age of perestroika. Of peak Michael Jackson. Of U2 and The Joshua Tree and RoboCop and Reagan and the Black Monday Crash that seemed so terrifying back then. It was also a time of body stripes and dashboard inclinometers and five-speeds on everything. It was the time when Japanese trucks were cool.

This all started last year when three friends were talking about the idea of throwing in together on a barn-find Porsche 356C in need of everything. The plan fell apart when one of the friends, Hagerty’s own Logan Calkins (last seen jumping his VW Thing), decided that the Porsche was too much of a sinkhole, and that what he really wanted was a 1980s Toyota 4Runner. Because the 1980s were rad and because, despite the fact that he had already owned 13 Toyota 4Runners, somehow that itch wasn’t fully scratched.

Within a week, he had poured most of his Porsche stash into a 1987 4Runner with “only” 240,000 miles on it. The model year, 1987, was both coincidental and opportune: Another person in the group, Hagerty contributor Lyn Woodward, had recently rescued a 1987 Mitsubishi Montero from a suburban Los Angeles driveway where it had sat for years melting into the asphalt. The group chat about a Porsche devolved into a group chat about how awesome Japanese trucks used to be, when they were simple and rugged and not too big, and before they got soft and car-like and full of cup holders and computer screens.

Not wishing to be left out, your humble narrator hunted down a 1987 Suzuki Samurai, and the stars were thus aligned for a sort of high school reunion. Wrenches were laid to fix leaks and squeaks, and the group discussed what it should do with the trucks. The obvious answer: Leave. Vámonos. Make like a tree and get out of here. But to where? Greater Los Angeles is roughly a hundred miles by a hundred miles. On a map, our eyes followed the freeway out of town, past a lot of empty desert that would make fine adventure territory. But Woodward maintained that the backdrop had to be big to show off the littleness of these old trucks. “Not even Death Valley has enough bigness,” she insisted. So our gaze kept going across the map. Past Las Vegas, through the deserts of Nevada and Arizona and skirting a lot of natural wonder, until we decided, well, we’ve come this far, we might as well go for the mother lode of bigness: Moab, Utah.

The present capital of four-wheeling is an old uranium-mining hamlet at the eastern edge of the Beehive State, which itself is unfairly rich in landscapes best described as Mother Nature cranking the volume up to 11 and breaking the knob off. Canyonlands National Park, to the west of Moab, is 337,598 acres of craggy wilderness dominated by an immense, ocher-colored plateau called the Island in the Sky that divides two western waterways. The Colorado River and the Green River have each cut deep, meandering canyons on their way to a merger at the plateau’s southern tip, where the waters flow on together toward Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.

The White Rim Road, named for the layer of bleached stone that underlies much of this old mining and cattle-ranching track, traces these rivers under sheer cliffs, weaving among the fins and slender spires of Navajo and Wingate sandstones. The White Rim offers 70 of the most spectacular trekking miles with which you’ll ever roll an odometer. And though it has a few suspension-twisters and a lot of stretches made laborious by nubby rock, the trail is actually not that tough. That was a key factor for old, stock trucks that were built before the off-road industry reached DEFCON 1 with its push-button lockers, rock-smashing suspensions, and humongous tires.

More important, though, Canyonlands is massive and magnificent, a place where humans in three little 1980s trucks would feel suitably small and insignificant, an impression that is growing harder and harder to experience in our shrinking world. And, if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s where we wanted to go from the start of this tale, despite the 13-hour drive from LA. Thus, with our campsites secured three months in advance—you must book them through the National Park Service, and spring and fall are the busy times—we made for Moab in our flotilla of cheap escape vehicles.

The writer Edward Abbey lived much of his life exploring “all that which lies beyond the end of the road” in this area of countless serrated canyons and wind-sculpted arches. He is partially to blame for it being overrun in modern times with geared-up adventurers, having called his dusty red corner of paradise “simply the most beautiful place on earth.” Before Abbey came in the mid-1960s, the uranium wildcatters traipsed over it, cutting roads and digging toxic dogholes at the government’s encouragement. It was the Atomic Energy Commission that built the White Rim Road, using bulldozers to stitch a bunch of old herding paths together. Before the machines came, the ranchers ran cattle here on horses, and before them, Ancestral Puebloans sheltered in its coves and etched their stories on its walls in haunting petroglyphs.

People have always seen what they want to see in these breathtaking panoramas, from mineral riches to grazing nirvana to a homeland where the spirits live eternally in the wind. We saw a rock-hopping good time, so after assembling and provisioning in Moab for a three-day journey, we drove west across the 6000-foot-high Island in the Sky mesa to a snaking descent route cut into the cliff walls that death-drops a truck about a thousand feet into the gorge of the Green River. Taking pictures here at the start of our journey, the photographer noticed a glint of metal in the canyon debris, then the battered tailfin of a—Mercury? It was too far gone to tell. Several other crumpled wrecks lay with it, probably old mine company cars unceremoniously pushed off the edge when the uranium boom collapsed in the 1960s and vast investor fortunes were lost to the whistling wind.

I caught Logan studying the front of his truck with a furrowed brow. “Have you tried out your four-wheel-drive system yet?” I asked.

“Nope.”

“Me neither,” I lied, trying to make him feel better. Woodward volunteered that she had spent so much money fixing other stuff on her Montero yet never replaced the rotted old spare tire.

And with that, we worked the old-fashioned levers and twist-hubs (the deluxe Montero has an automatic transmission and auto-locking front hubs) to engage low gear, then descended to White Rim Road. Many of the names of scenic spots along the trail date to the rancher days, and they speak to the difficult life in one of North America’s remotest job outposts: Horsethief Trail, The Labyrinth, Hardscrabble Bottom, Upheaval Canyon, Dead Horse Point.

The names come rich with stories. Down the river a ways is Harveys Fear Cliff. The tale goes that a cowhand by the name of Harvey Watts had roped a mean bull when he was thrown from his horse and, still clutching the rope, wound up hanging on for his life off the cliff. When he pulled himself up, the bull saw Harvey and made a run at him, dropping him down. When Harvey was out of sight, the bull lost interest and wandered away, pulling Harvey back up. Back and forth it went, long enough for Harvey and his fear to earn a spot on the Utah map.

At Potato Bottom, we rolled past the splitting and desiccated remains of an old corral. Cattle herder Art Murray built a waterside cabin here in 1932, to which his wife, Muriel, scoffed, “Who else would throw up such a rat trap?” After five years, Art became fed up with “the whole thing,” presumably including Muriel, and moved to Canada. Just across the river is Binky Bottom, named for Dubinky Anderson, another cattleman in the 1930s. Dubinky knew a fella named Guy Robison, who while out riding with the herd got stuck in a snowstorm that painted the landscape completely white. Then the sun came out and the glare blinded poor Guy so badly that he had to ride back to the ranch with his eyes closed, just clinging to his horse. Days later, when they stripped the bandages off and Guy’s vision slowly returned, his eyes, which had been brown his whole life, had turned permanently blue. So the story goes, anyway.

The Green River courses implacably through endless writhing twists and turns in the canyon. “The whole country is inconceivably desolate, as we float along on a muddy stream walled in by huge sandstone bluffs that echo back the slightest sound,” wrote one of the area’s earliest white explorers, George Young Bradley of the Powell expedition of 1869. “Hardly a bird save the ill-omened raven or an occasional eagle screaming over us; one feels a sense of loneliness as he looks on.”

The only evidence of human impact during our visit 150 years later is the trail itself and a couple of kayakers making fanning ripples as they paddle along Bradley’s path southward toward what is now Arizona. Actually, another sign that men preceded us here is the bushy tamarisk that lines the riverbanks as dense as thick, green dykes. It’s a water-loving Mediterranean plant brought in decades ago to reduce bank erosion, but now the park service is trying to hack back the pervasive weed to give the cottonwoods and other native flora a chance to return.

The Suzuki scooted—“bounded is a better word,” insisted Logan—like a giddy jack rabbit deep into this eroded, crumbling landscape of natural splendor tinged by man-made folly. A 1987 Samurai is as close as the modern industry will likely ever get to producing a faithful replica of the World War II jeep. The axles are two small logs suspended by the cutest little leaf springs you ever saw. They are hitched together through a two-speed transfer case engaged with a stubby shifter that almost certainly was rarely touched by the yuppies and Aqua Netted prom queens who first drove these off dealership lots. Ditto the manual hub locks that engage the front axle. The only electronics are the ones controlling the carburetor (of the three trucks, only the Toyota is injected) sitting atop the 1.3-liter gerbil wheel that moves it.

The Samurai’s five-speed (natch) has the requisite gearing spread needed to put all of its 63 horsepower to good use. The Suzuki doesn’t weigh much, just a little over 2000 pounds, so it doesn’t need much. The fuel tank hides 10.6 gallons behind a skid plate, and after two days and 70 miles of rough going, often in four-low, the gauge showed just under half a tank consumed, though the 4Runner and Montero were down to a few gallons.

The Suzuki’s thrift partly makes up for the fact that it has the roughest ride of the three. Rolling over the knottiest stuff, your speeds are cut to a crawl lest the Samurai seizure itself to pieces. “I need a better bra for this,” grumped Woodward after a stint at the tiller, and she beelined back to her cushier Montero. Compared to the other two trucks, which are frolic-mobiles aimed at young outdoorsy types, the Montero is the adult in the room. Also formerly marketed here as the Dodge Raider, the severely upright and slightly uptight Montero is all business, a versatile, shockproof United Nations fleet car built more for ferrying aid workers into the malaria-infested far corners than whisking American moms to the mall.

Badged as the Pajero, the name it wears outside of the U.S., the Montero won the Paris-Dakar Rally 15 times, more than any other four-wheeled vehicle. They sold many more 4Runners here, and everyone thinks the Samurai is adorbs, but only one of these trucks comes with an international racing pedigree. It was also the one sold in the most variations, there being two-and four-door models, a 2.6-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter V-6, and a choice of automatic or manual transmissions.

As with all Toyota trucks of the ’80s, the 4Runner feels almost like a sports car compared to today’s mastodons. You sit practically on the floor, legs and arms out, as if in a Celica on stilts. The shifter is so tall and light that two fingers move it without straining. The only truck in our group with power retractable rear glass also has a four-pot, the famous 22R, as suffused with a reputation for reliability as it is with torque. The long wheelbase offers plenty of squish and forgiveness—or at least it feels so compared to the bucking Suzuki. Lots of people have jacked up these things over the years with monster springs and tires. In the process, a pleasant desert roamer was lost.

Locked in low, our three little trucks ambled and bounced like radio-controlled Tamiya buggies playing in a huge sandbox, eventually scaling a steep and broken incline to our first campsite. Everything inside was tossed, and when the photographer opened the Montero’s large side-hinged door to retrieve a lens, one of our plastic water jugs came tumbling out and cracked open on the rock. Quick action stemmed the jug’s loss at 50 percent, but out in the remote canyons, in 33-year-old trucks bought on the cheap, the water supply was never far from mind.

Here at Murphy’s Hogback, the Murphy brothers, Jack, Tom, and Otho—who wrote a book in 1965 about the old pioneer days called The Moab Story—ran cattle around the time of World War I. A long foot trail leads to Murphy’s Point, where the family once occupied a dirt-floor log cabin with gobsmacking views to the west over the Maze district and its byzantine complex of interwoven slot canyons. One time, Maw Murphy was said to have thrown boiling water through a window into the face of the local chief to keep him from beating a woman. He came by the next day to tell her that she was “heap brave woman.”

The sun sank behind the distant Orange Cliffs while we fried up black beans and tortillas and told our own stories of vistas so dazzling that they can turn a pair of brown eyes blue, and of a few hairy moments where trucks teetered on two wheels. The stars switched on one by one until the whole sky was paved with diamond dust.

As the eyes must adjust to a tranquil darkness that is uncommon in our modern age, so, too, must the ears adapt to the blanketing silence of Utah’s canyon country. Here, you can gaze out across 25 miles of the earth’s surface and hear nothing but your own circulatory system. The muted peace and the slight night chill meant that sleep came fast and deep in our tents.

In the morning, we discovered the tracks—not of the bighorn sheep that roam the area, but of nocturnal furry souls that had inspected our vehicles inside out and from bumper to bumper in the night. Judging by the number of tiny paw prints in its layer of dust, the Suzuki’s engine had hosted a raging rodent convention. We packed up and carried on, eager to leave before the critters discovered that ’80s trucks have tasty wiring.

We reached the halfway point at White Crack, parked the trucks, and hiked out along an increasingly narrow spine of bleached rock to where it ended as giant geologic mushrooms towering over the lower basins of Island in the Sky. Somewhere unseen down in the deep gulches in front of us, the Green River collided with and donated its silty waters to the mighty Colorado. If you were a pinyon jay, you could fly from White Crack to an overlook viewpoint in two minutes to see the convergence yourself. As a human, you would need to drive 155 miles from this spot, including scaling Elephant Hill, one of the most tortuous four-wheeling trails in the national park system, then hike a mile to the overlook. Such is the tourist conundrum posed by this harsh and undeveloped terrain.

Having crossed over to the Colorado River side of the plateau, we trundled on at about 6 mph, going against the occasional traffic. Most people do the trail in a clockwise direction, from the Colorado River to the Green River side. Some heavily modified Wranglers painted in the same arclight colors as cans of energy drink came roaring up to us in a billow of dust from their 33-inchers. Kindly, they usually ground to a stop and let our convoy pass. We got one or two vigorous thumbs up, but most Jeepers, ensconced in their air-conditioned rock chariots and blasting their iTunes, just looked on in pity. This isn’t like your local cars and coffee; by and large, you don’t get points in the four-wheeling world for head-bobbing your way slowly along a trail in vintage stock equipment. Everyone wants to go faster.

We made it to our final campsite at the bottom of a thousand-foot wall into which a switchback road had been cut, known as the Shafer Trail. An old stock trail named for brothers Frank and John Shafer, who moved to Moab in 1878, the Shafer was remade in the uranium boom into a shelf road that leads travelers up off the White Rim and back toward Moab—and a shower. It is an acrophobe’s nightmare, the road at points about a Jeep-and-a-half wide, skirting what seems like a bottomless drop-off into a horseshoe-shaped chasm, which opens out to a gripping view of the frosted 12,000-foot peaks of the La Sal Range. It is, as Abbey said, the most beautiful place on earth.

We met up and camped with friends who were supposed to join us for the whole trip in an older Lexus GX470 set up for overlanding, but the rig had blown out an air shock on a trail near Arches National Park a couple days earlier and was stranded in Moab getting repairs. They seemed happy to be with us for one night at least, but in the darkness, the rodents became more daring, somehow penetrating the sealed-up Lexus and raiding its snack bin. We took it as a sign to retreat back to civilization, shaking the dust out as we went. Months later, Logan texted, “There’s still red streaks coming out of the seams every time I wash it. It will never be clean again.”

Toyota’s original fun-time SUV is, amazingly, still in production, still riding on the same platform as the contemporary compact pickup, and still a capable off-roader when optioned for dirt. But it’s no longer cheap, its base price starting above $36,000. Mitsubishi invested heavily in the Montero and reaped hearty sales with it through three generations, until the company lost interest in being cool and authentic and dumped the truck from its U.S. lineup in 2006.

Likewise, the Samurai yielded in 1995 to low sales and mounting lawsuits for its supposed tendency to roll over in accidents. Its replacement, the Suzuki Sidekick and Vitara, soldiered on until Suzuki quit the American car market altogether in 2012. However, the Samurai lives on elsewhere under its original name, the Jimny, and a redesigned version of this cheap and tough little off-roader debuted last year in overseas markets.

We hope Suzuki will find the gumption to return to the U.S. with it. In the meantime, we’ll be returning ourselves to this place, because no matter how many times you come to Utah’s canyon country, the itch is never fully scratched.

1987 Suzuki Samurai

Engine Inline-4, 1324 cc

Power 63 hp @ 6500 rpm

Torque 76 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

Weight 2100 lb

Fuel tank 10.5 gal

Tires 205/70-15

Price when new $6950

Hagerty #2 value $10,000–$14,000

1987 Mitsubishi Montero

Engine Inline-4, 2555 cc

Power 106 hp @ 5000 rpm

Torque 142 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

Weight 3260 lb

Fuel tank 15.9 gal

Tires 225/75-15

Price when new $10,409

Hagerty #2 value $11,500–$15,000

1987 Toyota 4Runner

Engine Inline-4, 2366 cc

Power 116 hp @ 4800 rpm

Torque 140 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm

Weight 3520 lb

Fuel tank 17.1 gal

Tires 225/75-15

Price when new $14,558

Hagerty #2 value $15,000–$20,500

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There’s no doubt Mitsubishi made tough-to-beat turbocharged street machines in the 1990s, but it also sold performance with a dash of pedigree and provenance. That’s where AMG, the performance-enhancing folks from Affalterbach, came into play. Though it tuned Mercedes-Benz’s finest, AMG also was a hired gun for any automaker that would splash the cash. While this Australian-spec 1991 Mitsubishi Galant AMG Type II on Bring a Trailer isn’t the first byproduct of this partnership, it might be the best.

Indeed, the first Mitsu-AMG mashup was the Debonair, a wrong front-wheel-drive, V-6-motivated flagship luxury sedan. A supercharger was a rare Debonair upgrade, but most AMG versions were limited to an exterior appearance package (grille, wheels, body cladding, spoiler) and a custom interior crafted by UK-based Aquascutum. Things got a bit more serious when AMG moved from the flawed flagship to the sixth-generation Galant, which shared many components with the well-regarded Eclipse of the era.

Sadly, this is not the famous 4G603 turbocharged motor found on the Galant VR-4 or Eclipse GS Turbo, but AMG did indeed hammer (sorry) out an extra 25 naturally-aspirated horses for a grand total of 168.

The AMG interior sports wood trim on the shift knob and door panels, while the Galant’s steering wheel gets an AMG-branded horn pad and a leather-wrapped rim. The factory stereo has been replaced with a trio of somewhat-newer, high-line Pioneer Carrozzeria bits: stereo, CD player and dash-mount screen. Which might make make this unique Mitsubishi even cooler …

This Aussie-exported throwback from a better time in Mitsubishi’s history also makes a statement with thinner, non-federalized bumpers. The combination of imported right-hand-drive goodness, AMG tuning, and the growing collectability of 1990s Japanese cars might appeal to more people than you think.

Personally, I have a soft spot for the Galant VR-4 thanks to my days in college, but that was also because of the girl who owned it. No matter. The AMG body kit, thick-spoke wheels, emblems, engine tuning, and interior upgrades are excellent fodder for a new era of performance car collectors. We don’t expect this Mitsubishi to sell for the absurd price of a certain Civic Si, but all you need is two competing Mitsubishi/Diamond Star enthusiasts to make history!

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Mitsubishi is telling dealers in Europe and the UK that the company will exit those regions, according to Automotive Management Online. The withdrawal is part of the Japanese firm’s effort to leave so-called “megamarkets,” where Mitsubishi has struggled to survive, and distill its global footprint to less competitive areas with greater potential for profit. Despite this move, however, it appears that Mitsubishi hasn’t entirely forsaken the U.S. market; in fact, it seems determined to maintain a stateside presence.

Mitsubishi has committed to supporting its vehicles across the pond with repairs and service while allowing its current offerings to remain on sale until they’re no longer compliant with regulations. The strategy falls under the guise of Mitsubishi’s “Selection and Concentration,” a phrase used periodically by the brand to reevaluate where its strongest markets are, which products those markets require, and how the company can best tailor its portfolio to them. “We aim to increase sales in the regions where we can offer our core products,” said Mitsubishi CEO Takao Kato during a recent stockholder meeting. “We will gradually reduce our commitment to megamarkets.”

A major factor in Mitsubishi’s scaling back comes from product overlap with its partners Nissan and Renault; as part of the new plan, Nissan will take North America and China as Renault fills in the gap inside Europe and the UK and Mitsubishi focuses on Asia-Pacific markets.

Despite concerns of Mitsubishi leaving North America entirely, the company announced a refresh of its line-up just last week, with the next-generation Outlander leading the charge in 2021 along with a powertrain update for the PHEV Outlander at the end of this year to increase performance and range. The Eclipse crossover and the Mirage (which has seen steadily increasing sales since its introduction) will also see refreshes in 2021, hopefully to round out Mitsubishi’s continued recovery from its collapse in the mid-2000s (not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic). Today, the brand announced the opening of a new dealership franchise with the Little Rock, Arkansas-based Steve Landers Cowboy Mitsubishi, noting that it is still seeking new slices of the megamarket pie here in the United States. The announcement itself stands out, since most OEMs hardly consider a new dealer partnership to be headline news; in Mitsubishi’s instance, the move does in fact bolster its commitment here in the States.

“Now, more than ever, Mitsubishi Motors is committed to growing our dealer footprint as we prepare for all-new and significantly refreshed Mitsubishi vehicles to begin entering showrooms within the next 12 months,” says Steve Smidlein, director of the U.S.’s central region for Mitsubishi Motors of North America.

With Mitsubishi’s yearly sales finally climbing to pre-2008 economic collapse numbers, we’re hopeful that the brand will be around for years to come even if their leadership is dissatisfied with the rate of growth. Exactly what that looks like a decade or more down the road has yet to be seen as the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance evolves.

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The automotive industry is brutal. Dollar signs drive design decisions every day, and if a product doesn’t continue to satisfy bean counters and board executives, it’s tossed aside regardless of the cult that might follow the nameplate to its grave. 

Today we both celebrate and mourn the loss of several models that were axed before they could be polished or refined to the full extent. Their shortcomings are often those of timing—other times, poor execution of a good concept—but despite quickly failing in bureaucratic viability, these vehicles make their mark on their own tangents of automotive history.

While many of these cars experiences several facelifts and various updates in their time, they never experienced a true successor in the form of a retooled chassis or body with the same nameplate. For one reason or another, their automakers chose instead to move on rather than invest further in the model.

Volkswagen Phaeton (2003–2016)

Some cars emerge from pure cults of personality, and such is the case with Volkswagen’s answer to an unasked question: the Phaeton. The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, Ferdinand Piëch was a masterful technocrat that considerably raised Audi’s profile during the 1980s, before catapulting Volkswagen from the edge of bankruptcy to the top of the automotive industry. While he a hand in the first 911, the Quattro Audis, and the orbit-shifting Bugatti Veyron, the Phaeton will always be his crowning achievement. Even despite its failure to take the market by storm.

The über-sedan had a simple mission: It must easily run 186 mph in 122-degree summer heat while the HVAC wafted 72-degree air into the cabin. Piëch, the chairman of Volkswagen at the time, wanted the Phaeton to bolster VW’s reputation as much as his own personal transportation. The nearly $100,000 “people’s car” had at least 100 patents credited to its development, and it was an absolute fantasy build for VW loyalists. The kind of project in which the pressures of focus groups were replaced with a personal determination rarely seen in modern vehicle development. 

The D1 platform that debuted with the Phaeton would be handed down to the likes of Bentley and also served as the foundation of the W-16 core for Bugatti’s contemporary hyper-cars: the Veyron and Chiron. Each system of the Phaeton would be world-class, from the active suspension to the all-weather 4Motion all-wheel drive and CNC-milled trunk hinges. 

The issue, however, is that people don’t walk to a Volkswagen dealer with the idea of spending six figures. While the Phaeton’s understated styling and blitzkrieg of engineering earned it a cult following, the world just didn’t perceive Volkswagen as a luxury marque. The Phaeton failed to sell like its rivals: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, and even VW Group’s own Audi A8. 

The Phaeton lost its biggest fan inside VW when Piëch left in 2015, which ultimately led to its demise in 2016. In a heated power struggle, Piëch was ousted from VW’s supervisory board in April of 2015. Whether the Phaeton’s demise was due to VW’s more sensible minds discerning a clearly unprofitable project or simply a personal stab at Piëch, we’ll never fully know. 

Dodge Magnum (2005–2008)

We could sum this one up with one word: Hellcat.

Of the four LX-platform cars that FCA has released, the four-year run of wagons from Dodge came with a modest selection of V-6 and V-8 offerings and could be equipped with all-wheel drive. It was the return of the lauded American station wagon, dead since the General Motors B-bodies retired in 1996. 

The brainchild of Daimler executive Dieter Zetsche, the LX platform owed its roots to Mercedes. (The final iteration actually shares very little with the E-Class on which it was based.) The LX platform didn’t simply mark the return of FCA to its roots with full-sized, rear-wheel-drive cars; it marked a resurgence of Mopar performance thanks to the birth of the Generation III Hemi V-8s. While standard Magnums were equipped with a 190-horse V-6, and RT and SRT8 models brought the bacon with 340 hp and 425 hp respectively. Those were mild numbers by today’s standards, but for the mid-’00s, the Magnum was a radical machine.

Maybe a bit too radical. Buyers had already forsaken station wagons for SUVs and CUVs, and being a niche-within-a-niche, a high-performance station wagon had a relatively narrow demographic of buyers. It was the worst-selling variant of the LX cars, notching sales numbers too small to justify its presence in the post-bailout scrutiny. The Magnum would go through a minor refresh for its last model year before closing the hatch on its short legacy in 2008. 

The only sin that the Magnum committed, in our eyes, was not offering a manual transmission. Especially when paired with the rowdy 6.1-liter Hemi, chonky Brembo brakes, and tuned suspension, a manual would’ve perfected this slice of Mopar performance. Alas, the Magnum was never meant to see the renaissance that its fellow LX compatriots would see after the 2011 refresh, with vastly improved interiors and a reign of horsepower begun by the supercharged 707-hp, 6.2-liter Hemi.

Mitsubishi 3000GT/GTO (1990–2000) and Dodge Stealth (1990–1996)

Mitsubishi’s underdog status was less apparent in 1989 when it introduced the GTO, more commonly known in the U.S. market as the 3000GT, at the Tokyo Motor Show. Billed as Mitsubishi’s “new age super four-wheel drive sports car,” the 3000GT rode the wave of Japan’s precariously-booming economy in the late ’80s. The island nation fanned the flames of its own horsepower numbers with a myriad of high-performance “grand tourer” two-doors aimed at highway performance and bleeding edge tech. As such, the twin-turbo, dual-cam V-6-powered answer from Mitsubishi came with four-wheel steering, all-wheel drive (with a 45/55 front/rear torque bias), industry-first switchable exhaust modes, electronically-adjustable dampers, and active front and rear spoilers. 

The 3.0-liter V-6 was the familiar 6G72 found in everything from the 3000GT to the Chrysler New Yorker in varying forms, and in the 3000GT’s top-spec VR-4, made around 280 hp thanks to a pair of turbos—which were independently chilled through a pair of air-to-air coolers in the front bumper. While this would become one of the heavier entrants in the Japanese grand tourer wars, it was possibly the peak of Mitsubishi’s design and engineering accomplishments, boasting technical features decades ahead of their time. Unfortunately, though, this avant-garde tech meant that the cars were difficult to service and brutally complicated, earning a reputation as high-maintenance and cantankerous. Dodge’s cousin coupe, the Stealth, would fall under similar scrutiny even without the VR-4s more notable electronic features, such as the active aero and suspension systems. 

Mitsubishi would revise the 3000GT lineup and eventually phased out some of the trick tech like the active exhaust, aero, and suspension. As was common with the era, pop-up headlamps yielded to composite lamps and stylists amped up the 3000GT’s aggression. 

Sadly, the 3000GT was Mitsubishi’s last halo car, excluding the relatively low-tech Lancer Evolution series. The collapse of the Japanese economy in the early 1990s slowed domestic sales, especially those of expensive coupes like the GTO/3000GT. Worse, Mitsubishi didn’t have the strength that Honda, Mazda, and Toyota carried in the United States. Mitsubishi’s percolating reputation for poor reliability peaked in the early 2000s when the company was forced to admit dozens of major defects spanning back three decades. The disgraced company recalled many of the affected models and collapsed into the shell of a brand that we see today, which has begun to rebrand its CUVs with the tombstones of performance icons like the Eclipse. 

Pontiac Aztek (2000–2005)

Yeah, we went there. Breaking Bad’s Walter White may be the champion of the maligned SUV, but when you wade through the mockery, the Aztek marked a massive departure for Pontiac. GM put a considerable amount of care into the Aztek’s features and ecosystem of options. 

Pontiac billed the Aztek as a “Sport Recreation Vehicle,” reflecting its perception of the needs of Gen X. The company decided younger folks needed a CUV geared more for outdoor use and to fit that bill, equipped the Aztek with features like the removable ice-chest that doubled as the center console. Though the Aztek had some nice touches like rear controls for the stereo and an air compressor, the tent and mattress kit number among the Aztek’s more notorious gimmicks. Its largest downfall, however, was the minivan platform underneath. The Versatrak all-wheel drive was best for wet driveways and failed to garner the go-anywhere reputation shared by Audi and Subaru. When paired with the soulless 3.4-liter pushrod V-6 and four-speed automatic, that all-wheel-drive blessed the Aztek with mediocre acceleration and middling fuel economy.

Sure, it wasn’t the right vehicle for Pontiac in a lot of ways, and it may have sounded the death knell for the once prestigious performance brand; but it was a rare example of out-of-the-box thinking from the traditionally conservative General Motors. Right now, vehicles like the Jeep Renegade succeed where the Aztek floundered, standing in as sensible, capable SUV alternatives. While the execution was rough around the edges, the consideration that Pontiac put into the Aztek’s modular interior would be shared by more successful rivals too, like the Honda Element. Maybe Pontiac was never the right home for the concept, but we’d be curious what a more refined approach to the Aztek’s mission statement would look like in 2020. 

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