What Happened to the Mitsubishi Galant VR4?

There’s a lot of things to love about the ‘90s, and the Galant VR4 is one of them. A wildly successful rally car, why did this Mitsubishi sedan ultimately fall flat?
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The award-winning racing car from
Mitsubishi
turned street legal before its production was cut short in 2002. Known for being practical and sporty, the VR4 dominated the racing scene in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. 
The car was ultimately succeeded by the Lancer Evo.
Jerry
, the
car ownership super app
, investigates why the Mitsubishi Galant VR4 was outclassed by its competitors.

Galant VR4: not your ordinary sedan 

The Mitsubishi Galant VR4 was the sportiest of the Gallant series and started out as a rally car. The auto features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. 
According to
HotCars
, “Mitsubishi more or less registered the Galant VR4 in order to make it eligible for international racing competition, though it could also perform as a four-door midsize sedan.”
In just a few years, the car won awards at several different races. In the late ‘80s, Mitsubishi introduced the sixth version of the Galant, a sedan that offered four-wheel drive and four-wheel steer.
Looks like the upgrades paid off, as the auto won the 1988 RAC Rally. The sedan also won the 1989 RAC Rally and 1000 Lakes Rally, and the 1991 Swedish Rally. 
In 1992, a bigger air intake for the front spoiler and a different rear spoiler was added. In an attempt to preserve the VR4’s rally life, Mitsubishi made the racer too long to be successful. At least the brand was still winning rallies with its other gas and hybrid-powered vehicles. 
MORE: A Child of the ‘90s: The 1990 Mitsubishi Galant GSX
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Let’s talk about 1996

In 1996, the final version of the Galant VR4 hit the market with a 15% power increase, thanks to its new 2.5-liter engine. The model had a top speed of 150 mph and could accelerate to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.
Unfortunately, the VR4 no longer satisfied new engine displacement size requirements in Japan. Japanese owners would also be subject to extra annual tax requirements for owning a VR4. Poor sales, economic issues, and unfulfilled quotas ultimately led to the VR4’s demise. 
“The transmission could either be a five-speed manual transmission or an INVECS-II, which was now an advanced self-learning five-speed automatic transmission derived from earlier Porsche technology,” HotCars tells us. The outdated five-door hatch was replaced by a station wagon format, but wasn’t for sale in Europe or North America—and no one knows why. 
Interestingly, the VR4 garnered a cult following and was imported overseas to places like the UK or New Zealand. But ultimately, the car was too expensive for the little overall consumer interest. 
The VR4’s early version 2.0-liter 4G63T engine was incorporated into the successful Lancer Evo, which would carry on the iconic car’s legacy for another 13 years. Eventually, the Lancer was able to produce 237 hp with a top speed of 130 mph. Reaching 60 mph took about 7 seconds. 
The Lancer Evo also adopted four-wheel steering, four-wheel independent suspension, and Dynamic Electronic Controlled Suspension. Delightfully composed, the responsive and agile sedan could thrash the B-roads like nobody’s business. 

Why we love it

A lightweight and peppy build. A solid
all-wheel drive platform
. A balanced midsized chassis. What’s not to love about this rough and tumble rally machine?
Let’s not forget that this gem delivered lots of horsepower and torque from one mighty engine from day one. The VR4 sported a compact 2.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine paired with an all-wheel drive and comfy chassis. 
Drivers received standard features like door locks, folding mirrors, power windows, and a keyless fob. The 1994 engine pumps out 237 hp while idling quieter than most buyers would expect. This put the Galant VR4 on par with other Mitsubishi’s from the ‘90s. 
The transmission incorporates a long third gear and smoothing shifts between the others. And in 6.5 seconds, the speedster can reach 60 mph.
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