History of GTO

For the 1970?75 GTO, see Mitsubishi Galant GTO.
The Mitsubishi GTO is the name of two different sports cars built by Mitsubishi Motors, both of which were rebadged for many export markets. The first, sold from 1970, was a two-door hardtop coupé with contemporary American muscle car styling, straight-4 engines and rear wheel drive. After production ceased, the GTO (Grand Turismo Omologato) name lay dormant for fifteen years until Mitsubishi resurrected it for their new flagship sports grand tourer, although in most export markets it was rebadged as a Mitsubishi 3000GT. It was also sold by Chrysler in North America as a Dodge Stealth captive import from 1991 to 1996 with only minor detail/appearance differences.

Following the successful showing of the Mitsubishi HSX concept car at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show,[1] Mitsubishi developed the new GTO as a technically advanced sports coupe to compete with the Mazda RX-7, Nissan 300ZX and Toyota Supra. They resurrected the GTO name, and the car went on to serve as Mitsubishi?s flagship for the remainder of the decade. However, despite the cachet of the badge at home, it was known as the Mitsubishi 3000GT outside Japan; the company was concerned that connoisseurs would object to the evocative nameplate from the highly regarded Ferrari 250 GTO and Pontiac GTO being used on a Japanese vehicle. However, regardless of its badge or eventual target market, every car was built on the same production line at Mitsubishi's plant in Nagoya, Japan.[2]

A Dodge Stealth was initially to be used as a pace car for the 1991 Indianapolis 500 race. The United Auto Workers (UAW), however, did not like the idea of a Japanese-manufactured car being a pace car for the race, and a prototype Dodge Viper was substituted.

 

Dodge STEALTH 316

 

The first generation incorporated many of Mitsubishi's contemporary performance-enhancing technologies, such as full time all wheel drive, four wheel steering, active aerodynamics featuring automatically-adjusting front and rear spoilers, a tuneable exhaust and electronically controlled suspension (ECS). Visually, the cars featured pop-up headlights and noticeable "caps" on the hood to accommodate the ECS controllers at the top of the strut turrets. The European version, which was only available as the top-spec twin-turbo version, was also equipped with headlight washers and higher-spec TD04-13g turbos instead of the TD04-9b turbos.


[edit] Model specifications
Dodge Stealth (USA, Canada)


Engine: SOHC 12v V6
Compression: 8.9:1
Peak power: 119 kW (161 PS) at 5500 rpm
Peak torque: 250 N·m (185 ft·lbf) at 4000 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT, 3000GT SL (USA); Mitsubishi GTO; Dodge Stealth ES, Stealth R/T (USA, Canada)


Engine: DOHC 24v V6
Compression: 10.0:1
Peak power: 163 kW (222 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 272 N·m (201 ft·lbf) at 4500 rpm
Mitsubishi GTO twin turbo, GTO MR


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 206 kW (280 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 427 N·m (315 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, Dodge Stealth R/T twin-turbo (USA, Canada)


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 221 kW (300 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 415 N·m (307 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm
:teeth:

 

1994?1996

1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4Second generation models are identified by a revised front bumper to accommodate projector beam headlights and small, round fog lights. Bigger wheel/tire combinations were offered, and the caps on the hood were eliminated, and the side air vents (which are actually functional for cooling the rear brakes) and rear bumpers were modified. The interior was redesigned with dual air bags and revised air conditioning refrigerant. The engines in all models received a slight boost in torque. To complement this, the VR-4 now included a 6-speed Getrag transmission.

As the price of the cars increased, many of the "gadgets" on the car were discontinued. The tuneable exhaust was phased out as early as 1994, the ECS disappeared in 1995, and the active aerodynamics in 1996. Finally, Chrysler ceased sales of the Dodge Stealth captive import, and for the remainder of its life only Mitsubishi-badged versions were available.

In 1995 and 1996, special edition hardtop convertible models of the 3000GT SL and VR-4 were sold in the USA. Customized by ASC in California, these cars had retractable hardtops which could be opened or closed at the touch of a button. It was the first of its kind in America since the 1957?59 Ford Skyliner, and although it was abandoned after two years because of slow sales (1618 units), it presaged a market which would eventually mature the following year with the Mercedes SLK.


[edit] Model specifications
Dodge Stealth (USA, Canada)


Engine: SOHC 12v V6
Compression: 8.9:1
Peak power: 119 kW (161 PS) at 5500 rpm
Peak torque: 250 N·m (185 ft·lbf) at 4000 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT, 3000GT SL, 3000GT SL Spyder (USA); Mitsubishi GTO; Stealth R/T (USA, Canada)


Engine: DOHC 24v V6
Compression: 10.0:1
Peak power: 165 kW (225 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 277 N·m (205 ft·lbf) at 4500 rpm
Mitsubishi GTO twin turbo, GTO MR


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 206 kW (280 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 427 N·m (315 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, 3000GT VR-4 Spyder; Dodge Stealth R/T twin-turbo (USA, Canada)


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 239 kW (320 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 427 N·m (315 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm

 

[edit] 1997?2001
The SOHC 12v engine, previously only available in the base model Stealth, was added to the Mitsubishi range after the Dodge version was discontinued. Slower sales in the American sports car market led to a planned facelift for 1997 being abandoned in favor of minor cosmetic adjustments. The car then soldiered on until 1999 until imports were discontinued. Production for the domestic market finally ceased in 2000, with the last two cars sold the following year.[4]


[edit] Model specifications
Mitsubishi 3000GT (USA)


Engine: SOHC 12v V6
Compression: 8.9:1
Peak power: 119 kW (161 PS) at 5500 rpm
Peak torque: 250 N·m (185 ft·lbf) at 4000 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT SL (USA); Mitsubishi GTO


Engine: DOHC 24v V6
Compression: 10.0:1
Peak power: 165 kW (225 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 277 N·m (205 ft·lbf) at 4500 rpm
Mitsubishi GTO twin turbo


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 206 kW (280 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 427 N·m (315 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, 3000GT VR-4 Spyder


Engine: DOHC 24v V6 twin turbo
Compression: 8.0:1
Peak power: 221 kW (320 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque: 427 N·m (315 ft·lbf) at 2500 rpm

 

History from JAPAN
Built in Nagoya, Japan by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, the 3000GT is known in Japan and abroad as the Mitsubishi GTO. It's twin brother, the Dodge Stealth is identical in every aspect except for its exterior styling and available options. The Mitsubishi 3000GT is not available in Canada but is available in the United States and abroad.

The Mitsubishi 3000GT was first made publicly available in 1991 and featured three trim levels; the base model, SL and VR-4. Although the base and SL models are very similar, the SL includes more standard features and available options. The VR-4, on the other hand, has standard options which are not available in the other models.

In later years, Mitsubishi decided to go after the convertible car market and created the 3000GT Spyder. The Spyder is a convertible with a unique computer controlled retractable hardtop like roof. It is available in the familiar SL and VR-4 trim levels but is not available in the base configuration.