A front-engined, all-wheel-drive sports/touring car produced and marketed by Mitsubishi between 1990 and 2000 in three different generations (1990-1993; 1994-1997; 1997-2000). The car served as Mitsubishi’s flagship car during the decade. Magazines of the era praised its strong acceleration and excellent grip.
The 2+2 four-seater in a three-door coupé body was marketed as GTO in Japan and as 3000GT worldwide. In North America it was also sold as the Mitsubishi 3000GT (1991-1999) and the Dodge Stealth (1991-1996), a mechanically identical model. Chrysler was responsible for the Stealth’s exterior styling in the collaboration between Chrysler and Mitsubishi Motors.
The car was powered by a turbocharged V6 petrol engine, initially rated at 300 hp, rising to 320 hp by 1994. It was fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox, but was later available with a six-speed manual transmission. It is equipped with an active aerodynamic system: movable spoilers at the front and rear, and also have four-wheel steering.
The Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 was a very fast car, capable of accelerating to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) in 5 seconds, which was a remarkable achievement in the 1990s. However, its contemporaries performed far better on the racetrack thanks to their lighter construction.
However, the car does not only have some nice features, there are also some characteristics that may explain its relative unpopularity: for example, the cramped engine compartment due to the space requirements of the transversely mounted 3 litre V6 engine. The mounting of this car is extremely time-consuming, even for professional mechanics, and for amateurs it is a nightmare. This reason makes the car less attractive in the used car market.
And there is something else that has further reduced demand for the 3000GT, and that is in its age: between 1991 and 1996, Dodge sold a version of the 3000GT under the Stealth name, and almost as many Dodge models were sold in North America as Mitsubishi (about 65,0000 Stealths were sold, compared to 86,000 3000GTs). Undoubtedly, the presence of a similar-looking, mechanically identical rival took away a part of the 3000GT’s potential market.
The car has a relatively rare hardtop version that can be converted into a convertible, designed and converted from coupe models in California. These were sold as the GT Spyder or VR4 Spyder between 1993-1995. Interestingly, they were the first fully automatic hardtops since the 1959 Ford Skyliner.
This car is actually a supercar of the nineties and has many fans, but unfortunately it is more unpopular than many of its contemporaries. But it would be worth paying more attention to its special qualities, especially for car enthusiasts who are also fans of the nineties.