Mitsubishi Colt

Mitsubishi Colt is a nameplate from Mitsubishi that has been applied to a number of automobiles since 1962. It was first introduced with a series of kei and subcompact cars in the 1960s, and then for the export version of the subcompact Mitsubishi Mirage between 1978 and 2002. Chrysler, Mitsubishi's longtime partner, also used the name when applying its long-running practice of rebadging Mitsubishi vehicles as the Dodge and Plymouth Colt captive imports for the North American market between 1970 and 1994.

The most recent version is a subcompact model manufactured between 2002 and 2012, sold under the Colt name internationally. Mitsubishi replaced this series in 2012 with a new generation which reverted to the Mirage name.

In addition to these small cars, "Colt" in the Mitsubishi vernacular has been used for unrelated vehicles of various forms as discussed below. The name has also been disaffiliated from Mitsubishi as an independent marque in some markets.

Nameplate history

Mitsubishi Colt 600

The Mitsubishi Colt 600 is a five-seat, two-door passenger sedan produced by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, Ltd - one of the companies which would become Mitsubishi Motors. It was rear-engined and rear wheel drive, powered by an air-cooled 594 cc twin-cylinder OHV engine producing 25 PS (18 kW), and debuted in July 1962 as the successor to the company's Mitsubishi 500 Super Deluxe. The 600 was the first Mitsubishi to bear the "Colt" name. Top speed was 100 km/h (62 mph).

A convertible version—the company's first "show car"— was exhibited at the 9th Tokyo Motor Show, but was never offered for public sale. A replica of that car was used to promote the new Mitsubishi Colt cabriolet at the 75th Geneva Motor Show in 2005.

Following the racing success of its predecessor, Mitsubishi entered Colt 600 touring cars in the 1963 Malaysian Grand Prix, where they placed second and third in the under 600 cc class. The following year the Colt 600 managed to take class honors in Malaysia. Production ended in 1965, in favor of the considerably more modern (still two-stroke, but water-cooled) Colt 800 fastback.

Mitsubishi Colt 800

The Mitsubishi Colt 800 is the first of a series of passenger cars produced by Mitsubishi Motors from November 1965. It was introduced as a two-door fastback sedan, the first such design in the Japanese market. The series was discontinued in 1971, after the introduction of the company's Galant sedan but without a real replacement.

Colt 800

The 800 was powered by a three-cylinder two-stroke engine of 843 cc capacity producing 45 PS (33 kW). Equipped with a four-speed manual gearbox and weighing a scant 750 kg, top speed was 120 km/h (75 mph). While it may have looked like a hatchback, the 800 was never available with a rear hatch. However, both a coupe utility version ("ute" in Australia, where many of these were sold) and a wagon ("Van" in Japanese parlance) were marketed. The Van was clearly based on the ute, with a horizontally split rear tailgate and workmanlike interior.

Production of the two-stroke versions ended in 1968, as customers across the world were beginning to steer away from cars with these types of engines and new stricter emissions standards were looming. The similarly sized and-engined Suzuki Fronte 800 was discontinued without replacement around the same time; these were the last Japanese two-strokes bigger than a Kei car. In general, the 700-800 cc class was dying away in Japan at this time, being replaced by 1,000 cc cars.

Mitsubishi Colt 1000

The A20-series Mitsubishi Colt 1000, 1100, 1200, and 1500 is a series of passenger cars produced by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, Ltd, one of the companies which would become Mitsubishi Motors. Built from 1963 until 1970, they were available in four bodystyles (2-dr/4-dr sedan, 2-dr van, and 4-dr wagon) and on two different wheelbases. After a May 1968 facelift, they were marketed as the "New Colt". Along with the smaller, fastback Colts they formed the mainstay of Mitsubishi's passenger car lineup in the 1960s. With the late 1969 introduction of the new Colt Galant, the outmoded Colt-series soon faded away.

Colt 1000

Available as a four-door sedan, with a traditional Panhard layout, the A20 Colt 1000 was powered by a 977 cc engine producing 51 PS (38 kW) at 6,000 rpm. The Colt 1000 was introduced in July 1963. Top speed was 125 km/h (78 mph). Traditional throughout, the Colt 1000 also had a column shifter for its (fully synchronized) four-speed manual transmission. In December 1965, a 3-speed semi-automatic transmission was also added, unfortunately named SCAT (Single Coupling Automatic Transmission). Top speed remained the same. Standard and DeLuxe models were available, for the Van as well as for the sedan.