By Srijan Gupta

The sedan that helped in the making of GTO, boasted advanced features, 4WD and more at an affordable price, remains forgotten in 2020.

The 1990s was an era regarded by many, including me as the best one for not only Japanese cars, but also for the Germans who produced masterpieces like the W124 and E36. The Japanese had already proved their worth to the Americans with their economical little Civics and lightweight sports cars like the Fairlady. However, Americans still could not find themselves choosing beyond Lincolns, Caddys and Mercs when it came to luxury. This was set to change when Honda revolutionised the market with their Legend in 1986.

Diamante Station Wagon First generation

Mitsubishi was suddenly overjoyed: their supposedly low-volume new full-size sedan called Diamante fit in the perfect new niche that Legend had created. It surpassed the 1.7 m width limit in Japan – resulting in a heavy tax penalty, as opposed to the Toyota Chaser and Nissan Leopard rivals. Surprisingly, the new tax conditions played in favour of the diamond and it was awarded the car of the year in 1990. The American shore was no different as it quickly caught on with Honda’s success story in 1991 to give a tough fight to the RWD Chaser, FWD Lexus ES and the bulky Lincoln Town Car, which did not compete well with the imports honestly.

Mitsubishi GTO

 

Besides being a decent luxury car that it was supposed to be, the Diamante 25V, 4WD, 30R 4WD and 30R-SE 4WD launched the same year as Lancer Evolution boasted the famous AWD system they inherited from the rally-bred Galant. In fact, the legendary GTO/3000GT redeems its roots to the Diamante! However, you could also opt your sedan or wagon with the front-wheel-drive setup. Not only that, the innovative car utilized the world’s first autonomous cruise control system, an advanced electronic traction control system, electronically controlled independent McPherson strut suspensions at the front and multilink at the rear, and four-wheel steering. All of this heavily improved the heavy car’s handling. Meanwhile, the 3.0 6G72 V6 engine put out 207 bhp and 270 Nm for a 0-100 km/h time of 8.7 s. Coming from the owner of New Zealand’s only 30R-SE 4WD, @dorifutography, the performance is pretty impressive and fun. Sadly though, the 4WD variants were available only with the 4-speed automatic and not the 5-speed manual transmission. The practicality was uncompromised with the 4,830 and 4,886 mm lengths for the sedan and wagon respectively with a heavy emphasis on boot space.

Mitsubishi Diamante sedan second generation

The second generation came into existence in 1995 and had an even better modern design. The 4WD system was eliminated from the American models but the Aussies retained it. The Japanese models came with a more advanced TCS, satellite navigation, heads up display, a lane-keeping system and the world’s first five-speed automatic transmission in a transverse-engined drivetrain. The more interesting bit of this generation, however, was the VR-X trim. It utilized a stiffer suspension setup, 16-inch alloy wheels, electronic leather seats, other interior bits and special wheel arches that gave it a much muscular sporty appeal. The American models’ 3.5 V6 was tuned for 210 bhp (as opposed to the regular 205 bhp).

Mitsubishi Magna VR-X, a closely related Australian variant

DIAMANTE HAS A CERTAIN CHARM TO IT, WITH WHICH, IT HAS GROWN ON ME.

 

As of 2020, this car remains pretty forgotten as it one and a half decades have passed since its discontinuation. However, the mere fact that this car was a stepping stone for Mitsubishi in making the GTO is a big thing. Moreover, looking in retrospect, Diamante looks so typically 90s that I give it extra points for that.

Mitsubishi Diamante third generation

 

If you still wish to buy one, you can easily find even the VR-X for over $1,500, which is the same price you start getting Toyota Avalons, Honda/Acura Legends, Mercedes-Benz E-Class W210, S-Class W140, W220, BMW 7-Series E39, E65, Lexus ES, LS, Infiniti Q45 etc. If you ask me, it is not that bad a deal, considering you would get yourself a rare decent luxury car with average performance that could perhaps prove more reliable than the German Audi, BMW and Mercedes limos. Of course, the Acura, Lexus, Infiniti and Toyota are also reliable luxury cars that you could consider, but to me, Diamante has a certain charm to it, with which, it has grown on me.

– Srijan Gupta

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