Only 26 Still On the Road: The Mitsubishi Starion

Classic & Sports Car recently announced the rather depressing news that just 26 Starions remain on the road in the UK. They were one of the most desirable sports coupes of their generation and possessed a distinctive style that set them apart. Today, surviving examples are assured of attention at virtually any gathering.

However, many readers will recall that in the early 1980s, there was still residual prejudice against Japanese cars. 38 years ago, Car praised the Starion’s ‘terrific engine’ and ‘strong roadholding’, plus its seats and equipment levels. However, the test concluded that despite a list of ‘long and impressive’ assets, it was hard to reconcile such a typically Japanese package with a £12,000 price tag’.

Mitsubishi unveiled the Starion in 1982. It featured an RWD layout with Macpherson struts fore and aft. There was also an exceptionally well-appointed interior with the strange detail of seatbelts attached to the doors. The domestic rivals for the Starion – its name derives from ‘Star of Orion’ – included the Nissan 300ZX, the Toyota Supra and the Mazda RX-7. The USA was a significant export market for Mitsubishi where the Starion competed in the ‘Affordable GT’ market sector.

Across the Atlantic, Colt GB had been a presence for the past eight years, but the Starion represented a new sales territory. Dealers could highlight its ultra-1980s sleek profile and the extensive equipment list. This, according to the brochure at least, was a car ‘to take you breathlessly into the future’ – i.e. it looked more up-to-the-minute than the Ford Capri Injection or the Opel Manta GT/E.

British imports commenced in the spring of 1982, and for £11,799, you gained a coupe with a drag coefficient of 0.35. The two-litre SOHC fuel-injected turbocharged engine was capable of 0-60 in just under eight seconds and 137 mph. The later models featured an Air to Air Intercooler, which raised the power output to 177bhp.

Colt GB now had a car to offer the affluent motorist who might have considered an Alfa Romeo GTV - or a certain German marque. Alan Henry wrote in Motor Sport:

The Starion might be quite successful at wooing potential Porsche 924 customers, who were ready to be swayed by an interesting alternative option. But I would be surprised if anybody introduced to the Porsche 944 chose the Starion instead of the German product. Nonetheless, this Japanese coupé has a very definite appeal to the enthusiastic driver, exuding as it does a distinct character of its own.

But some discerning buyers did opt for the Mitsubishi, namely those who appreciated its quite formidable performance. The final incarnation of the Starion left the factory in 1989, and today they are sought after for the very reasons that caused traditionalists to spurn them. In other words, they are indeed a typically Japanese package.

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