Chrysler began selling rebadged Mitsubishis in the United States in the 1971 design calendar year, when the initially Mitsubishi Colt Galants appeared as Dodge Colts in this article. This relationship prospered as the 10 years progressed, and the Galant Lambda coupe obtained Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge Challenger badges and went on sale in North The usa for the 1978 design yr. We have viewed a MitsuChallenger in this sequence, and now it truly is time for an illustration of its Plymouth sibling, observed in a Colorado property previous thirty day period.
Many thanks to the ever more fantastic standing of responsible and fuel-economical Japanese machinery in the United States for the duration of the 1970s, the “produced in Japan” plaque turned a offering position for these cars and trucks.
The Sapporo experienced a 1.6-liter straight-four as its base motor, but this vehicle has the optional 2.6-liter Astron. Its 105-horsepower output was pretty really serious things for a little automobile in 1978. Later on, turbocharged Astrons run the legendary Mitsubishi Starions, while normally-aspirated versions went into Chrysler’s K-Vehicles.
The interior athletics tri-tone bucket seats, racy-on the lookout steering wheel, and full gauges.
In the late 1970s through early 1980s, you needed opera lights on your car or truck to be actually classy. The Chrysler Cordoba had them, the Lincoln Continental Town Vehicle experienced them, the Oldsmobile Toronado experienced them, and this Sapporo has them.
AM/FM stereo radios (or any radio, for that subject) and energy distant mirrors were high priced options on most automobiles in 1978.
The 1972 Winter season Olympics took place in Sapporo, Japan, so the identify had some recognition. Mitsubishi didn’t start selling autos underneath its personal badging below until eventually the 1983 model yr, and the Galant (sedan only) failed to arrive on these shores until eventually 1985.
The inside in this one particular acquired quite properly roasted from prolonged-expression outside parking (apparently in Nebraska, if we are to decide by the 2002 license plate I located inside the automobile). These automobiles usually are not worthy of quite considerably even in fantastic ailment, and so I nonetheless uncover several Malaise Era sporty Chryslerbishis through my junkyard travels.
https://www.youtube.com/look at?v=Oxcc4IfjLEM
What a deal!
https://www.youtube.com/look at?v=NaBuDVO3TiM
In the Sapporo’s homeland, the Tv adverts for the Galant Lambda were significantly less about cheapness and a lot more about the glamorous Lambda life style.
https://www.youtube.com/view?v=oUIZiDpVRWg
The opera lights weren’t just for Americans.
https://www.youtube.com/look at?v=bUL8r3JQLv4
The terrific experience in the Galant Lambda brought on passenger hallucinations, apparently.