Rate It: Was This Rare Mitsubishi Galant the Only Japanese Car To Be Tuned by AMG?

Colin
By Colin Wood
Dec 4, 2020 | Mitsubishi, Galant, AMG, Rate It

Even though Mercedes-Benz and AMG are known to go together like the entire GRM staff and a cheap Chinese buffet, that wasn’t always the case. Before being acquired by Daimler-Chrysler AG in 1999, AMG was, essentially, a German tuning house whose performance expertise could be hired.

One company to take advantage of AMG’s freelance years was Mitsubishi, with the Japanese car maker choosing its Galant sedan as the base for its specially tuned model. However, instead of using the all-wheel-drive, 237-horsepower VR-4, Mitsubishi picked the front-wheel-drive, 140-horsepower GTi-16V model.

Sold as the Mitsubishi Galant AMG, it’s said that only 500 were built. AMG gave the Galant more than just aesthetic upgrades, as the car also received a power bump to 168 horsepower, with a five-speed manual handling the gear changes.

Is the Mitsubishi Galant AMG a unique footnote in the history of both Mitsubishi and AMG, or is it best that it was the only Japanese car to be tuned by German tuning house?

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Comments
MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt UltimaDork
12/3/20 11:38 a.m.

It certainly looks like what you would expect an AMG-tuned Gallant to look like, and the numbers were kind of respectable for 1989. Not as great as the Gallant VR4, but better than the Lancer O-Z Ralley.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/3/20 11:39 a.m.
MadScientistMatt said:

It certainly looks like what you would expect an AMG-tuned Gallant to look like, and the numbers were kind of respectable for 1989. Not as great as the Gallant VR4, but better than the Lancer O-Z Ralley.

There is something very German about it. You're right. 

NickD
NickD UltimaDork
12/3/20 11:51 a.m.

Uhhh, not the only car. There was also an AMG-tuned version of the Mitsubishi Debonair

John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
12/3/20 12:50 p.m.

Wow, that's quite the De-boner. no

bluej (Forum Supporter)
bluej (Forum Supporter) UberDork
12/3/20 12:52 p.m.
NickD said:

Uhhh, not the only car. There was also an AMG-tuned version of the Mitsubishi Debonair

This what I'd expect a yakuza mini-boss to drive at the time.

matthewmcl (Forum Supporter)
matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) HalfDork
12/3/20 12:58 p.m.

Interesting that they both use the same wheel.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/3/20 1:29 p.m.
matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) said:

Interesting that they both use the same wheel.

But didn't produce rights and lefts. 

dxman92
dxman92 Dork
12/5/20 10:22 a.m.

Looks like something the Japanese police would drive as well.

yupididit
yupididit PowerDork
12/5/20 6:54 p.m.
matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) said:

Interesting that they both use the same wheel.

I had those AMG sawblade wheels on my 91 Galant vr4. The AMG mitsu's actually could be had with a choice of two wheels. Think they're called AMG type-1 and AMG type-2 wheels. The other set was similar to the typical AMG wheel you'd find in the 90's but unique. 

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter)
Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/7/20 11:14 a.m.

An AMG MisterBitchy. Wow, I had no idea.  

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