Mitsubishi Diamante History

Mitsubishi Diamante

The Mitsubishi Diamante was first introduced to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1989, and went on sale in Japan in May 1990. It replaced the 1983 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma, a wider version of which was being manufactured and sold in Australia (the 1987 Galant was downsized, thus leaving a gap in the product range for the Diamante).

There have been rumors that the Diamante was either not intended for a Japanese launch, or it might have been planned as a low-volume model. The reason for this argument is that until 1989, the width of vehicles was a vital indication of taxation class. The Diamante, being wider than the 1700mm break, would've suffered a large tax penalty against most of its rivals, which were designed to be just under 1700mm wide. At the time, Mitsubishi's image was also considered less than ideal for the marketing of a luxury car -- its most expensive offering that the time, the Debonair, was largely seen as a company car project for Mitsubishi conglomerate executives.

However, the tax situation had changed in 1989, and the Diamante became the surprise hit of 1990. Amidst Japan's bubble economy, many private car owners sought an executive car in a market that had very few new offerings that year.

The Japanese market Diamante was a four-door hardtop with no window sashes. Five months after the Diamante's launch, Mitsubishi also introduced the Sigma, which is different from the Diamante in a slightly taller roofline, side window graphics, window sashes, and front/rear treatment.

In Japan the Diamante/Sigma were available with 3 V6 engines (2, 2.5 and 3-liter) of the 6G7 family; all-wheel-drive was available on most models. Perhaps contrary to its overseas image, Mitsubishi at the time fully emphasized the use of electronic gadgets in its cars, and the Diamante is notable for a long list of such features.

In Australia, the four-cylinder models were usually marketed as the Mitsubishi Magna, though from 1993, there were six-cylinder Magnas also. Plusher six-cylinder models were called the Verada. New Zealand versions of the sedan originally carried the Mitsubishi V3000 badge, before the Diamante name appeared with the new generation after 1996. Magna station wagons had been sold there since the 1980s; like that car, a station wagon based on the Diamante/Sigma was exported back into Japan.

2nd Generation

The second iteration of the Diamante was introduced in Japan in January 1995. The car was marginally larger with improved headroom.

Several engines were available. The base engine was a 2.5-liter MVV (lean burn) V6, followed by a number of 2.5- and 3-liter variants. The new Diamante range topped off with a 3-liter, 270-horsepower MIVEC V6.

The gadget trend continued with the new Diamante, including a distance/lane-keeping system that tracks lanes and the car ahead using a set of radar and camera (this was first introduced on the 1992 Debonair). Satellite navigation featured prominently on the center console, and for the first time, a 5-speed automatic gearbox was installed in a transverse drivetrain, complete with the Tiptronic-style INVECS-II technology.

The Sigma model was eliminated and not renewed for a second generation, due to poor sales in Japan; most Sigmas sold became taxis and patrol cars.

For Australian market, the new Diamante debuted in 1997. The 1997 Diamante went into production in Adelaide, Australia. The very first 1997 Diamante rolled off the assembly line on July 1, 1996.

In the latter years of its life, the Diamante range was reduced to a single engine offering in Japan, first a 3-liter [] V6, and then a conventional 2.5-liter.

Third generation

The exterior was refreshed for 2003, and proved to be the short-lived, last generation Diamante. Mitsubishi ceased to import the Diamante to North America after 2004 due to a decline in sales. In Canada, only the third-generation Diamante was sold.

On June 15, 2005, Mitsubishi announced it will halt production on larger sedans within Japan by December, including the Diamante and the 1996 Galant.