RE: SOTW: Mitsubishi Galant GTI 16v

[morgrp]

williamp said:

nottyash said:

williamp said:

BoRED S2upid said:

Anyone care to explain 4 wheel steer. It sounds rediculous, all 4 wheels capable of steering?.

At low (parking speed) the rear wheels turn in opposite direction to the front wheels, aiding parking.
At high speed, they turn with the wheels, helping cornering.

Intersting, but complex, expensive to make and maintain, and the same results can be found with better tyres/suspension of todays cars

Ive had 3 preludes with it and cornering at speed is fantastic.
The rear wheels dont actually move much, but its enough and it works well.
Dont think it caught on because of costs, though I believe the new Laguana has it as an option.
Nissan Skyline GTRs have it, and they know a thing or 2 about cornering.

I'd love to try it out- to see what its like.

Volvo 850's had Delta Link - passive rear steering by use of special bushing in the rear suspension alowing movement - as a result 850's handle better with either 2 frightened passengers in the back or a full tank of fuel!

[DR1665]

Thought I'd offer up a bit of advice on the 4WS found on the 6th gen Galants. Unless Mitsubishi decided to offer multiple versions of their 4WS steering system during the sixth generation of the Galant, this system actually works by having the rear wheels turn in the SAME DIRECTION as the fronts and ONLY at speeds above ~40mph. It does nothing for parking.

Not sure if you guys had many of the Mitsubishi Eclipse AWD over there in the early nineties, but they used a fairly similar rear suspension arrangement with what some people called "active camber," meaning the weight transfer at launch (squat) actually managed to flex specific bushings on the rear suspension to allow for better traction off the line. The rear steering rack on the Galants actually did nothing more than push/pull on these joints to provide a modest 5* or so of steering.

Initially, it can be unnerving. Especially when accelerating through a sweeping on ramp to merge with moving traffic. Cross 40mph while in a corner and the back end *will* feel like it's about to give way for a moment. At 70mph on a dirt road in the Arizona desert, however, it's brilliant. Makes a Scandinavian Flick a bit harder (resistant to spin), but sure is fun either way.

Sorry for the longer first post, but I've got a couple of the VR4s over here in the states, absolutely adore them, and wanted to share the facts. Glad to see the old darlings still getting some press.

Cheers.

[IanMorewood]

Ian_T said:

IanMorewood said:

The driving experience was good for a big car but took some getting used too as the active rear steer was quite novel.

Hmm... my feeling, frankly, is that if you could feel it, then it wasn't working properly. I own a GTO, and that feels no different to any other car I have owned (other than going around corners a damn site faster). Same is said by the other owners I know (a fair few!). The only ones who have mentioned this have turned out to have dodgy rear racks.

OK it could have been knackered then I really dont know.

[danrc]

I prefered the old lancer 16v gti. My dad had two of them but the rot got hold fo them.

A lot of fun.

[lee_erm]

So I take it the four wheel steer on one of those is a completley different thing to say passive rear steer on say a ford focus?

[Ruskie]

My dad had the much rarer version of this car (Hatchback?) Same front with different back. He had it for 10 years and it was a brilliantly reliable family car. He only got rid because it needed a new petrol tank and other bits that out valued the car.

[ferra festiva]

I had an 89 'G' reg in white, black alloys, big rear wing , red rally mud flaps.....boy did it go, for a non turbo it was unburstable and reved freely to the limit...give it a go! Cheep as chips....make sure ABS is OK and 4 wheel steer works, mine didn't work, but to no detriment...£800! can't by a TV for that!..

[cptsideways]

The slowest, fastly badged car I've ever owned

[XB70]

The MX6 turbos also had 4ws on some models.

Did the UK get this shape??

https://cars2.ebay.com.au/mazda-mx6-turbo-4ws_W0QQ...

I had the 2ws version (the 4ws cost a bomb to fix) and was the first and only turbo car that I owned. I look back (10 years) and think what madness made me drive that the way that I did!

[thirsty]

Don't like it. However, if you need a car for a year or less, and don't have much money, I suppose it would be good fun thrashing this one and then trash it.

[crofty1984]

sniff diesel said:

BlueSei said:

Dull, I'd rather walk

Says the man with no car listed in his profile.

Well at a guess he drives a blue fiat 600 (seicento)

I love that its got some real sleeper potenial.

Edited by crofty1984 on Saturday 16th May 09:37

[John Galt]

These Galant GTi's are actually quite sought after in the Evo world for one reason and one reason only: that 6-bolt 4g63 block. The 6-bolt (flywheel bolts) blocks are a stronger design than the later 7-bolts that were fitted to the early Evo's; stronger, in that they don't crankwalk (end float). It's not exactly a straight swap (one mount needs to be modified), but it's not a hard job.

[Whiters]

I've always had a soft spot for that gen' Galant after watching a VR4(?) one of these win the '89 Lombard RAC. Might be stretching the imagination a bit to make the link though.... Some blue Citizen watch sponsorship decals might get him the asking price

[briancorish]

Turbobanana said:

"Mazda MX-6 and Honda Prelude both had it"

Mazda MX-6 with 4WS? Don't remember that, but the 626 did.

My friend has a 2.0 V6 MX-6 (xedos engine I think) and it has 4WS, maybe it was only on the Japanese home market versions?

[799boy]

Not sure if this will work but just found this on you tube - crap music, can't understand Japanese, but track footage shows the 4ws in action..... enjoy!(hopefully..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5PBBgkov1c

[Belfast Boy]

Mike400 said:

Bladedancer said:

SleeperCell said:

Turbobanana said:

"Mazda MX-6 and Honda Prelude both had it"

Mazda MX-6 with 4WS? Don't remember that, but the 626 did.

MX-6 did, it was basically a 2 door 626 anyway.

Wasn't Mx-6 a re-badged Ford Probe? Or was it the other way around...

The probe is more or less an Mx-6, shares the same mechanicals, mazda engines etc.

Was supposed to be the new capri, but totally flopped. Replaced by the cougar which was based on the mondeo, but equally unsuccessful.

Well would you drive something called a Probe??? and the Cougar is woefully FUGLY

[Jenny Tills]

799boy said:

Not sure if this will work but just found this on you tube - crap music, can't understand Japanese, but track footage shows the 4ws in action..... enjoy!(hopefully..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5PBBgkov1c

Lol Sabrina!

The front suspension looks very high on that thing, I can't actually see the rears turning at all?

[Whiters]

XB70 said:

The MX6 turbos also had 4ws on some models.

Did the UK get this shape??

https://cars2.ebay.com.au/mazda-mx6-turbo-4ws_W0QQ...

It was just called the 626 Coupe over here IIRC

[Lextacy]

sniff diesel said:

Got a link to the original advert?

Go to Ebay.co.uk - item no is 150345049007

[RFSA180]

morgrp said:

Not a bad car to be honest - love the guy's honesty about the "chav plates"!

What's this, somebody using the term 'Chav' after a Pistonheads article, never!