Monday 6th November 2017

Mitsubishi 3000GT: Spotted

To GTO, or GTFO? That is the question...

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Japanese car manufacturers were very confident during the late eighties and early nineties; not only had they been busy setting up local car plants in the UK, but they were beginning to take on the established European marques by making cars outside their traditional comfort zones. From Honda, we had the NSX. Toyota brought out the Supra. And Mitsubishi gave us this, the 3000GT (or GTO in other markets).

When I say gave, I don't mean literally, since this was one stupidly expensive new car at £35,500 when it came out. By the time this 1998 car arrived, that price had risen to over £42,000. To put that into some form of context, a Porsche 968 was £34,995. Then again, the 968 didn't come with four-wheel steer or four-wheel drive. It didn't have twin turbos to boost its 3.0-litre engine. It didn't even have electronically controlled adaptive dampers, or varying exhaust modes. There was even active aero too. For the nineties, this whole car was a technological marvel.

The Porsche was also lacking in fire power next to the Mitsubishi, with 243hp in the 986 playing to the 'gentlemen's agreement' 286hp in the 3000GT. Many suspect this was a tad conservative considering the Mitsubishi could beat a path to 60mph in 5.8 seconds, despite the excess weight it had to carry around.

And therein lies this cars achilles heel, its heft. Driven within eight-tenths of its potential, the 3000GT felt unflappable and very secure. But, when you tried to explore the outer limits of its capability, that feeling disappeared. The slightly heavy speed-sensitive steering lacked feedback, robbing you of vital information. The car also understeered, no matter what you did with the throttle. Then, with the adjustable dampers set to 'sport', the ride was intolerable on anything less than a freshly rolled bowling green. In stock form, this was not a sports car.

Which is perhaps why so many people modified them, this particular 3000GT being no exception. The engine has been tuned so that it now puts down an indicated 334hp through the wheels; it has a custom exhaust, upgraded brakes and an induction kit. You could go further I am sure, but with so few out there, it might be more worthwhile keeping upgrades subtle and to a minimum in order to protect its longevity and desirability. Clean, cared for cars will always be more appealing than tatty, thrashed ones.

And with that talk of ownership, we're led neatly into a conclusion. The 3000GT isn't the ultimate in driver involvement, but there are other bonuses to ownership of one. Because it is so well equipped, it doesn't feel like some austerity special and could therefore be pressed into more regular service. Being a Japanese car, most of this equipment should still work. And as you drive it, you get to experience one of the the most interesting Mitsubishis in modern history. Sure, the Evos do handle better, but the 3000GT is a bargain semi-supercar, provided you can find a good one. Then there is the cult status that this car enjoys, along with its rarity, which must surely complete the list of ingredients for a future classic. You can be confident of that.

Max Adams

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Mitsubishi 3000GT
Engine: 2,972cc, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: five-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 286@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 300
MPG: 19.9
CO2: Lots
First registered: 1998
Recorded mileage: 145,000 miles
Price new: £42,409 (1995 facelift)
Yours for: £7,950

See the original advert here

[sidesauce]

That's a no from me I'm afraid.

In my mind these cars always looked better than they actually drove and personally I think they've dated horribly.

[Uppercut]

Always in the shadow of the RX-7 and the Supra.

[Gecko1978]

i seem to recall they have multiple ECUs one if which is located in a wheel arch behind a fire wall which is glued in place so can not be reached. In fact they are I recall cheap because the tech was ahead of its time an unreliable.

finally one owner was also Mick Philpot of not working ever and killing all your kids fame...not a car i aspire to own

[j_s14a]

The FD3 RX7 couldnt be more different to a GTO / 3000gt if it tried. Even the FTO is spiritually closer.

The natural competitors of the 3000GT were the Eunos Cosmo, MK4 Supra, Soarer, Z32 300zx, R33 Skyline GTR, and Subaru SVX.

The FD3 was more akin to the SW20 MR2 Turbo, Integra Type R, and even the NSX.

[slipstream 1985]

£8000 you're having a laugh

[ambuletz]

inb4 stage 4 turbo and 930hp from gran turismo 1-3

[TurboHatchback]

Nope. A 90s 'technological marvel' will equate to a complicated and unreliable nightmare today and every report I've ever read suggests they aren't great to drive. They certainly look cool but that's where the appeal ends for me.

[gazzarose]

All I know about the GTO is it was the only car on the original Gran Turismo that could he tuned over 1000hp. It was also one of the first 'quick' cars you could afford to buy so it was the only car you ever really needed!

[cerb4.5lee]

I used to absolutely love these although the reviews at the time weren't overly positive, there is something about them though.

[kambites]

I know someone who has had one for about seven or eight years and I don't think it's proven too ruinous to run. He does his own servicing which probably helps... spark plug replacement is apparently an arse of a job (which I suppose isn't uncommon with transverse V6s) and I think he needed to do something to the transmissions, possibly a clutch replacement, which wasn't easy. Fuel economy is predictably appalling.

[Uppercut]

I don't know why but these always seemed chavvy compared to its competitors.

[kambites]

Uppercut said:

I don't know why but these always seemed chavvy compared to its competitors.

I think this, the Supra and the RX7 all fell into the hands of people who performed both ridiculous power modifications and visual modifications of... dubious taste. They're all relatively restrained as standard.

[Alias218]

I have never seen one of these that has wheels that fill the arches properly, or has an exhaust that looks good.

Never appealed.

[samoht]

Alias218 said:

I have never seen one of these that has wheels that fill the arches properly, or has an exhaust that looks good.

Never appealed.

I hadn't either, until I saw pics of Tavarish's over at Jalopnik:

Finally a GTO that looks good

Having said that, I still wouldn't, as I imagine it's likely to have as many issues as any other turbo car from the nineties, but for a lower return in grins per mile. And they may tune to 930hp in Gran Turismo, but then GT didn't simulate the transfer box casing cracking on a hard launch.

I can kinda see the charm, especially if you find one cheap - but this particular one looks *way* overpriced at £8k, plenty still around for half that.

[cheddar]

I'll fifthly nope this.

Back in '98 The facelift Impreza Turbo was faster, a much better steer and HALF the price

[FourRingedDonuts]

Yes it's over priced, yes it was never as desirable as it's rivals, but I guess you just have to know how to drive it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Tb2Iv1sTw

[ReaperCushions]

145k miles and 8k? Errrrr nope.

That is a 3k car at best in my book.

[Mike335i]

Another one who remembers this from Gran Turismo. I spent many a happy hour tuning one to top 400 kph.

That they weren't the sharpest steer or the nicest looking thing kinda misses the joy of it to me. It is a brutish cruiser.

Having said that, I wouldn't drop £8k on one. Especially not a high miler

[BigGriff540]

Just awful!

An old work colleague had one back in 2002, he used to drive me to work in it from time to time. It creaked and squeaked so badly then there was the wallowing suspension that made you feel like you were on the open sea's! He was so proud of the knacker that he said it was going to give it to his son in ten years time-I'm sure it didn't see the next ten years as during the three years that i knew him it would regularly have electronic issues and stop working.

[J4CKO]

8 grand, just looks like so much potential agro, these always remind me of a Technical Lego Supercar, all the features, 4 wheels steer, 4 wheels drive etc but actually meant not to be all that great, a bit like Hi Tec trainers, better than nothing but what your mum would get you if you werent there to supervise and call them "really jazzy" when you wanted the Nike or Adidas that was say a Skyline or Supra.

In my Gran Turismo days these were, as mentioned the fastest thing you could get but you tuned them up and wished you had spend a bit more on something that went round corners.

At 2 or 3 grand it is a gamble that if it goes wrong, you dont get too burnt, but 8 grand is a bit serious.

A Lady at works boyfriend had one that got nicked and used to do donuts and full bore starts, it sort of looked ok when they found it but the mechanicals were ruined, so he got paid out and bought an R33 GTR,