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By the late Sixties, it had grew to become clear to the fits at Detroit’s Large Three that their firms wanted to start out promoting subcompacts at house or threat dropping giant hunks of market share to the likes of Volkswagen and Toyota. Ford and GM developed the Pinto and Vega, however the a lot smaller Chrysler Company could not afford such an funding. As an alternative, the Chrysler Europe-built Hillman Avenger and Simca 1100 crossed the Atlantic and got Plymouth Cricket and Simca 1204 badges, respectively, whereas ships stuffed with Mitsubishi Colt Galants with Dodge badges headed east out of Japan. These have been Dodge Colts, gross sales of which started right here within the 1971 mannequin yr. The Cricket and 1204 light into well-deserved obscurity, however American car shoppers loved the Hemi-powered Colt. The Plymouth Division ultimately obtained Colts of its own, and that is what we have for at this time’s Junkyard Gem.
The US-market Colt jumped to the front-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Mirage for the 1979 mannequin yr, and that is when North American Plymouth dealerships (which had already been promoting the Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste as the Arrow) obtained their very own Mirages to promote. For 1979 by way of 1982, the Plymouth-badged Colt twin was often called the Champ, after which Chrysler determined that distinction simply confused all people. Then each Dodge and Plymouth (plus, starting in 1989, Eagle) provided near-identical Colts till simply earlier than the 1994 introduction of the Michigan-designed Neon.
1989 was the primary mannequin yr for the extra rounded sixth-generation Colt. By the point this automobile appeared in a showroom, Mitsubishi had been selling Mirages here for six years; this meant that American vehicles customers may select amongst 4 mechanically-identical variations of the identical automobile: the Dodge Colt, the Plymouth Colt, the Eagle Summit, and the Mitsubishi Mirage.
All 4 variations had comparable pricing, so it actually got here all the way down to which badge you appreciated greatest and/or which firm was providing the perfect rebates and financing offers at any given second. The most cost effective 1989 Plymouth Colt three-door hatch listed at $6,678 (about $16,340 in 2022 {dollars}), whereas the Dodge model price… precisely the identical quantity. In the event you insisted on a sedan, nonetheless, you needed to get the Summit or Mirage, as a result of the Colt was out there solely in hatchback kind for 1989.
In the meantime, Chrysler had been promoting the Simca-derived Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon in the USA because the 1978 mannequin yr, with gross sales persevering with all over 1990. A Plymouth shopper in 1989 would have been capable of weigh the pluses and minuses of a brand new Colt versus a new Horizon America, which had two further doorways and an MSRP of simply $5,910 ($14,460 at this time).
The Colt was undeniably a extra trendy and complex design than its Horizon rival, with this 1.5-liter Mitsubishi Orion engine beneath the hood. Nonetheless, the 1.5 made simply 81 horsepower, whereas the Horizon’s Chrysler 2.2 clattered out 93 horses. The Colt obtained 38 freeway miles per gallon with this engine, although, whereas the Horizon managed simply 35. Truly, the ’89 Horizon is beginning to appear like an incredible deal!
This automobile started its life in Oklahoma, which shares a (very quick) border with Colorado. Clinton is barely about 580 freeway miles from this automobile’s ultimate parking spot.
It is an E mannequin, the midgrade trim stage between the bare-bones base mannequin and the hot-rod Colt GT. The MSRP on a 1989 Colt E was $7,503 ($18,355 now), which put its value nicely above that of the most cost effective attainable 1989 Honda Civic ($6,385 for a stripped-down three-door hatch with a four-on-the-floor manual).
Whereas a four-speed guide was certainly normal tools on the most cost effective 1989 Colt, the E and GT got here with a five-on-the-floor at no additional price. You could possibly get a three-speed automated for $499 additional that yr ($1,220 after inflation).
This automobile simply squeaked previous 150,000 miles, throughout its life, which is not so spectacular for a Japanese automobile of its period but in addition should not trigger Mitsubishi Motors any disgrace.
The keys have been nonetheless in it when it reached the junkyard, which means that it was an insurance whole or dealership trade-in.
Since there have been no actual variations between the Dodge and Plymouth Colts in 1989, they typically obtained advertised collectively.
Made in Japan. Priced in America. After all, South Korea was eating everyone’s lunch on US-market car pricing in 1989.
Look, a trunk and A/C at no additional price… at your Mitsubishi dealer.
Your Eagle seller provided the identical sedan with 500 bucks money again. So many selections for a Colt shopper!
Within the Colt’s homeland, this automobile provided English-speaking sports activities followers a New Motoring Wave.