The Mitsubishi Diamante Story (Half IV)
Final time on our Diamante protection, we discovered concerning the near-luxury sedan’s considerably delayed introduction to America. Within the two-year translation from a Japanese market automotive to an American one, Diamante misplaced nearly all of its attention-grabbing and superior tech options and adopted a less expensive suspension design. Right now we’ll discover out what occurred when Mitsubishi pitched the brand new and de-contented Diamante towards the Lexus ES 300.
Within the U.S., Diamante was provided within the acquainted ES and LS trims for 1997. Base value of the ES trim was $26,370 ($47,024 adj.), and stepped to $30,460 ($54,317 adj.) for the LS. However the Diamante was now not a money-saving gadget over its direct competitors. Mitsubishi felt the Diamante competed equally with the ES 300, so it priced it the identical. In 1997, the ES 300 was out there in just one trim, at $30,395 ($54,202 adj.). Whereas we’re on the topic, Mitsubishi selected to not benchmark the Diamante’s dimension towards the ES because it had with the Legend: Diamante was about 4 inches longer than the ES and had two inches over it on wheelbase size.
Mitsubishi fiddled with the Diamante over its first couple of mannequin years and added an ABS system and keyless entry as customary on each ES and LS trims in 1998. There was no sunroof for 1997, although one appeared as customary gear on LS in 1998. Was that an oversight for a premium midsize automotive? Barely. Sluggish gross sales triggered Mitsubishi to vary technique for 1999 when it provided the Diamante in a singular no-name trim. Primarily based upon its value of $27,669 ($47,779 adj.), it was merely an unmarked ES. ES and LS trims returned in 2000, accompanied by a slight remodeling of trim packages on the LS. The ES was the identical base mannequin it had been earlier than however had a pleasant new customary CD participant.
At this level, we should always discuss a bit about gross sales. The primary Diamante was a gradual vendor, however Mitsubishi moved 22,112 and 25,267 in 1993 and 1994, respectively. By 1995 the previous mannequin was on its manner out, and gross sales fell to only 2,718 in its fleet 12 months of 1996. For 1997, the brand new Diamante breathed little life into the mannequin’s gross sales prospects, as 11,402 offered. Sadly, that 12 months was one of many excessive factors for the second Diamante, as gross sales in 1998 had been 8,563, 9,921 offered in 1999, and 9,219 in 2000.
It was time for a refresh for the ’02 mannequin 12 months to attempt to increase gross sales, and the Diamante obtained a brand new entrance and rear clip. On the entrance, the previously cohesive grille was break up into two components by a brand new nostril extension, the place the steel of the hood prolonged in a degree right down to the bumper.
The rear finish was additionally revised, with smaller and extra formal European look (suppose Volvo S80) back lights. Stated lamps weren’t absolutely faraway from the styling of the prior lamps, however slightly went with out the lens portion that previously prolonged onto the trunk. There was a brand new, bigger chrome seize deal with for the trunk that prolonged round new, bigger reverse lamps. The license plate was festooned and highlighted on the revised Diamante, in a rear-end visible that was a bit overworked.
2002 additionally introduced with it a brand new trim, the now-forgotten VR-X. Principally a sports activities look bundle, the VR-X used a barely extra highly effective model of the three.5-liter V6. A formidable 210 horsepower had been out there on VR-X, as an alternative of 205 within the different trims.
The VR-X featured a extra aggressive wheel design, black door handles, and an elective rear spoiler that was actually too huge. The VR-X was positioned in the course of the lineup, and requested $27,557 ($44,146 adj.) when the ES was $26,247 ($42,047 adj.) and the LS was $29,007 ($46,469 adj.). Price noting right here, the ask in 2002 for the unpopular Diamante was over 15 % lower than it was on the 1997 introduction.
The VR-X was edited barely in 2003 and featured extra distinguishing trim like a black grille in mesh as an alternative of slats, extra aggressive decrease physique cladding, and fender flares. There have been additionally new sport design seats, however they had been coated in fabric whereas the rear seat was leather-based (what?).
The replace appeared to draw new consumers to Diamante, as gross sales elevated in 2001 to 17,227. They shortly dropped off once more in 2002, to 14,352. It was downhill from there, as US prospects proved they actually weren’t within the Diamante. However that meant it was time for an additional refresh, proper?
That’s proper, Diamante was modified once more in 2004. In what could be its closing edit and the ultimate 12 months for the mannequin, the Diamante adopted a entrance look that was similar to the Lancer. Now why an organization would need their costliest premium sedan to look similar to their most cost-effective sedan providing is vexing, however that’s what they did. There was a brand new entrance bumper, new grille, very totally different headlamps, and a brand new hood.
Any sense of dignity the Diamante had in 2003 was erased in 2004, as the brand new sedan appeared like a shocked Pokémon. The grille grew to become upswept and extra aggressive and was separated by a Diamond Star brand that was bigger than ever. Headlamps had been monumental and prolonged again into the fender in a (new technology) Lexus ES kind of manner. The decrease valance was grinning as a lot because the grille and headlamps and featured newly reintegrated fog lamps. Although the entrance finish was a drastic departure from earlier than, the rear was not modified, save for the swap of chrome trim for body-colored bits.
Adjustments on the inside included a unique dashboard and middle console space, and revised fake wooden trim. There have been additionally new paint colours out there, and the too-big spoiler on the VR-X was customary as an alternative of an elective further. It appeared like Mitsubishi deliberate to maintain the hodgepodge and combined look Diamante round for some time.
Nonetheless, the extremely incongruous, cheapo effort didn’t work. No person needed a mid-Nineties automotive design primarily based in 1987 as a premium automotive within the mid-2000s. Gross sales tumbled in 2004 to only 4,379 examples. Mitsubishi canceled the American Diamante that 12 months, although a couple of examples lingered on at sellers by way of 2005. One-hundred and sixty extra had been offered that 12 months.
The 2004 Diamante is actually a Uncommon Experience in itself, however an in any other case forgettable try to decorate up an previous automotive as midsize near-luxury. No person missed the second Diamante, and no one who purchased a Lexus ES actually thought of it as aggressive. In Japan, the Diamante continued in its unique 1995 format by way of 2005 with no visible refreshes. An eternity for a automotive to promote with none updates, Diamante of Japan was then canceled.
Diamante’s cancellation in Japan coincided with the cancellation of the Galant in that market, too. Galant carried on as the biggest sedan Mitsubishi offered in North America by way of its finish in 2012, as Mitsubishi’s lineup on this continent dwindled to a handful of fashions. So lengthy, Diamante.
[Images: Mitsubishi]
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