FAST

FACTS

The Starion is a turbocharged RWD performance hatchback designed to compete with the Nissan Z, Toyota Supra, and Mazda RX7. It was also one of the first cars to wear the “Mitsubishi” badge in the States when the company entered the U.S market in 1982
The ESI-R (shown here) was the top of the line model (the “R” stood for “Rally”). The rally-inspired widebody flares are required to house the 16″ aluminum wheels
The Starion’s turbo engine (4G54) was one of the largest 4 cylinders in production, displacing a substantial 2.6 liters. With an under-square design (stroke larger than bore) the Starion produced more torque than hp, and it made peak torque at a mere 2500 RPM – quite unique from a Japanese four-cylinder
Mitsubishi could not have entered the U.S without the help of Chrysler, who in turn wanted a performance compact car of their own to compete with the increasingly popular “hot hatch” market. This partnership spawned the Mitsubishi Starion and Chrysler Conquest twins, which were the precursors to the Mitsubishi 3000GT/Dodge Stealth
Since Chrysler had an established footprint in the U.S, the Conquest outsold the Starion by a staggering number – over 3 times as many between 1987-1989. However, while the Conquest stole the spotlight, it was the Starion that was out getting its hands dirty in motorsport
Mitsubishi needed to participate in American racing to make a name for itself in the States, and that’s where the Starion played a crucial role. While the Lancer and Galant were busy with international rallying, the Starion was earning its stripes in SCCA endurance road racing
It won several championships, which helped establish Mitsubishi as a formidable competitor in U.S motorsport. In the end, the Conquest was the poster boy bringing in the money, while the Starion was the stunt double on the race track. In fact, with the exception of safety equipment, the Starion road car was nearly identical to the race car competing in SCCA
The Starion’s RWD platform was quite versatile and was modified to accept an AWD system for Group B rallying. Unfortunately, Group B was canceled before it could compete. Regardless, the RWD platform proved to be so capable in racing that Mitsubishi planned to keep it for the Starion’s replacement: the 3000GT halo sports car, which was to be fitted with the same AWD system developed for Group B
However, keeping the RWD platform didn’t sit well with Chrysler, who was still involved and would receive their own version of the car (the Stealth). An AWD twin-turbo sports car based on an expensive RWD platform would be too pricey for the American public, and Chrysler quickly rejected the idea. Instead, they insisted Mitsubishi use the cheaper front-wheel drive Eclipse platform, which would allow both companies to produce an affordable FWD base model (the volume seller). This meant the Starion went down as the last RWD car Mitsubishi would ever make

Key Model Year Changes:

While production of the Starion began back in 1983, the sought-after widebody variant (shown here) didn’t arrive until mid/late 1985. Enthusiasts consider 1986-1989 as the “widebody” years. These were offered as an “ESI” or more expensive “ESI-R”, and they were the first models to receive an intercooler, as well as the larger 5-spoke aluminum wheels
1987: First year of the motorized passive shoulder belts
The most significant changes occurred in 1988 (pictured), when power output rose from 176hp to 188hp – the highest output during its 7 year production run
’88 models also received enhanced aero in the form of a revised front air dam, updated rear spoiler, and smoother underbody
1988 is the first year of the more aggressive sport seats
1988 and 1989 are the only years that were offered with the available Sport Handling Package (adjustable struts, wider wheels, increased skidpad grip from 0.80 g to 0.85)

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