The AMG-Mitsubishi mashup you never knew you needed

There’s no doubt Mitsubishi made tough-to-beat turbocharged street machines in the 1990s, but it also sold performance with a dash of pedigree and provenance. That’s where AMG, the performance-enhancing folks from Affalterbach, came into play. Though it tuned Mercedes-Benz’s finest, AMG also was a hired gun for any automaker that would splash the cash. While this Australian-spec 1991 Mitsubishi Galant AMG Type II on Bring a Trailer isn’t the first byproduct of this partnership, it might be the best.

Indeed, the first Mitsu-AMG mashup was the Debonair, a wrong front-wheel-drive, V-6-motivated flagship luxury sedan. A supercharger was a rare Debonair upgrade, but most AMG versions were limited to an exterior appearance package (grille, wheels, body cladding, spoiler) and a custom interior crafted by UK-based Aquascutum. Things got a bit more serious when AMG moved from the flawed flagship to the sixth-generation Galant, which shared many components with the well-regarded Eclipse of the era.

Sadly, this is not the famous 4G603 turbocharged motor found on the Galant VR-4 or Eclipse GS Turbo, but AMG did indeed hammer (sorry) out an extra 25 naturally-aspirated horses for a grand total of 168.

The AMG interior sports wood trim on the shift knob and door panels, while the Galant’s steering wheel gets an AMG-branded horn pad and a leather-wrapped rim. The factory stereo has been replaced with a trio of somewhat-newer, high-line Pioneer Carrozzeria bits: stereo, CD player and dash-mount screen. Which might make make this unique Mitsubishi even cooler …

This Aussie-exported throwback from a better time in Mitsubishi’s history also makes a statement with thinner, non-federalized bumpers. The combination of imported right-hand-drive goodness, AMG tuning, and the growing collectability of 1990s Japanese cars might appeal to more people than you think.

Personally, I have a soft spot for the Galant VR-4 thanks to my days in college, but that was also because of the girl who owned it. No matter. The AMG body kit, thick-spoke wheels, emblems, engine tuning, and interior upgrades are excellent fodder for a new era of performance car collectors. We don’t expect this Mitsubishi to sell for the absurd price of a certain Civic Si, but all you need is two competing Mitsubishi/Diamond Star enthusiasts to make history!