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Mitsubishi Galant expands in size and power for four trims
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Check this out: Car stylists at Mitsubishi have devised a glitzy new design to mark a new generation for Galant, Mitsubishi's mid-size sedan series.
Galant's new editions, badged for the class of 2004, measure bigger in terms of overall package size as well as space inside the five-seat cabin, and they're stronger now with new powertrains aboard pumping more usable torque.
These new issues bring a choice of thrifty four-cylinder engine or a forceful V6 and there are two trim levels for each engine.
Models extend from the entry-level Galant DX price leader and a mass-market ES to the luxury-laced LS and top-of-the-line GTS.
All stock significant content for comfortable motoring.
And the glamorous new shape and style of Galant will inevitably prompt a second look, should you encounter one on the street.
At least, that's what happened to us in San Francisco recently when we reached a parking lot with new Galants ready for some driving tests up the California coast.
Instead of quickly slipping behind the wheel and shooting off on the prescribed route out of town, we found ourselves lingering in a walk-around experience simply to look at the fresh forms and the slick and curvy lines evident on these cool new cars.
Our visual tour starts up front at that bold new face.
It's characterized by a chin-forward wrap of smooth bumpers in monochromatic mode underscoring the twin-port grille and corner clusters of stacked headlamps glimmering in multiple stacked lenses.
Subtle creases on the hood and front fenders catch the eye and draw it rearward to the broad expanse of a windshield raking back sharply to set up the gracefully arching roofline.
Flanks look flat with round arched cutlines marking front and rear wheelwells but the overall form increases in depth toward the tail to forge a wedge-like profile.
At the blunt back end more oversized clusters of corner lamps appear above another thick and smooth wrap-around bumper as a trunk deck is defined between the lamps and a tail pipe in silver is evident on the bottom right.
Open the door and slide into the driver's bucket, which stands beside a floor console in cockpit format facing a four-point padded steering wheel and the dashboard instrument package with large analog gauges.
Cabin decor varies from trim to trim, beginning with a treatment in black for the DX model but gaining metallic silver highlights for ES. Top version GTS shows fine leather upholstery plus dash panel finished in plastic that resembles brushed aluminum or titanium.
Layout of the cabin seems familiar with two buckets up front and a bench for up to three riders in back.
However, the expansion of Galant's overall structure and, particularly, dimensions of the passenger compartment carve out notable personal space for each seat position.
To end up with this expanded version of the Galant, Mitsubishi's designers begin the process of building a new car by borrowing a new platform employed first for the new Endeavor sport-utility vehicle.
Endeavor uses a car-like front-wheel-drive (FWD) chassis and comes together at Mitsubishi's USA assembly plant in Normal, Ill., where the new Galant is also built.
The unitized steel chassis has hydroformed components and firm cross members plus subframe sections fore and aft to increase strength and rigidity in support of the suspension equipment.
It's a long wheelbase of 108.3 inches -- 4.6 inches more than the previous Galant. And the track is broad, with wheels pushed out to 61.8 inches.
With a wide stance and that long wheelbase, the wheels pinned on four corners set up predictable stability for this car when it's steered over a twisty course.
The suspension employs MacPherson struts up front with a compact multi-link arrangement at the rear tied to gas-charged shocks and coil springs. A low profile for rear links ends up carving out more cargo room in the cabin because the design fosters a lower floor level.
A rack and pinion steering system comes with a speed-sensing hydraulic power steering pump that maximizes the power boost at parking-lot speeds but increases the friction for highway cruising.
Brakes, also with power assistance, consist of vented front discs and solid rotors at the rear. An anti-lock brake system (ABS) appears on the list of options for DX and ES trims with the four-cylinder engine, but it's a stock item for LS and GTS with the V6.
The 2.4-liter in-line four, rigged with an overhead cam and four valves per cylinder, has valve timing that's a mouthful of a name best crimped to the acronym of MIVEC, which stands for Mitsubishi innovative valve timing and lift electronic control. Output reaches to 160 hp at 5500 rpm, with 157 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm and special tuning to muster more muscle at lower and mid-range speeds.
A four-speed automatic contains an adaptive controller keyed to a computer that learns a driver's habits and manipulates shift patterns to suit the driving style.
The V6 displaces 3.8 liters with a cam on top and four valves per cylinder. This is a free revving plant containing a cold-air induction system with multi-point fuel injection and throttle-by-wire controller.
It generates up to 230 hp at 5250 rpm with torque reaching to 250 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
The four-speed automatic transaxle for the V6 adds a Sportronic manual mode, where fore-aft stick action bumps up or down the gear ladder one notch at a time.
We seem usually to select the most powerful engine when presented the option for driving tests on winding roads like the routes through Marin County used for our trials with the new Galant, although when we steered a Galant ES with the four-pack aboard it surprised us with goosey accelerations and the smooth and quiet operation.
Galant DE comes with an air conditioner and height-adjustable steering wheel, power for windows and door locks plus a 140-watt stereo with CD deck. Galant ES adds body-colored moldings outside and titanium-tinted trim elements in the cabin plus cruise control.
Galant LS loads up on luxury features as the GTS has sporty suspension tweaking plus projector headlamps in the prow and leather hides covering seats in the cockpit.
Projected MSRP marks for four new Galant trims extend from $18,000 to $26,000.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 MITSUBISHI GALANT Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size sedan
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
108.3 inches
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| Overall Length: |
190.6 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DX: SOHC 2.4-L I4
ES: SOHC 2.4-L I4
LS: SOHC 3.8-L V6
GTS: SOHC 3.8-L V6
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| Transmission: |
I4: Auto/4
V6: Auto/4 Sportronic
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
DX: Power 4-disc
ES: Power 4-disc
opt. ABS/EBD
LS: Power 4-disc
ABS/EBD
GTS: Power 4-disc
ABS/EBD
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| Airbags: |
DX: 2 (front)
ES: 2 (front) +
opt. 2 (side)
LS: 2 (front) +
opt. 2 (side)
GTS: 2 (front) +
2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
DX I4: 23/30 mpg
ES I4: 23/30 mpg
LS V6: 19/27 mpg
GTS V6: 18/26 mpg |
| Price: |
DX: $ 18,000, ES: $ 19,000, LS: $ 21,000, GTS: $ 26,000 |
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