Mitsubishi FTO

The Mitsubishi FTO, short for Fresh Touring Origination, was a car produced by Mitsubishi for the domestic Japanese market from 1994 through 2000. Announced in October 1994, the car was only made at the Mizushima plant and sold in Japan, though the tide of grey-market imports to the UK and Australia led to some limited distribution through Mitsubishi dealers in those countries.

In the Mitsubishi context, the name FTO harkens back to the Galant Coupe FTO model of the early 1970s. The 1970s FTO was a smaller companion car to the larger Galant Coupe GTO.

INVECS-II Sports Mode, Mitsubishi's answer to Porsche's Tiptronic, made its debut in the 1994 FTO. Production of both the FTO and GTO (Mitsubishi 3000GT) ended in the summer of 2000, when Mitsubishi decided not to modify either car to improve their performance on side-crash tests.

Models

All FTOs were made front wheel drived with either a 4 cylinder engine, or a transversely mounted V6. The body only came in a 2 door coupe version. The front bumper was changed in 1997, but the rest of the body remained the same. A convertible version was never made.

An electric version, the FTO-EV, was produced by Mitsubishi Motors in 1998 as an experimental vehicle. The car utilised high-performance lithium-ion battery power and set a multiple-charge 24-hour distance world record.

October 1994 - August 1997

GS - 1800cc 4 cylinder SOHC 16 valves producing 125bhp at 6,000rpm GR - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve Multi Point Injection producing 170bhp at 7000rpm GR Sports Package - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve Multi Point Injection producing 170bhp at 7000rpm GP (1996-7) - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm GPX - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm GPX Limited Edition (1995-6) - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm

August 1997 - July 2001

GS - 1800cc 4 cylinder SOHC 16 valves producing 125bhp at 6,000rpm GX Sports Package - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve Multi Point Injection producing 180bhp at 7000rpm GX Sports Package Aero Series - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve Multi Point Injection producing 180bhp at 7000rpm GPX - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm GP Version R - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm GP Version R Aero Series - 2000cc V6 DOHC 24 Valve MIVEC producing 200bhp at 7500rpm