Mitsubishi 380 GT 2005 review

The name 380 will be on everyone's lips for the next year as the giant of the sky is commissioned and starts to regularly appear in our skies.

That the Mitsu' 380's name relates to its 3.8-litre engine could be irrelevant.

The powertrain under the new big Mitsu' is its strongest point, especially when hooked up behind the five speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode.

It's "sweet as" offering strong performance and silky smooth changes with the adaptive function never caught out in the wrong cog.

But, the $48,000, 380GT, subject of this story, needs performance setting it apart from lesser 380s to justify the GT moniker and give it more "street cred".

A sneaky punter could fit larger 17in alloys to a base model 380, splash around some black paint and chrome bits and come close to having a GT lookalike _ at about 10 grand less.

Mitsubishi would argue that the GT is more than this and it's true, the top of the range model has plenty of goodies. But the point of difference isn't there like it is with say Ford's similarly priced XR6 Turbo which is a definite step up in performance terms and looks over the regular Falcon six.

More of the "wow" factor is needed to lift the GT above the crowd.

As a drive, it's well mannered, well braked and has tidy steering with a firm ride. Some kick-back is revealed on bumpy corners taken at pace but the chassis feels rock solid and the car is tight as a drum.

The GT looks good inside, conservative but functional with a new take on surface finishes.

The GT is extensively equipped as befits the flagship model and it has a full size spare in the large boot.

Styling is a subjective thing but I must say the GT is the best looker in the 380 range. Small things like the integrated rear spoiler/tail light, mesh grille and lower stance make it better to look at.

Built using a new press and new manufacturing processes should ensure the quality is high. Is it good enough to rock the established rear drive large locals? Time will tell.