Mitsubishi Starion News

Mitsubishi has decided to now only make and sell SUVs and utes, but that doesn’t mean a return of the Lancer, Starion or a new sports car isn’t off their wish list, a company senior executive has revealed.

A world record price of ￡100,100 ($A181,180) for a Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition in the UK may set the scene for rising prices of other Mitsubishi WRC cars in Australia, says Shannons Auctions.The Evo VI, with only 10,000 miles (16,000km) on t

Yet Rad Guerin's turbo-charged 1985 Mitsubishi Starion starts first time, drives sedately in the traffic and doesn't fizz, pop or blow back."I take it back to the same mechanic every time," the 73-year-old retired builder says. "I told him I didn't want the power to come on like a light switch and he's done a fantastic job so no one else touches it."The former rally driver was on the lookout for a Mazda RX-7 in 1992 but couldn't find one at the right price. His son then alerted him to the Starion which he bought for $12,000. Guerin says Shannons Insurance still values it at $12,000."I've always been a four-cylinder man; never had a V8," he says. "That's probably because I couldn't afford a V8." The Starion started off with a two-litre engine developing 90kW at the wheels.When Guerin blew the head at Queensland Raceway he bought another engine and had his mechanic work it over.The mechanic stroked it to its maximum over-bore (230x230mm) and added lumpy Kelford twin cams, a GT35 turbo with 18psi boost and a custom-built intercooler. It has recently been dynoed at 243kW and at 1260kg Guerin reckons it has a better power-to-weight ratio than a V8 BMW M3.But Guerin and his mechanic have also been conservative. It has a 7200 rev limit and a cautionary oil pressure light for QR's high-G corners."All the engine mods are blue-plated so they are compliant and I can drive it on the streets," says Guerin who is now a part-time advanced driver trainer to fund his motorsport addiction."I used to even drive it to and from race events until it broke down one day and left me stranded. I've now got a trailer for it."The Starion has also received a full suspension revamp with coil-over struts, urethane bushes, heavy adjustable sway bars and Koni shocks. It's shod with Falken 225/45 R17 semi-slick tyres and has Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IV 290mm discs so he can replace the 15-inch wheels, if needed.After the engine's 583Nm of torque played its part in breaking the gearbox, Guerin fitted a tougher five-speed manual from an RX-7 that "virtually bolted straight in" with some minor tweaks.Inside, it has race seats and harnesses, plus various gauges, but the passenger seats and carpets remain. It even retains the original radio with power-up antenna on the back.Outside there are few changes except for a bonnet from a JA and rear spoiler from a JD. "I wouldn't like to say what I've spent on it as the walls have ears at my place," Guerin jokes."But I did a bit of building work for my mechanic, so we've bartered a bit on the price." Guerin is happy with his Starion. "It was previously jerky and snatchy, especially in traffic, but now it drives like a factory model." Guerin says only 250 JB Starions were sold in Australia and only about 20 remain.In their day, Starion was the fastest car over the famous Mt Panorama and Kevin Bartlett and Peter McKay drove one to ninth place in the 1985 Bathurst 1000 behind exotics such as the Jaguar XJ-S, BMW 635CSi, Ford Mustang and Alfa GTV6, and ahead of all the Commodores, including Peter Brock who failed to finish.Mitsubishi JB StarionYear: 1985Price New: $28,028Price Now: $12,000Engine: 2323cc, 4-cylinder, turbo, 243kW/583NmBody: 2-door hatchTransmission: 5-speed, 3.9 limited slip diff, RWD Did you know: Mitsubishi built a special Starion for actor Jacky Chan who drove one in the 1984 Hollywood film Cannonball Run 2.Got a special car you'd like featured in Carsguide? Modern or classic we're interested in hearing your story.Please send a pic and brief info to mark.hinchliffe@carsguide.com.au. 

Garry Carroll is aged 34 but says he's 'still an '80s kid'. "That's when I was a kid and I don't want to grow up," he says. So he bought a Mitsubishi Starion, then another, then another ... Five all up. "I saw the Cannonball Run and Jackie Chan was driving a Starion and I thought I'd love to have that," he says. "If you buy one you have to buy two because one is always in the shop getting something done to it. I know one guy who has 12." One of Carroll's Starions was written off in a crash, another was cannibalised for parts and he sold another because he didn't like the paintjob. The two remaining are a black 1982 JA show car and a silver 1984 JB daily driver. "I bought the JA in 2000 and paid $8000, but I've spent more than $80,000 on it," he says. "I saw this black Starion driving around town and I loved the paintjob, so I flashed my lights at the driver and pulled him over. "He goes 'hello' and I said 'how you going? I just wanted to have a look at your car'. I ended up buying it off him." Carroll might have bought it specifically for the black and purple pearl paintjob, but he has since had it re-painted twice. For a while Carroll used it as a show car and won about 40 trophies at car audio competitions, winning the Australian round of the International Auto Sounds Challenge in 2001. He spent $25,000 on the sound system, alone. "There are bits you can't see like the equaliser that's worth $2500, a crossover under the seats that's worth $1500, and there's $6000 in amps," he says. "It's only 300 watts, but it's built for clarity, not high volume. If you shut your eyes you wouldn't think you were in a car. I listen to a lot of vocal music; Michael and Janet Jackson and Billy Joel. I'm stuck in the '80s like the car, I suppose." It not only sounds hot, but runs hot, too, with a complete engine rebuild, new Garrett turbo, new manifold, bigger cooling system and a lot of tuning to yield 223kW at the wheel. "It would be a 12-second car (on the quarter mile drag strip), but I've never been tempted to take it out drag racing. That's not why I designed it. If I wanted to go fast I wouldn't have loaded it down with a stereo and done the interior and fancy paintjob." In original form the Starion JA's two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine only pumped out 90kW at the crank. "I tried to keep the Starion alive so it has the original engine," he says. "I could have gone berserk with an Evo engine, but I wanted to keep the original. If I wanted to buy an Evo I would have, but there's no character with the Evo. It just looks like a sedan. This has more character and is more fun to drive. I'd fall asleep in a Merc because it's too smooth. I need to bounce around in the seat a bit." No problems there as it features Ralliart KYB suspension and 18-inch Simmons wheels. He also spent $2500 on the steering and $3000 on the aiconditioning. Other features are the full seven-cow leather upholstery and Knight Rider light at the front. "I did some of the interior, but mainly I like to point and direct," he says. "I'm not very motor savvy. He bought the JB in 2006 for $5000, mainly as a daily driver. I had some paintwork done on it, changed the speakers and CD player, put on new wheels and a front spoiler. I only spent about $6000, maybe more." Carroll's first car was a Nissan Bluebird and he has since owned about 30 cars, but has mainly been true to Mitsubishi with several Colts, then the Starions. "My next car might be a Mitsubishi Outlander," he says. "My wife, Carmel, is pregnant so my life's over ... my next car will have a baby seat and I'll have to grow up." For the record, Carroll discredits the story that the car was incorrectly named Starion because the Japanese boss couldn't say stallion. "That's incorrect. They had a lot of cars and engines named after star constellations," he says, citing the Austarion.com forum of which he is one of 1570 members world-wide.