Mitsubishi Starion

The Mitsubishi Starion is a rear-wheel drive sport coupe produced from 1982 to 1989. The Starion was Mitsubishi first turbocharged sport coupe and the foundation for Mitsubishi entry into the modern performance car segment. The model was sold globally including in North America (where it competed with the Toyota Supra MK3, Nissan 300ZX Z31, and Mazda RX-7 of the era). The Starion used the 4G63T turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 188 horsepower in early models, increasing to 197 horsepower in later cars. Rear-wheel drive only (the AWD turbo concept came later with the Evo). Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions. Wide-body Starion ESI-R variants had aggressive flared fenders and were the most aggressive variants. The Starion was not a sales success globally. Production was modest, and the car was discontinued in 1989 with no direct successor. The Eclipse (launched 1989) replaced the Starion in the Mitsubishi sport coupe lineup with a different formula (FWD/AWD compact instead of RWD). Modern Starion prices have appreciated as the cars become recognized as 1980s sport coupe collectors. The wide-body ESI-R is particularly desirable. Project Starions are still available at reasonable prices. On WhipJury, Starion submissions are uncommon but distinctive. The 1980s aggressive styling, turbo character, and ESI-R wide-body make the Starion stand out among submissions.