Mitsubishi releases 380 Platinum Edition
16 Nov, 2007
41 Comments 
Following our review earlier this month of the under rated 380 VRX comes news from Mitsubishi of the Series III Platinum Edition. Offering even more value over what is already an exceptionally well packaged family car, numbers are strictly limited to 1000 units.
Based on the standard 380 ES, this limited edition is pegged just below the SX in terms of pricing, but offers a swag of extra goodies for a very modest price increase. The platinum edition gains
- six spoke 17″ alloy wheels,
- sports suspension,
- front fog lamps,
- electric sunroof,
- Bluetooth,
- a second 12V accessory outlet,
- Platinum front air grilles (lower and upper),
- special badging
- chrome exhaust tip.
Available in five colours: Strom (Grey), Electro (Blue), Molten (Red), Stealth (Black) and of course Platinum (Silver), this is one limited edition that really does represent excellent value from the additional cash spent. The car is on sale now at $28,990 for the manual and $30,990 for the auto.
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November 16th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
An absolute bargain. To think, all this car for the price of a Corolla Levin!
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November 16th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
that is exceptional value, bloody hell.
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November 16th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
The Mitsubishi has always been exceptional value. It’s not getting much sales though and I don’t think this will move it from the ~1000 units/month it’s currently getting.
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November 16th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
These are great cars to sit in, though i could never buy one with the bubble nose thing they have going on. I really do not like their styling queue for the Magna/360.
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November 16th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Excellent value for large and genuinely agile locally build sedan, too bad Mitsubishi omitted “curtain airbags, knee air bags & stability control which are all available on the brilliant new Mitsubishi Lancer.
While Mitsubishi is enjoying considerable sales increases across the board on most all its models,the 380 is unfortunately still struggling to achieve over 1000 units per month, perhaps next years major facelift and the inclusion of the above said missing features will help?.
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November 16th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Very well put into perspective Tony……QUOTE…..
“An absolute bargain. To think, all this car for the price of a Corolla Levin!”
like every make the sports models dress up well and so does the 380.
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November 16th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
not a good one to have
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November 16th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
VW, what do you mean: not a good one to have?
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November 17th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Still looks like a tarted up Magna,still won’t sell even if it was ten thousand cheaper than an Aurion,probably a last gasp effort before they close their Australian operations next year.
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November 17th, 2007 at 9:11 am
maybe dennis if you drove one of these you might buy one over an aurion….
its people like you that carry on the rumour they are closing down that scare people of this product…. this car is brilliant value for money and really the forgetten one amongst the large car clan!
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November 17th, 2007 at 9:53 am
exactlly Tonyn,
its people like dennis that make sure a good product doesnt sell as well as it should, by spreading terrible perceptions.
A tarted up magna???
Toyota, Ford and Holden all sell special editions that are essencially Tarted up Aurions, Falcons and Commodores.
so why so critical on Mitsubishi’s effort?
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November 17th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Maybe they not selling well because they look too plain and ugly base models. The sports model looks too tame also.
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November 17th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Last time I drove one of these I found the steering to be way too light, much lighter than a Falcon’s. That put me off a bit, as did they fact that it is plain ugly. Decent performance from its engine though.
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November 17th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Hmmmmmm yeah it’s not like the Aurion is a ‘tarted’ up version of anyway else in the Toyota lineup, say a Camry for exmaple :P
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November 17th, 2007 at 11:17 am
sorry think this car still looks good, i have always like this shape! it does need the VRX tail wing and taillights!
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November 17th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I agree Tonyn & Andrew M, what are you talking about Dennis?.
This is a multi-award winning vehicle, design is a personal preference but I must say the 380 is a little conservative for most people but thats fine.
The main concern is the omitted features such as cutain air bags, stability control and a MIVEC engine.
All this is believed to be introduced sometime next year, possibly the second quarter.
May I remind some people that this is vehicle has already earned a 4 star crash safety rating, thats without the curtain air bags etc that are soon to be introduced and are safety features already available on its main competitiors that do not have a 5 star rating.
If Mitsubishi address these issues next year it will be the safest localy build vehicle, this makes the competition look incompetent doesnt it?.
All Mitsubishi need to do is apply the same principals they have to the brilliant new Lancer which I believe is very close to possibly being awarded “CAR of the Year” very soon.
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November 17th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
poor old mitsubishi! the 380 is actually a very smooth
refined car to drive! just looks bland and has a bad image
. But if people actually drove the car they would realise
it drives better than most falcon,commodore or aurion models! I like driving them but the bad resale would
stop me buying one unfortunately because the car is good..
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November 18th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
was having a good chat with the local mitsubishi dealer while i was buying a new lancer (delivery next week, woo!) and he was telling me that the 380 is supposed to get a major facelift in the middle of next year which will include ESP, curtain airbags and revised styling front and rear. He thinks it may also get mivec on the engine but he said he wasn’t 100% sure on that
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November 18th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I’m going to step up and wave a flag for the 380’s looks, too. The previous model Camry was perhaps the most ill-proportioned barge ever foisted on the Australian buying public, but that didn’t stop two and a half thousand Vern and Shirleys buying the things every month. Not to mention government and fleets, of course.
I can’t be the only one who thinks so.
“Leave the 380 ALOOONE!!!”
Golfschwein Crocker
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November 18th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
in vrx form the 380 looks pretty damn good though im sure people cant deny that.
good point golfschwein,
the last camry is pretty awkward looking yet it didnt stop them selling.
the only valid negative thing said about the 380 is unfortunately its resale isnt that great. but to put a spin on it it makes for pretty damn good buying on the used car lot
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November 18th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I agree it is sensational bargain buy - but it will take more then a body kit to fix up front vague looking lights and weird pigs arse ugly back end - now if only I can cut and shut it????
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November 18th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
well you havent seen a VRX then NM???????
they definately make you second glance yet are not overdone like the TRD effort. it looks tight and sleek whereas the FPV’s and HSV’s look tough and mean.
what im trying to say is it looks distinct but not try hard like the TRD
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November 18th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
mitsu should do their AWD version with a booster and show TRD where they went wrong. im sure it would also create a nice niche market for them. and the biggest thing is you would even get the AWD in and it would prob still be less then the $70k TRD ask
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November 19th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
The TRD Aurion is a well balanced machine in many respects.
Despite some wacky comments that the TRD Aurion is overdone, i am personally all for the complete presentation of the vehicle particularly in black.
Obviously some die hard freaky Holden and Ford clowns will pass negative comments as they would but for the rest of the population… of which is far greater then the combined allegance of Holden and Ford combined of which couldn’t even total Toyota’s sole effort last month - how embarrassing and heart-wrenching that must have been for idots like Andrew M. to accept
The fact is, the TRD Aurion is undoubtedly a very inspiring car for many whereas just about any 380 variant fails to even be recognised.
OCTOBER SALES 2007…
Holden + Ford = less then Toyota.
How f*ck’n embarrassing that must have been for the American duo to be slaughtered beyond recognition by the might of the humble ‘T’
Freaky Andrew M states that the VRX looks good but as far as i am concerned as with most of the Australian population - it is bloody bland and boring as bat sh*t.
Get over yourself Andrew - you are a wanker.
The fact is Wanker Andrew… Mitsubishi ‘DOES NOT’ offer a performance 380 whereas Toyota does so no matter how much you star glaze - REALITY DOESN’T CHANGE !!
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November 19th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
rodrega,
you say one thing i agree with….
the TRD looks heaps better in black. (i reckon its because it hides the tacky added on grey bits) but yes in black it looks heaps better.
oh and why are you bring holden and ford into it??
i just scrolled up to check and no one has brought holden nor ford into it so why do you say comments are from holden and ford fans??
how is the TRD balanced? the reviews say it is a handfull to keep on the road due to torque steer…….
yes toyota offer a performance large car but they dont offer the AWD like mitsu do they??
mitsu dont have booster which is needed and toyota dont have the 4 paws driving like needed.
i dont see how you saw bias to holden or ford in my comments
get over YOURSELF!!!!!!!!
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November 19th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
The Commodore still outsells Aurium by more than 2 to 1 and even when Camry sales are added the Commodore is still in front by at least 500 units.
GM has once again become the biggest selling company in the U.S and that will soon flow on to Australia with some of the bad publicity occuring to them lately with the Aurium turbo and the RAV4 V6 plus the lack of ESC on Corolla for at least another year.
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November 19th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Footy freaky - the same old crap from you morons have been repeated over and over and over now for so f*ck’n long that lads like myself just laugh at wankers like yourself.
When Toyota killed Holden last year by a wholloping 66 000 vehicles we heard the same shit from the same clowns as we still do today yet despite 2 months remaining in this year alone - the might of Toyota has stretched thier lead to 71 000 beyond that pathetic Daewoo Brand and on target of approx 85 000 of which will equate to an additional 20 000 vehicles more then last years slaughtering of second place clown - Holden.
THE FACT IS JERK-OFF… Toyota sells Toyota’s whereas Holden is nothing more then just a pathetic Daewoo company.
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November 19th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Andrew - the only thing i struggle with (and not front wheel drives) is keeping Holden’s and Ford’s out of the garage.
A younger lad i work with (Marcus) brought himself a Boss 290 about 10 months ago and believe-you-me… he is one very unhappy chappy because of all the constant failings associated with the car.
The current problem he is battling out with Ford with no success to date is why the ESP system will not allow him to travel inexcess of 100km’h no matter wether it is engaged or not.
Unhappy Marcus spent $69 000 on his Boss 290 and now believes what an absolute waste of fuck’n money it has been. For that sort of outlay - he expected much, much more relibility and dependability then what he has been greeted with.
You talk about torque steer associated with the TRD Aurion but you fail to recognise the fact that Commodores and Falcons are piss poor quality cars that have been renouned for thier troublesome nature for many generations.
I would much prefer to have to grapple with the steering wheel of the TRD Aurion then fight the brake-fade nature of HSV’s or having to negotiate with Holden and Ford the constant delamors often experianced with such poorly engineered cars.
The fact is fella - people see cars from differant angles then just those narrow views you hold.
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November 19th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Holden is eqivalent to flat football, rotten meatpies and dead kangaroos.
OCTOBER SALES 2007…
Holden + Ford = Less the Toyota.
OOH WHAT A FEELING…
Obviously people like flat footy are becoming a minority within the Australian public.
Your vote counts for nothing.
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November 19th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
rodrega,
holden recalls + ford recalls = less than toyotas recalls
get over yourself!!!! why did you have to come here and ruin a mitsu post? i was here commenting that the 380 is the most underrated vehicle to grace our roads which you somehow interperit as people crapping on about ford and holden…. WTF are you on?
not one person on here is saying fords nor holdens crap on mitsus or toyotas. you are dillusional!!!
so does higher sales mean a certain car or company is the best choice??? NO
for eg Coke is a massive seller worldwide does that mean it is the best refreshment you can buy? NO
i also feel footy and meatpies has said some biased stuff around the traps but right here right now what he says is exactlly right (in terms of commodore sales and poor quality lately from toyota). oh but i doubt GM will reign at the top of sales in OZ again (well anytime soon anyway).
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November 19th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Well said Rodrega! That Football(NFL) tosser has always been a dreamer.
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November 19th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
sorry Me
the only part where meatpies dreams is where he says GM will reach the top again in OZ
the rest in commy outselling camry and aurion combined and the list of toyotas latest problems is fact.
i know he can be a massive tool sometimes but 3/4 of what he said is true
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November 19th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Everybody thought that GM would never get back on top of U.S. Charts but they have. I am not saying it will happen here in Aus but you can never say never with any certainty.
Oh and Rodrego and me, you are tossers with every comment you make. You are full of Biased sh!t. I am going back to a more pressing issue now. -politics
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November 19th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
And Andrew although I thank you for your support, I dont think being patriotic to the name Holden which was formed firstly as a Australian company before GM bought it would make me a tool. It makes me Australian.
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November 19th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
^Look at the tosser!
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November 19th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
“Football, Hamburgers, Eagles and Holdenwoo Shit” You say you are so growin up because you say you in a politics forum, yet when you come here you act like a child (that you are)
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November 20th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Holden IS NOT AUSTRALIAN…. IT IS A 100% AMERICAN OWNED COMPANY so how does that make you Australian. I would consider it would make you American instead.
Andrew M - here are some other facts.
The leaked Australian Quality Survey revealed that Holden failed in everysingle category and couldn’t even match average whereas Toyota scored above average or dominate in everysingle category while Holden and Ford had the honours of taking out some wooden spoon awards.
JD Powers analysis of WA Motorist revealed Toyota in the top 3 while Holden and Ford much further down the list while the RAC National survey also concluded Toyota in the top three while actually describing the American duo as below benchmark.
Despite some recent problems with Toyota, they still managed to rank all three of their companies that sell in America within the top 6 position of the recent Consumer Choice survey. That’s right - Toyota alone fulfilled half of the top 6 positions while Ford were much further down the pecking order of 13th,14th and 15th repectively.
Even better, despite Buick at 10th, all of GM’s affiliate ranked from mid to end of field. PATHETIC !!
That said, while Toyota is returning record profits year after year, Ford is selling of it’s subsidires just so they can access some cash while GM just came through with the goods and reported a massive $40 billion loss in 1/4 period alone.
They are also some RAW FACTS for you clowns to ponder.
Oh yeah - Falcon and Commodore sales are at the lowest they ever have been for many, many years. Only a few years Holden sold anywere between 8000 - 9000 units per month but now it is nearly half that.
The fact is, Toyota is a company of varied and diverse substance but if you take the Commodore out of Holden and what do you have as remains… virtually nothing at all but a few crummy Daewoo’s. NOT MUCH SUBSTANCE IN THAT !!
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January 31st, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Well I just came to see what the 380 is like and i felt the need to tell rodrega that you are a dickhead. this is a 380 comment area and you come along with a stick up your ass going on about fords and holdens and how toyotas are better. this is mitsubishi dumbass. you havent said jack shit about the car and just abuse people even though all they are talking about is the car. toyotas are gay and gutless and you only get 1 cause its cheap not saying fords and holdens are better but your an idiot and a loser.
as for the 380 i think its nice looking except that mitsubishi has a very ugly front the way it slopes and have not yet driving it which was why i was looking at comments.
ps roderiga you are a pathetic loser who should just find a gutter to die in. if you manage to have friends let them no from me they need serious help.
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February 21st, 2008 at 8:06 pm
well all this ford holden shit who cares about the two dum ass cars japs build theres so much better ill have a jap build car over a ford or holden at lest in a crash i know ill be still here as the air bags will work when there spost to as for the the 380 it needs some worl on the the front and rear to make it more to the eye it just look so ugly but i have driven it it drives very well sticks to the road like a nike on me foot over all its a top car to drive, but it dident give much in the looks so i went the toyota.
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October 31st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Im just about to buy a 380. $16990 for 2a 7k sx in silver. Cheaper than the crappy rio I bought last year!
Thanks company rep!
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December 12th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
i know its over 12 months since this post was last visited, but having test driven all the variants and seen past the quirky looks which kinda grown on you btw!, im now looking forward to finding a platter for my self in strom grey
also was dismayed the japs couldnt have the intestinal fortitude to go the face lift this year , instead pulling the plug on the factory.
i say go to hell on the resale as these cars will still be candidates for restoration, long after the toyota competitor are recycled.
I have been fortunate to have driven a good slice, of motoring history in australia from The Monaro 350 to Rover SD1 to Mitsubishi’s AWD magna.
this vehicle is the ” Sleeper Collector” we all wish we bought in the low times then resold in the high nostalgia demand.
If you consider yourself a Connosuier of Cars you cant disagree.
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