Next-gen Mitsubishi 380 preview?
2 Feb, 2008
45 Comments 
Update: Official images released by Mitsubishi.
These are allegedly leaked images of the 2009 Mitsubishi Galant, which could provide insight into what to expect from the new generation Mitsubishi 380.
The current front end treatment of the Galant is unique to the US market, however the rear is nearly identical with the 380 sedan, indicating potential future design influences.
The biggest change is obviously the tail light configuration which is akin to new Lancer design trademarks, and would prove a welcome change to the current design.
The 2009 Mitshubishi Galant will make its premiere at the Chicago Show next week.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
How about they just make a bigger lancer? That Galant looks terrible.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 11:54 am
Looks like we actually agree on something TP
However; I’d still like Mitsubishi to “please consider” offering the Next-Gen 380 as a RWD - even if it’s only with the up-spec models like the VR-X
Which is what Toyota should have done with the Avalon … I mean Aurion
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February 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I like the back and side profile but the front is VERY American. Hopefully they will make it more tasteful for us. I still love the looks of the 380.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
It would cost too much money for them to develop a totally new drivetrain for a car that hasn’t come anywhere close to meeting sales targets.
I really think that Mitsubishi should start borrowing parts from its other products to use in the 380/Galant. The 6 speed CVT transmission with paddle shifters, the 2.4 or 3.0 litre mivec engine, AWD drivetrain, Rockford Fosgate sound system etc.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
oh dear! let’s hope tonsley park is afforded some freedom of
expression before this travesty is force fed to the design team. the 380 is fundamentally a good fwd car.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
A perfect example of how to make ugly, uglier.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
This won’t save the 380, you can do better than that Mitsubishi.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Thats looks crap…I like the current look of the 380 but i wouldn’t buy 1… Orion Falcon for me :)
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February 2nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Looks as though it was styled in 1999. I don’t mind the current look of the 380.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
^’89 you mean? :) LOL
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February 2nd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The problem with the current 380 isn’t it’s looks because it’s a good looking car certainly miles ahead of the previously dreadfull Magna, the problem is most Australians want their large cars to be rear wheel drive and the 380 would be a great car if that was the case….this “new” thing looks like a backward step!!
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February 2nd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
We will probably get the rear for the mid-life 380 facelift, but keep the current front styling of our 380.
The yanks really need a replacement, not a facelift for their Galant (dates back to 2003).
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February 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
It’s like the chickhen or the egg, people argue it would be too expensive to go rear wheel drive with the current sales but the current sales are due to NO rear wheel drive and also a lack of diesel and a proper factory LPG not just a conversion!!!!
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February 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I’ve never understood the rejection of the 380. I thought Mitsubishi had a winner on its hands when it was released.
It’s a fine looking car, I reckon, so the rejection may be caused by deeper issues such as the public’s perception of Mitsubishi Australia’s permanence.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Dont do it mitsubishi!!! If this is the proposed new look they may as well shut their doors now.
I too thought the 380 should have been a winner. Driving on recently only reinforced my opinion. Its not a bad car. It actually drives better than most people give it credit for. And now resale values are better than those of comparable model falcons.
They do however need to up their safety gear ie more aibags, ESP ect because they seem to be falling behind in this area.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Looks like I’m the only person here that prefers this backend to the current 380 backend :S
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February 2nd, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Unfortunately.. its expected that due to poor sales/lack of demand [within a couple of months] Mitsubishi will be making no mre than 20-25 cars a day compared to Holden who are making close to 700 a day [both RHD and LHD]
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February 2nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
They really just need to pack it in.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
the 380 needs to stay fwd but move down into the midsize market and get a direct injected 4 cylinder engine. This was where mitsubishi made it’s impact in the 80’s with the sigma and magna. get rid of the v6 from entry level and leave the big class for holden and ford and go after the midsize segment instead.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
To those people who are saying it should be RWD, do you have any idea how much money it costs to develop a RWD chassis for just one model? It’s just quite simply a bad way to do business. Why do you think VW makes 80% of their model range off the one platform? Because the costs of developing a platform are enourmous and you need to share that platform accross a number of models to make it financially viable. If mitsubishi made the galant/380 RWD they would only be able to use this platform for just the one model. AWD is far more feasable then RWD as with AWD you can still have the engine facing east west however with a RWD car the engine has to be north south which accounts for a significant engineering change.
As for the 380 itself, i have driven a few including one for an extended time as a rental car, and its mechanically superb! The drivetrain is absolutely fantastic and the handling is very sweet for a large front driver (much better then camry/aurion) however unfortuantely its wrapped in a boring body with a poor interior. Fanstatic car in bad clothes.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
i didnt know they handed the styling to the Koreans…….
seriously it looks like a kia design.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Dear god do NOT make that Mitsu, thats a nail in the coffin.
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February 2nd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Taillights look extremely cheap. Let’s hope we never see them.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 am
I don’t exactly like the way the taillights are looking on this concept just now but I think it will have quite a lot of potential once they localise it.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
Dont like it, current model looks better! AND THE REAR JUST DOENT LIKE ME!…………….yuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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February 3rd, 2008 at 9:26 am
They can make one of the best looking small cars yet make the worst looking large car. Pooey.
Me thinks they should just use the Lancer/Outlander platform for the new 380 then use the AWD version for the VRX :D
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February 3rd, 2008 at 10:52 am
BoB, the current PS41 platform used in the current gallant/380 is actually every bit as good, if not better, then the new lancer/outlander platform. The platform used in the 380 is not the problem, the 380 is mechanically superb, the problem is purely and simply the styling.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 11:48 am
what ever happened to that cool sedan concept from a little while back, why dont they put that into production and make it as the new 380.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
We probably won’t get a replacement car until 2011. I think that MMAL have done a great job with what they have been given. Most articles and reviews of the 380 sum them up as being mechanically great - something MMAL have been able to change; but have poor styling and lacking interior refinement - something MMAL CAN’T modify extensively.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
can someone tell me why this might be the new 380?
A:) this galant is just i minor facelift, not a whole new car.
B:) mitsu oz would have to be seriously stupid to produce a car this ugly - look at the sebring rear end!
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February 3rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
^^^^^^A and B is the answer!
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February 4th, 2008 at 7:28 am
That’s one ugly rear end. Its like someone grafted Bronwyn Bishop onto the car
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February 4th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Yuk!!!!
Aren’t Mitsubishi struggling to sell the much better looking 380??? what’s wrong with these people at Mitsubishi?
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February 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Wow, let’s hope the big-wigs in Japan HQ will put their contact lenses in and take a good look at what the Americans are doing to their product…
I don’t think Mitsu-Australia would dare release such a beast if they can’t even sell the current design, (which isn’t actually that unfortunate looking - compared to the very beige attempt from Toyota, being the Camry).
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February 4th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
According to news on Bloomberg today, Mitsubishi “will shut a factory in Australia after the plant’s models failed to attract buyers”.
This does not surprise anyone, I reckon.
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February 4th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Top rear three-quarter pic looks more like the old Mitsubishi Carisma Hatch. And I do not mean that as a compliment.
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February 4th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Just heard on 10 news reports [TBC] that Tokyo has finally decided to close their Tonsley Park Operations in Adelaide.
if so GM-Holden shoudl look at leasing the facility inorder to build the more compact TT Torana [2010] as The Elizabeth plant is currently flat out building Commodores and the plant in Canada is flat out building Camaros
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February 4th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Wheelnut,
well that is a sad day then.
i do assume we will still have their cars (380 replacement) on our roads then?
i doubt GM will build the Torana here. if they want it to be a global car then they would be better off taking it to where the economics of exporting is more viable.
i think the major exporters from this country have had to have a good look before they comitt here for their programs.
i dont think space to build the torana here would have been the prohibiting factor
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February 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
dlr1 Says:
“And now resale values are better than those of comparable model falcons.”
Are you kidding??? SA state Govt practically give ‘em away. (Although one actually made more than $15000 the other week.)
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February 4th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Bret,
and i bet they paid a hell of a lot less for the 380’s than what they do for the falcons too.
if they get 15k for a 380 through the auctions dont be surprised if they are getting them for 20k new
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February 4th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I HOPE ITS NOT TRUE MITSUBISHI CLOSING DOWN, SO MANY LOOSING JOBS & INTEREST RATES GOING UP AGAIN. MY PARTNER WORKS THIER & WERE STRESSING LIKE THE REST OF THE MITSUBISHI WORKERS.
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February 4th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
i feel really sorry for the workers and their famillies at the Mitsubishi plant if todays news is in fact correct….but they themselves must be the first to agree that this ugly thing won’t sell well at all!!
it must be frustrating to be working for a company that refuses to build something new and desirable.
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February 5th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Andrew M,
Yes they pay less for 380’s (and Camrys) but $ losses per vehicle are in general order 380, Camry, Falcon, Commodore.
Aurion looks like settling around the Camry rate. All wagons are currently doing well.
Utes & corollas often don’t even lose anything (some buyers are just gullible I guess).
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February 5th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Id rather buy a current 380 than a current camry
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February 5th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Subaru made the ugly Impreza
And mitsubishi this! Dont follow in Mitsubishi uglyness…please!!!!!!!!!!!
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