Mitsubishi Colt

Sporty and Compact

Going back in time, the popularity of the Colt lineup can be found in the innovative approach which Mitsubishi has applied to each model while retaining essential elements such as sportiness and compactness which symbolize the Colt line.

Mitsubishi adopted the brand name Colt for a special lineup of sporty vehicles built in the 60s and early 70s. In 1962, the Colt 600 was the first vehicle to be introduced to the market under the Colt name. As the name suggests, it was sportier and more performance oriented than its predecessor, the Mitsubishi 500. From its debut, the Colt 600 powered by a 25ps, 594cc air-cooled engine, received excellent reviews from both the media as well as the public. At the Malaysia Grand Prix in 1964, the Colt 600 took class honors to firmly establish the Colt name in the world of motorsports.

1963 saw the introduction of the Colt 1000. It incorporated the KE43 engine, a 4-cylinder, 977cc unit with a power output of 55ps which provided the Colt 1000 with a top end speed of 125km/h. In 1964, only a year after its introduction the Colt 1000 was driven to victory in the 1964 Japan Grand Prix.

In 1965 the Colt 1500 was added to the sporty lineup as well as the Colt 800, Japan's first fastback model. The Colt 800 was equipped with a 2-cycle, 3-cylinder, 843cc, 45ps engine. The Colt 1500 featured the 1498cc, KE45 engine which produced 70ps at 5,000rpm.

The Colt 1100 was released in 1966. It adopted the 1,088cc, KE44 engine with a maximum output of 58ps at 6,000rpm. The Colt 1000F and 1100F, both fastback models were released later that year. With top speeds of 135km/h and 140km/h respectively, the Colt 1000F and 1100F were destined to run at the front of the pack, and that's just what the Colt 1000F did at the 1967 Southern Cross Rally in Australia, one of the most gruelling events in motorsports. It took class honors and was 4th overall. In the same event in 1968, it again took class honors and improved its overall placement to 3rd. In 1969, the Colt 1500 proved itself by placing 3rd overall -- Mitsubishi Motors had left its mark in the world of motorsports as well as having served notice that it was a name to be reckoned with.