The 380 - Hero Or Zero?

[Bain]

? - not enough power? 175 kw, exactly same as Expensive Daewoo and 7 kw less than ba falcon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly, they are also lighter and have less drivetrain loss.

The 380 would outgun a NA XR6 or XT without even having to try..

I like the car, if it was lowered.

As for quality.. If that was the only selling point on a car, id take mitsu over a ford or Expensive Daewoo any day of the week.

Also, for those "Its a FWD" people.. You guys really need to look into how FWD cars handle through twisties.. Its not ALL about a 400 metre straight line.

I would bet if they 380 VRX or GT went up against a XR6 NA through some twisties it would be neck and neck.. Maybe the 380 would come out on top as it has more power at the wheels and a better ability to go through corners (being FWD)

I hope its a huge success for Mitsu as around 5000 jobs around Australia rely on that company.

[Mondie]

Well said Bain, l agree 100%. Good to see not everyone has the blinkers on.

[Cowiesxr6t]

Hi All

Just reading my local paper up here and in the Motor Weekly section they have named the 380 as the best large car.

2nd place went to the Hyundai Sonata

3rd place was the Falcon XT.

Dosen't say if it's from the Austrialian point of veiw or the local point of veiw (who wrote the article) from up here if you know what I mean.

Cheers

Cowie

[drcook]

Hi All

Just reading my local paper up here and in the Motor Weekly section they have named the 380 as the best large car.

2nd place went to the Hyundai Sonata

3rd place was the Falcon XT.

Dosen't say if it's from the Austrialian point of veiw or the local point of veiw (who wrote the article) from up here if you know what I mean.

Cheers

Cowie

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think your local paper needs to replace the writer.

drive.com.au did the test with falcon xt, commo vy, 380 and sonata. sonata came last by a mile, then holden, then 380 (with a bit of a gap over the holden), with falcon as the winner.

[TurboDewd]

Just reading my local paper up here and in the Motor Weekly section they have named the 380 as the best large car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The thing is that a good car still has to compete on price and at the moment the 380 enters a smaller market segment vs 10yrs ago - the full size sedan. The 380 may struggle in terms of profitability.

[Redhawk]

I still reckon Dag's siganature gif is pretty good..........

[jordak]

Looks wise - I'm sure we'll be pleasantly surprised once a few lowered 380's with decent wheels start getting around.

Performance wise - It obviously wasn't something that Mitsubishi focused on so I guess it's bit of a mute subject really. Lets face it, large, quick, FWD cars are a contridiction in terms which is why there aren't any.

Interesting to note however that in building a car that was designed to go head to head with Falcon / Late model camira in the big Aussie car stakes that they came up with a boot even smaller than the Magna, go figure

[turbotom]

In March this year, I was sitting in Hahndorf, on a sidewalk table at the local INN, having a nice cool bavarian ale. Three tourists stopped in the middle of the road to take some happy snaps, gibbering away in foreign tongue.

As they approached, I asked them where they were from.....

Germany was the reply.. They were automotive design engineers, brought over by Mitsubishi, to design the interior of the 380.

They didn't say too much (this was well before the release) but they were enthusiastic about the project.

My only comment to them regarding Mitsubishi, was, in Australia, a full sized car needs to have a V8, but more importantly, MUST be rear wheel drive.

They could NOT understand my viewpoint.

If any manufacturer believes they can introduce a model on the basis that it is designed by Europeans, it MUST be acceptable by Australians, has their head firmly wedged up their rear end.

The Australian motoring public has its own unique taste in what is acceptable, what is good and what is outstanding. It also recognises ugliness very quickly (eg AU falcon) and causes a swift fiscal result at the showroom.

The Mitsubishi 380 is an impressive car if you hop in and drive one.

But I have a stigma about front wheel drive, and would not consider it.

But hey, that's just me.

I hope, for the sake of the entire automotive manufacturing sector, that the 380 gains some acceptance. The increasing demand for meeting a higher level of features at a reduction of cost, is forcing the manufacturers to continually source components from overseas.

If a major manufacturer like Mitsubishi sells up and leaves, there are hundreds of automotive supply companies that will NOT be able to compete with a reduced turnover. ( AND NOT just in SA ) They will fold too. There's a lot more than 5000 people with their livelihoods on the line.

What Mitsubishi need to do, is have a real challenger in the performance stakes.

Crickey, they could throw a 380 body on the chassis they use in V8 supercars.

(lets face it, the underpinnings of the V8 supercars are nothing like the showroom models after all)

Here lies the problem for Mitsubishi with FWD. There is a limit to how much power can be delivered through a FWD system. So from the enthusiast's point of view, there is an immdiate limitation to potential.

There is an AWD variant, and it does provide a great deal more potential...... But the weight gain can override the performance edge.

If Mitsubishi was to develop a succesful competitive full sized car in motor sport competition, our attitudes to them would completely change.

food for thought.

tom

[sbr79]

wELL NOT THAT I WOULD TRUST MY choice of car to a Magazine, considering their judgement has always been based on how much car makers pay for a positive write up and all.

BUT, in wheels mag a comparision between BF XR6, SV6 and the 380, came up with these results, BF 4.5 stars out of 5, 380 3.5/5 and the SV6 2.5 stars. Guess its not as good as the fords. I can't believe some think that Mitsu Family cars are good quality, everyone I know that has had one won't buy 1 again, poor quality, cheap looking, everything inside breaks, and runs like a bucket of dog poo, exact words of many family friends who have owned MAGNAs etc....

[F6 UTE]

It's going to take a long time for ppl to forget the days of Magna and Sigma. Just like the days of Camira..

It's going to be a hard sell, but the car isn't a Magna, nor a product of the Mitsubishi of yesteryear.

It's had some teething issues, as does every Ford or Expensive Daewoo sold. I'd like to see BA in 5 years. Let's see how they stack up in the long term.

As far as performance based family car?? I really don't think the 380 is trying to capture that market. It's dominated by Aussie mentality, as Turbotom pointed out, and you won't crack it with forward thinking... HSV anyone?????? Atleast Ford is doing it's best to broaden it's market..

Remember when Ford said 6 cylinder was the way of the future, and they dropped the V8-> FOR EVER!! Public pressure is the only thing that put a V8 back in a Falcon.. They have a turbo 6 now that sh*tts on the V8, and will wait for the V8 to die it's own lonly death, with ppl like DBOSS shouting from the grave how he can beat any rice rocket or 6 cylinder manufactured.. Diehards will diehard, and there's nothing wrong with that.. They just don't know better..

It's different, and we Aussie's don't like different.. I 'spose it's lucky we have so many immagrants and company exec's with Fleets to buy the 'other' cars, while we drive round in big, heavy lumps of iron..