Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Fall From GraceIf you take a look at the Mitsubishi lineup right now, it's not exactly what anyone would call inspiring. Granted, there's the Outlander PHEV that's not too bad of a compact crossover, but the rest of the range simply, well, exists. The situation in other markets isn't too encouraging, either.In Europe, it only has the L200/Triton pickup as its purely developed product, as the rest are rebadged Renaults. That said, the brand is doing better in Asia, but it was once an automaker that easily sold over 1 million cars worldwide without having to take drastic measures to do so.AdvertisementAdvertisementThere was a time Mitsubishi made cars that would actually make you consider its products without being enticed by lease deals and promos. Most of these were made in the '90s, and even its pedestrian models were, in fact, genuinely good cars. It's some of these old Mitsubishi cars that laid the foundation for the brand's greatest hits, most of which are legendary today.MitsubishiMitsubishi Galant VR-4/Legnum VR-4The Mitsubishi Galant ended with a whimper in 2012, and its final attempt at something sporty was with the relatively robust but still relatively soggy Ralliart in 2007. Before that, however, the Galant had a true sporty version in the form of the VR-4. The Galant VR-4 was a proper rally homologation special that would eventually lay the foundations for the Lancer Evolution series. The best part was that it was sold in the U.S., but sadly, the succeeding generations weren't sold stateside. A shame given that those models got even more chassis trickery and a twin-turbo V6 engine.Okay, we're cheating a little here by also including the Legnum VR-4. The Legnum was the wagon version of the ninth-generation Galant (again, not sold in the U.S.), and Mitsubishi thought it was in its best interest to stick a twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel drive in it. At the time, Japan was in a fast wagon frenzy, and Mitsubishi responded in the best way possible. It was Mitsubishi's first rally-bred longroof, something it repeated with the Evolution IX Wagon in 2005.MitsubishiMitsubishi Lancer EvolutionWhile the Galant VR-4 made Mitsubishi a contender in the World Rally Championship, it was the Lancer Evolution series that made the brand a force of nature in the sport. The first two Evolution models hinted at Mitsubishi's strength in rallying, while Evolution III to Evolution VI raked in titles.AdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps the most successful iterations would be the models based on the seventh-generation Lancer/fifth-generation Mirage. Sure, the Evo III gave Mitsubishi its first driver's title in WRC, but it was the Evo IV, V, and VI that sustained that success and gave the brand its legendary status in the series with Tommi Mäkinen. The following versions couldn't replicate the success of the '90s Evos. These older Mitsubishi cars were really something special, be it on the road or in competition.MitsubishiMitsubishi Pajero EvolutionSticking to the rally theme, Mitsubishi's exploits in the Dakar Rally are unmatched, and that's all thanks to the Pajero. It first competed in 1983 and claimed its first overall win in 1985. Rule changes for the 1997 season meant the competition model had to be homologated, and that's where the street version of the Pajero Evolution came in.Like the Lancer Evolution, the Pajero Evolution looked like a standard (three-door) model with bits added for a racy look. The truth is, it was a totally different vehicle underneath, with fully independent suspension, trick differentials, and an uprated engine that was far superior to the 'normal' Pajeros and Monteros at the time.The Pajero Evolution won in its debut year, and Mitsubishi would go on to win the Dakar 12 times while racing with Pajeros. Think of this as a Bronco Raptor of the '90s, only much rarer, with fewer than 3,000 built. If you spot one of these being a Pajero, it's not just one of those 'Mitsubishi old cars,' but rather, one of the most successful rally cars ever made. Fingers crossed the revived model gets a racing version.MitsubishiMitsubishi FTOMoving away from the world of rallying, we'll take a look at one of the Mitsubishi JDM cars that flew under the radar. It's a 2-door sports coupe, but it's not the Eclipse. Instead, we've chosen the FTO for this list, and it's not just because it won the Japan Car of the Year 1994-1995. Next to the Eclipse from the same era, this was more chiseled, athletic, and dynamic. It also came with a high-revving MIVEC V6 that sang to 8,000 rpm.AdvertisementAdvertisementSure, it has front-wheel drive, but contemporary Japanese reviews praised its handling and dynamics. That said, it was the Honda/Acura Integra Type R that proved far more popular due to worldwide availability, but that just means the FTO is a hidden gem that's waiting to be uncovered and enjoyed by more people.MitsubishiMitsubishi 3000GT/GTOIf there's one model in the realm of old Mitsubishi cars that screams technical showcase, it's the 3000GT. Known as the GTO in its home market, it was the first and only car like it, then or since. It was Mitsubishi's halo car for Japan's bubble economy era, going up against the likes of the Honda/Acura NSX, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Toyota Supra.Mitsubishi threw everything it could at the 3000GT. It's a whole lot of 'all' and 'active' with the top versions with all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering, active exhaust, active suspension, and active aerodynamics. The twin-turbo models were rapid, too, and could easily go toe-to-toe with their far more popular and revered contemporaries. It's just a little sad that the 3000GT isn't held in the same regard as its rivals despite its advancements.MitsubishiSpecial Mention: Mitsubishi EclipseOkay, we'll throw one more old Mitsubishi into the list, as we reckon people will write angry comments if we don't include it. It's none other than the Eclipse, and we feel its name has been dragged through the mud in recent years. It was revived as a crossover, and now, it's a rebadged Nissan Leaf.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs the saying goes, 'remember who you are,' and the Eclipse we love will always be the sporty compact coupe available with turbo power and one of the cars that shaped the country's import tuner culture, thanks to a certain movie franchise. We'll be even more specific and just focus on the first two generations, not the later ones that eventually fizzled out. If anything, the Eclipse today is the very embodiment of Mitsubishi and 'you used to be cool, man.'MitsubishiMitsubishiView the 14 images of this gallery on the original articleThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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