Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) just celebrated its 60th anniversary. It’s one local automotive company whose age is quite close to mine (I’m slightly younger), which means that if I tried hard enough, I could remember pretty much every single car model that they’ve ever brought in.
Chrysler Philippines Corporation was the name MMPC had when they commenced operations in the country in 1963. It changed to Canlubang Automotive Resources Corporation (CARCO) in 1978, and again to Philippine Automotive Manufacturing Corporation (PAMCOR) in 1987, before finally adopting Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation in 1996.
I admit I barely remember their time when they were still Chrysler Philippines (Chrysler partly owned Mitsubishi in the early 70s) but I remember seeing the facelifted “bar-type” Lancers with the sticker “CARCO” on the back in the late 70s when I was in grade school, and then “PAMCOR” stickers on the backs of box-type Lancers in the 80s. I was in high school by that time.
There have been many Mitsubishi sold locally over the last six decades, but I wasn’t sure if they would amount to 60—the same number as their years. So I took pen to paper and started scribbling the models I remember from memory. It took less than two hours for me to reach 49 models before I got stumped. I needed 11 more models so I turned to—who else—Google and Facebook Marketplace. I also called an ex-MMPC friend to verify a few models from my list (if they were indeed officially brought in).
So without further ado, here are the 60 officially imported/locally manufactured Dodge, Colt, and Mitsubishi models arranged roughly by decade. I did not count the various variants per model as that would easily make this list go over 100. But I did list down each new generation for every model (but not the facelifts). I also tried to write about each car but soon realized that the text would be too long; so I decided to stop at 1,100 words (at car no. 12).
The 60s
1. Dodge Dart
I remember the big US-made Dodge Dart because our neighbor had one. The late 60s/early 70s was a golden age for US-made cars then. Within a block of our house were a Ford Granada (not the German model), a Ford Mustang Grande, and a Mercury Cougar. I was 9 years old then and was heavily influenced by these cars.
The 70s
2. Dodge Colt
I loved those old Dodge Colts. They were sporty-looking cars which came with four doors or as a two-door. They had tri-bar taillights reminiscent of those on Mustangs.
3. Minica
The Minica (and its higher variant, the Minica F4) was the only kei car officially made available in the Philippines. It was a fairly common car back in the 70s.
4. Colt Galant
This first-gen Galant was unique in that it came in three different body styles: sedan, coupe and station wagon. We had an orange one (a 1974 coupe) when I was in grade school. It was one of the first cars to have a built-in tachometer.
5. Colt Lancer (L-type)
One of the most collectible old school cars now, the L-type boasted a bulletproof Saturn engine that became the darling of the race and rally crowd.
6. Colt Celeste
Among the first four-cylinder engines to be able to rev smoothly to a then-record-high 6,000-rpm redline (thanks to counter-rotating balance shafts), the Celeste was a sporty 2+2 hatchback whose design was inspired by the Lamborghini Espada.
7. Colt Lambda
The Lambda was a two-door 2+2 coupe that was ahead of its time. It had a big 2.0-liter SOHC engine and a sporty cabin with futuristic gauges and bucket seats, including an overhead console with digital clock. It had a unique single-spoke steering wheel and, a gamechanger then, a 5-speed manual and four-wheel disc brakes. However, its main claim to fame was its stainless steel targa bar and wraparound rear windshield just like those in the Porsche 911 Targa.
8. Cimarron
Before the L300, we had the Colt Cimarron Asian utility vehicle (AUV). That was the age of the OG Tamaraw, the Ford Fiera, VW Sakbayan, and GM’s Harabas.
The 80s
9. Colt Mirage
The Mirage was a milestone model for Mitsubishi as it was the first front-wheel drive model from the brand. It came two or four doors and had a novel second gear lever that let you switch final drive ratios to choose between
Economy or Sport.
10. Mitsubishi Lancer box-type
Arguably Mitsubishi’s most iconic model (and the longest lived, next to the L300, of course), the box-type Lancer came as a 1.4-liter SL in 1980, a 1.6-liter GSR in 82, and the bespoilered GT in 1986-87.
11. L100
Few people might remember or even be aware there was ever an L100. It’s quite similar to the L300 except much tinier. The L100 was about the same size as the Daihatsu Hijet and Suzuki Super Carry microvans of the 90s. The only reason I remember this tiny Mitsubishi is because I had a paint shop in college and repainted the L100 of one of my classmates.
12. L300 Versa Van
Going on 40 years, the L300 looks set to break all Philippine records in longevity. Although no longer available as a family van, the current multi-configuration L300 retains the under-cab engine placement and even the same dashboard and steering wheel as the original.
13. Galant “Sigma”
14. Pajero 1 st gen
15. Galant “Eterna”
The 90s
16. Lancer GLX/GTI “singkit”
17. Galant Super Saloon/GTI
18. Space Wagon
19. Space Gear
20. Pajero 2nd gen
21. L200
22. Strada
23. Galant Super Saloon/VR “Rayban”
24. Lancer GLXi “itlog”
25. Montero Sport (1st gen, CBU Japan`)
26. Galant “shark”
27. Lancer GLXi/MX “pizza pie”
38. Eclipse 1st -gen (global 2nd -gen)
29. Lancer Evo IV
The 2000s
30. Lancer Evo V
31. Eclipse 2nd gen (global 3rd gen)
32. Lancer MX “Cedia”
33. Fuzion
34. Diamante
35. Outlander 1st gen
36. L200 Endeavor
37. Strada (2nd gen)
38. Galant 2.4M
39. Endeavor SUV (US version)
40. Pajero 3rd gen
41. Eclipse 3rd gen (global 4th gen)
42. Lancer Evo VIII
43. Grandis
44. Outlander 2nd gen
The 2010s
45. Lancer Evo IX
46. Strada (3rd gen)
47. ASX
48. Lancer MX/GT-A
49. Pajero 4th gen
50. Lancer Evo X
51. Lancer RALLIART
52. Adventure 2nd gen
53. Montero Sport 2nd -gen (Thai version)
54. Xpander
55. Mirage/Mirage G4
56. L300 Euro 4
57. Strada (4th gen)
58. Montero Sport 3rd gen
The 2020s
59. Outlander PHEV
60. Xpander Cross
