Mitsubishi is known for its World Rally Cross pedigree. Naturally, most of its most popular sports cars have been all-wheel drive and based on its rally cars. The Lancer Evolution is a competitor to the Subaru WRX, and the two rivals have been at each other's throats since their conception. Some models of the Evolution are arguably better, but the Subaru has always won in total sales. Unfortunately, the Lancer Evolution was discontinued in 2015.

Mitsubishi has been selling cars in the U.S. for 40 years now, but currently, it doesn't have even one sports car in its lineup. It may seem like an oversight by the executives at the company, but through various interviews with Rob Lindley, it has been made clear that it is the strategy that has been put into place. Since they are such a small company or at least its automotive division is, the brand has focused its production lineups on trending vehicles, SUVs, and crossovers.

That means that unless sports cars take over the demand within the market, the world may never see another awesome sports car with the Mitsubishi nameplate on it. Anyway, let's take a look at the 15 best sports cars that the Japanese automaker has produced and wait and see what the future holds.

Updated April 25, 2023: Mitsubishi may not be making any more sports cars, but the ones that they produced in the past are still available if you look hard enough. The great thing about them is that they are already built for all types of terrain, so even if they are a little beat up when found, they can easily be restored and brought back to their past glory.

RELATED: Spiritual Successor to the Mitsubishi 3000GT may Return as Lancer Evo Replacement

1 Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR Is A Rally Champion

A parked Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR
LSDSL via Wikimedia Commons
Front and side view of a Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR

A SOHC 1597cc engine replaced the standard 1.2- and 1.4-liter engines, giving the Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR sedan a five-speed transmission instead of the standard four-speed 'box. The 4G32 "Saturn" engine was outfitted with twin downdraft two-barrel Hitachi carburetors and a 4-2-1 cast-iron exhaust header from the factory. The GSR package included an upgraded interior with embossed vinyl seats, a four-channel audio system, and an eight-track tape player. The 1974 and 1976 Rally Safari in Southern Africa were won by a factory-modified Lancer, as well as the 1973 Southern Cross Rally in Australia.

2 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Was A Rally Racer Converted To Street Use

A parked 1991 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
Bring a Trailer
Front and side view of a 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4

The Mitsubishi Galant is the epitome of sleeper cars. The VR-4 was the top-of-the-line Galant sedan version for three generations of the Japanese vehicle. The World Rally Cross Group A model was converted into a road vehicle. It also has a rally pedigree, winning six WRC rallies in three years, including the 1000 Lakes in Finland. The first generation of VR-4s was equipped with inline-four 2.0-liter engines derived from their competition versions, which could generate 237 horsepower. The next generation of VR-4s came with V-6 engines, with the 2.5-liter V-6 producing up to 279 horsepower.

RELATED: The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Isn't Being Revived Because The Company Is Broke

3 Mitsubishi Colt GTi-16 Turbo Is A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

A parked 1984 Plymouth COlt GTS Turbo
Bring a Trailer
Front and side view of a 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo

Looking at a Mitsubishi Colt GTi-16 Turbo hatchback is like looking at a Geo Metro or Honda Civic, which can be a good thing (or bad), depending upon how you see things. The GTi-16 Turbo only had a turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-four under the hood, but the sixteen valves gave the engine up to 128 horsepower. It may not sound like much, but considering that this little car only weighed about 2249 pounds, it could shoot down the track from 0 to 60 mph in just over seven seconds.

4 Mitsubishi Starion Was Known As The Chrysler Conquest

A parked 1985 Mitsubishi Starion
TKOIII via Wikimedia Commons
Side and front view of a 1985 Mitsubishi Starion

The Starion coupe was marketed in North America as the 'Conquest' and was sold by Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth. Even though the Starion was the second Japanese sports car to include electronic fuel injection on a turbocharged engine, sales were slow. The Mazda RX-7 and the Toyota Supra were the Starion's competition. Only one engine was available in North America, the well-known 2.6-liter G54B that was also used by Chrysler on its K-platform cars. Two body styles were available (narrow and wide-body), but only one was available in North America.

RELATED: Mitsubishi Ralliart's Comeback Is All Show And No Go

5 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution Was A Star Before Its Time

A parked 1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution
Bring a Trailer
Side and front view of a 1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

The era of the SUV is here. Unfortunately, it is a little late for the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, which should have taken over the world in the late '90s, but the company was too early. SUVs were not popular back then, so Mitsubishi used the new type of Evo to rally race. The Pajero had removed the things not needed by a rally racer, such as touchscreens and gauges. What it did have was a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 under the hood that could pump out 276 horsepower and up to 256 pound-feet of torque. The shiftable 4WD system, independent suspension, and limited-slip differentials made this SUV a beast to be reckoned with.

6 Mitsubishi Minica Dangan ZZ Is Small But Dangerous

A parked Mitsubishi Minica Dangan 4
Ypy31 via Wikimedia Commons
Side and front view of a Mitsubishi Minica Dangan 4

Another compact sedan many people would not even look twice at is the Mitsubishi Minica Dangan ZZ. As strange as it may sound, this sports car was built by Mitsubishi and is often overlooked because it is so small. Since it only has a 549cc 3-cylinder engine under the hood, it can only manage to go a top speed of 100 mph. But when you do street racing, what matters more is acceleration times from low speeds, and since the Minica Dangan is so light, it can zip from 0 to 62 in just under 10 seconds. Not great, but it's enough to zip in and out of traffic and around corners without hesitation.

RELATED: Mitsubishi's Reasons For Not Building a Sports Car Will Leave You Longing For the Days of the Eclipse and Evolution

7 Mitsubishi FTO GPX Is A Bright Yellow Special Edition Sports Car

A parked Mitsubishi FTO
Shadman Samee via Wikimedia Commons
Front and side view of a Mitsubishi FTO

The Mitsubishi GTO GPX is a special edition front-wheel drive sports coupe that received the Car of the Year Award in Japan in 1994/1995. It has a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter V-6 as the main power plant, pushing out up to 197 horsepower, that can achieve a top speed of around 140 miles per hour. The limited slip differential came standard on the dandelion yellow car, as did a rear window washer which was not a common addition for a Mitsubishi sports car.

8 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 Is Heavy But Equipped With Twin Turbos

A parked 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
Mecum
Side and front view of a 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4

The Mitsubishi 3000GT is easily one of the most underrated JDM cars. The VR-4 coupe weighs 3,737 pounds, and it's an all-wheel-drive, twin-turbocharged machine. It weighs about 500 pounds more than a Chevrolet Corvette, even though it's just an inch longer overall. The VR-4 has a 320 horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 engine in its nose, which belies its front-drive ancestry. To boost this vehicle, two turbos are used, which blow through individual intercoolers. The horsepower peak occurs at 6,000 rpm, but all 315 pound-feet of torque is available at 2,500 rpm.

RELATED: This is What The Mitsubishi Eclipse Should Really Look Like

9 The Best Eclipse Is The Early Model Sports Coupe

A parked Mitsubishi Eclipse
Dave_7 via Flickr
Front and side view of a Mitsubishi Eclipse

The Mitsubishi Eclipse coupe has been in continuous production since the Lancer Evolution, and it is the longest-running sports model in the company's history. This compact sports car was made from 1989 until 2011 and sold under Mitsubishi, Eagle, and Plymouth badges, in addition to being assembled at Mitsubishi's Illinois plant. The Eclipse was available in both coupes and convertibles. The last generation of Diamond-Star engines was a 2.4-liter with 162 horsepower and a more powerful 3.2-liter providing 263 horsepower.

10 Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition Commemorates Four Championships

A parked Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition
FotoSleuth via Wikimedia Commons
Side and rear view of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen edition is one of the most limited Mitsubishis, with only 2,500 copies built. It was created to commemorate the four championships Makinen won driving a Diamond-Star vehicle in the WRC. The only difference between the standard Evo VI sedan and this one is the 276-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-four turbocharged engine.

It has a unique front bumper, a titanium turbine, TME edition stickers, signature Recaro seats with an embossed "T. Makinen" logo, a different front bumper, red and black Recaro seats with an embossed "T. Mäkinen" logo, 17" white Enkei wheels, a leather steering wheel, and shift knob, a titanium compressor that spools up quicker, a front strut brace, a lowered ride height (to handle tarmac stages), and a quicker steering ratio. This special Evo VI only comes in red.

RELATED: Rendering Shows Off the Rebooted Mitsubishi Lancer as a Rally-Bred Crossover Coupe

11 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII Xtreme SC Was Only Built Once

A parked 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII
Mecum
Front and side view of a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII

This isn't just any modified Mitsubishi Evo - it's one from a company with strong ties to Mitsubishi. Ralliart U.K. imported Evolution models. The Ralliart U.K. name was sold to the Colt Car Company in 2002. At the time, it was the most powerful thing they had created. In addition to its forged pistons, high-lift camshafts, and crankshaft, the 2.2-liter inline-four featured 1000cc injectors and an Apexi turbocharger. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII Xtreme SC sedan offers 458 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, 410 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm, and 0-60 miles per hour in only 3.5 seconds. Only one example was ever built.

12 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII FQ 400 Has A Special Engine

A parked 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
Bring a Trailer
Side and front view of a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

The FQ 400 series was among the quickest Mitsubishi sedans ever made. Its 4G63 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine was specially tweaked by Rampage Tuning, Flow Race Engines, and Owen Developments. The Lancer FQ 400 was produced by Ralliart in the United Kingdom and sold exclusively with 405 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. Mitsubishi manufactured this Lancer FQ 400 to celebrate its 30th Anniversary in the United Kingdom. The Evolution VIII was the first Lancer officially sold in the United States.

RELATED: This Modern 3000GT Could Make Mitsubishi Relevant Again

13 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ 360 Was The Most Powerful Evo

A parked 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
Mitsubishi
Front and side view of a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

The most powerful Evo IX model is the FQ 360, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine that generates 366 horsepower and 363 pound-feet of torque. From 0 to 60 miles per hour, the Evo IX FQ 360 takes 3.9 seconds, and its top speed is 160 miles per hour. The Mitsubishi FQ 360 sedan has a standard six-speed manual transmission. It features Bilstein monotube shock absorbers used for suspension, and the FQ 360 runs on super unleaded petrol only. The equipment upgrades include the Ralliart Sports meter kit, Speedline alloy wheels, and a carbon fiber front splitter.

14 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Was The Last Of A Great Line

A parked Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
ChromeGames923 via Wikimedia Commons
Front and side view of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

The Lancer Evo line of cars was a series of rally sedans that took the world by storm. It also became one of the premier companies street racers looked to for affordable choices. The Mitsubishi Evo X was powered by the familiar turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder that could pump out 291 horses and 300 pound-feet of torque. Of course, since this type of car is not meant for all-out brute force, this amount of power and torque is plenty for drifting around corners and accelerating out of turns on any terrain.

RELATED: 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse Ralliart - What Mitsubishi's Sports Car Should Have Been

15 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ 440 Was Restricted To 40 Models

A parked 2014 Mitsubishi Evolution X
Mecum
Front view of a 2014 Mitsubishi Evolution X

The Evolution X (FQ 440) sedan is the fastest Mitsubishi car ever produced, with a 0-62 miles per hour time of 3.6 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. The FQ 440 was produced to commemorate Mitsubishi's 40th anniversary in the United Kingdom, utilizing a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine with 440 horsepower and 412 pound-feet of torque. The FQ 440 was restricted to 40 models, costing around $82,900 to commemorate the company's 40th anniversary. It had bi-xenon headlights, forged BBS alloy wheels, leather bucket seats, and a high-contrast LCD setup.

FAQ

Q: What years did Harley make the Softail Standard?

The Softail as a model was announced in 1984. It is still in production today.

Q: Is a Softail Standard a good starter bike?

Yes, it would. It’s got a low seat, low center of gravity, and easily accessible power without being too over the top.

Q: What is the difference between a Softail Standard and Custom?

The original Softail Custom had a blacked-out engine with chrome covers, more chrome overall on the bike and a 21-inch front wheel.