| Mitsubishi 500 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, Ltd |
| Production | 1960–1962 |
| Designer | Masataka Nimura, Munetaro Shigehiro, Tsutomu Ieda |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact car |
| Body style | 2-doorsedan |
| Layout | RR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 493 ccNE19AOHVI2 594 ccNE35A OHV I2 |
| Transmission | 3-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,065 mm (81.3 in)[1] |
| Length | 3,140–3,160 mm (10 ft 4 in – 10 ft 4 in)[2] |
| Width | 1,390 mm (4 ft 7 in) |
| Height | 1,380 mm (4 ft 6 in) |
| Curb weight | 490 kg (1,080 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Mitsubishi Colt 600 |
TheMitsubishi 500 was the first passenger car produced after theSecond World War byShin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, Ltd, one of the companies which would becomeMitsubishi Motors.[3] It was built from 1960 until 1962 and formed the basis for Mitsubishi's next model, theColt 600. It was exported in small numbers.
First shown at the 1959Tokyo Motor Show, it became available in 1960 at a cost of¥390,000. It was powered by arear mounted,air-cooled 493 cctwo-cylinder engine with a single downdraughtcarburettor producing 21 PS (15 kW) at 5,000 rpm,[1] driving the rear wheels through a three-speedmanual transmission. The body was amonocoque, in order to be light and strong enough to reach the goal of seating four and reaching 100 km/h with such a small engine. Chassis code wasA10, laterA11.
Buoyed by its sales success, it was given an enlarged 25 PS (18 kW) 594 cc engine (NE35A) in August 1961 for improved acceleration and durability. This model was known as theMitsubishi 500 Super DeLuxe. The succeedingColt 600 used a great deal of the 500 Super DeLuxe's underpinnings, including the engine and layout. The Mitsubishi 500 was never aKei car: Kei regulations at the time of introduction mandated an engine no larger than 360 cc, which remained the limit until it was raised to 550 cc January 1, 1976.
Although they are now more renowned for their contemporary successes inoff-road racing with thePajero-based Rally Raid vehicle andLancer Evo-based WRC car, Mitsubishi's first "homologation special" was a Super DeLuxe-basedtouring car which the company prepared for the 1962Macau Grand Prix. In an auspicious debut Kazuo Togawa took class honours, as the diminutive sedan swept the top four places in the "Under 750 cc" category.[4]
 | This article about a classic post-war automobile produced between 1945 and 1975 is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |