MITSUBISHI

Lancer (1st Gen)

The first-generation Mitsubishi Lancer, internally the A70 series, was launched in February 1973 to fill the gap between the tiny Minica kei car and the larger Galant. Offered initially as a two- and four-door sedan, the Mitsubishi Lancer arrived with a whole family of engines and no fewer than twelve model variants, from a basic 1.2-litre economy car up to the high-performance 1600 GSR. It was this 1600 GSR that made the first Mitsubishi Lancer a legend: developed specifically for rallying, it delivered repeated victories in the brutal East African Safari Rally, winning the event outright and earning the nickname "King of Cars" across Africa. From February 1975 the range was joined by a sleek hatchback coupe, the Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste, which broadened the model's sporting appeal. The Lancer was sold around the world under a remarkable number of names, badged as the Colt Lancer in Europe, the Dodge and Plymouth Colt in North America and even the Chrysler Valiant Lancer in Australia. Though the sedan gave way to a new generation in 1979, van versions soldiered on until 1985. As the car that started the Lancer story, and the direct ancestor of the later turbocharged, four-wheel-drive Lancer Evolution rally icons, the first-generation Mitsubishi Lancer holds a special place in the brand's motorsport heritage.