The Mitsubishi Lancer was obtainable in america from the 2002 by way of 2017 mannequin years, and almost all of these vehicles had been four-door sedans. The exception was the Lancer Sportback, a reputation first utilized to a 2004-only wagon model after which to a hatchback Lancer bought for the 2010-2014 mannequin years. I am all the time in search of uncommon Mitsubishis throughout my junkyard travels, be they obscure examples of badge engineering, long-forgotten market failures or complicated particular editions. Here is a 2010 Lancer Sportback, present in a Denver self-service yard just lately.
The Lancer title has a prolonged historical past in america, however all of it throughout the twentieth century concerned Dodge fashions. For 1955 by way of 1959, the Lancer title was utilized to hardtop variations of Dodge’s Royal, Customized and Coronet. Then it was used for the Dodge-badged model of the Plymouth Valiant for 1961 and 1962, with the Dart title step by step squeezing the Lancer title to the facet throughout that second 12 months. Lancers returned to American Dodge showrooms as members of the prolonged Ok-Automobile household, with rebadged Chrysler LeBaron GTSs bought right here for the 1985 by way of 1989 mannequin years.
Mitsubishi started constructing its personal Lancers all the way in which again in 1973, and a few of these vehicles had been bought right here throughout the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties as Dodge Colts, Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Sapporos and Plymouth Arrows.
Loads of producers have used variations of the “Sportback” designation over the a long time, with one of many earliest being the Nissan Pulsar NX Sportbak. Buick bought Regal Sportbacks as just lately as 2020, and Audi nonetheless makes use of the time period right here as we speak. The “Liftback” title loved prominence for fairly some time however has light from mainstream use in recent times, whereas the “Wagonback” appellation by no means caught on regardless of Geo’s finest efforts.
The 2010 Lancer Sportback was obtainable in two trim ranges: GTS and Ralliart. The Ralliart acquired a turbocharged engine, all-wheel-drive and a six-speed dual-clutch computerized shared with the Evo; the GTS had front-wheel-drive and a five-speed guide as base tools (this automobile has the non-obligatory CVT with paddle shifters).
The engine is a 2.4-liter straight-four rated at 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque; the Ralliart had 237 horses and 253 pound-feet.
The MSRP for the 2010 Lancer Sportback GTS was $19,190, or about $27,193 in 2023 {dollars}.
This one seems to have endured some lean occasions throughout its remaining months or years on the highway, with a number of field-expedient repairs carried out with tape. I’ve seen worse in junkyards, in fact.
Do not confer with the proprietor of a Lancer Sportback as “Ma’am!”