Originally Posted by
SpawnedX
Checking in again from DSMTuners.com my Mitsubishi brethren. I figure a DSMer putting down some facts would help you guys keep your identity. For what it's worth Galants are clean cars and underrated.
Chrysler purchased stock in Mitsubishi in 1970 and began selling Mitsubishi vehicles on their lots, the deal included the licensing of Mitsubishi designed components, such-as engines, chassis designs and suspension. When import laws were changed, Mitsubishi could no longer import as many vehicles under the new quota limit. The two companies decided to, basically, go around this in 1982 by creating a joint venture. The Mitsubishi Starion and Chrysler Conquest were the first true vehicles to be completely designed and developed between the companies. In 1985 they incorporated as Diamond Star Motors. All DSM is and was, is a company name.
In 1988 they developed another joint vehicle, known as the Talon, Eclipse and Laser under their respective dealer badges. This was the last car developed under the joint venture. All lines of the car were identical minus styling. During the first decade of this partnership, 1982 to 1993, when Mitsubishi bought out the shares Chrysler held, only Talon, Eclipse and Lasers were being produced in the jointly owned plant in Normal, Illinois. Upon Mitsubishi's reacquisition of the shares held by Chrysler, it began to move it's own vehicle production into the plant. Part of the reacquisition deal included Mitsubishi producing and licensing some other Chrysler vehicles as well, they share a platform, but not a complete design.
Mitsubishi & Chrysler had redesigned the Eclipse & Talon in mid 1993 as a concept for the next generation of jointly designed vehicles. It went into production and began being sold in late 1994 as the 1995 model, under the agreement Mitsubishi was to continue producing the Talon until their licensing agreement on the vehicle ended. In 1995, almost two years after the actual end of the DSM joint operation (read before the 1994 Galant moved into production), Mitsubishi renamed it's US operation to Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (or MMC). From 1996 onwards, the vehicles developed in that plant were badged with the proper company name. Because the Galant was produced in 1994 and 1995, they were required to carry the name of the actual company that built it.
In 1998 Mitsubishi and Chrysler terminated the Eagle Talon line when Eagle was shut down by Chrysler. Otherwise there would have had to been a 1999 version, or until Mitsubishi redesigned the line.
The DSM badge is nothing more than a legal formality. The only car jointly designed by DSM (read not Mitsubishi & Chrysler, but DSM as a company) was the Talon, Eclipse and Laser. That is why 1996-1999 Eclipses and up to 1998 Talons are considered DSMs, they were designed under the DSM flagship.
DSM today refers to cars designed jointly by the companies. Which as established was only the Eclipse, Talon and Laser. Your Galant DSM badge is nothing more than corporate red tape, required by the US government. No Galant and no Evo is a DSM, in fact by the actual definition of the term no 96+ Eclipses or Talons are, they are MMCs or Chryslers, living on nothing but a legacy.
.....Galants are nice cars with knowledgable and educated owners who deserve their nook in the automotive hobby, and the same goes for DSMs. Bonded only by the Mitsubishi Symbol. You know what else is funny, you won't find any Talon with a 4G64, or any Eclipse from before 1996 with one, how weird that the engine wasn't used until DSM officially ceased to exist.
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1999 Mitsubishi Galant ES
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