What does an unloved 1990s Japanese performance coupe have in common with a mid-level fast Mercedes from the 2010s? In the case of the Mercedes-AMG C43 and the Mitsubishi 3000 GT, quite a lot.
Both are fast four-wheel-drive turbocharged V6 coupes, both have received their fair share of undue criticism, and both could represent quite a bargain if you find the right examples...
Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe and Mitsubishi 3000 GT: Automotive Reincarnations
- Mitsubishi 3000 GT: an Unloved Japanese Performance Car
- Mitsubishi 3000 GT: the Nearly Car
- Mercedes C43 Coupe: Much Like the 3000 GT
- Mitsubishi 3000 GT: An Appealing Used Buy
- Mercedes C43 Coupe: Now a Used Bargain, too
Mitsubishi 3000 GT: an Unloved Japanese Performance Car
Park a Toyota Supra Mk4 at a car show and, without a doubt, it will be bombarded with spectators happily quoting the original 'The Fast & the Furious' film. Quips about 2JZ engines, 'overnight parts from Japan' and 'smoking' fellow motorists will fill the air like vape mist in no time at all, while social media streams will be afire with #Toyota #Supra #Supranation.
You’ll often elicit similarly positive reactions if you rock up in a Nissan Skyline or a Mazda RX-7, although some of the comments about the latter might not be so complimentary, given the oft-prejudiced views about its Wankel rotary engine.
However, turn up in a Mitsubishi GTO – which was dubbed the Mitsubishi 3000 GT in the UK market – and you won’t necessarily receive such adoration; the big coupe, alas, has always been viewed as somewhat of a damp squib. Overweight, overcomplicated, expensive and unrewarding to drive are claims often made about the high-performance Mitsubishi, which was first revealed back in October 1990.
To be fair, it’s easy to understand why many have such a mindset. For one thing, the GTO clocked in at a hefty 1,735kg. The flagship twin-turbo 276bhp 3.0-litre V6 went some way to countering that bulk, mind, as did advanced technologies such as active aerodynamics, electronically adjustable suspension, all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering.
The Mitsubishi 3000 GT was unquestionably quick, and proved comfortable and capable of cornering at speed with ease, but it lacked excitement. However, this was in part the idea: it was supposed to be a relaxed and quiet GT that could cover big leaps in single, effortless bounds.
Mitsubishi 3000 GT: the Nearly Car
Truth be told, the unexciting Mitsubishi wasn’t that dissimilar to the MkIV Toyota Supra, which in standard form, was a quiet and relaxed GT that tipped the scales in excess of 1,600kg. It was only the Toyota’s prominence in the aftermarket tuning scene, and its Hollywood fame, that elevated it to such heights.
Things could have gone very differently for the hi-tech Mitsubishi. For one thing, it was originally in contention for a leading role in aforementioned The Fast and the Furious, although a Dodge Stealth - the US domestic-market version of the 3000 GT - was later used in the ‘Turbo Charged Prelude’ that preceded 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Mercedes C43 Coupe: Much Like the 3000 GT
In any case, enthusiasm for the Mitsubishi ebbed away and it slipped into the doldrums. However, in 2016, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a new car that in many ways loudly echoed 3000 GT: the Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe.
Even at a glance, there are obvious similarities. They’re both luxury coupes, for starters, and have a similar footprint. The Mercedes also weighs in at a claimed 1,735kg, matching precisely the kerbweight of the older Mitsubishi. The Mercedes, too, features a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that sends its power to all four wheels: although, admittedly, it puts out a higher 362bhp and isn’t mounted transversely as per the 3000 GT. Other hardware, such as electronically adjustable dampers, could also be found on both.
The V6-powered C43 doesn't have the hairy-chested performance of its bigger brother, the Mercedes-AMG C63, sure, but it is a more approachable, easier-going machine, and one that offers modern safety tech and luxury gadgets that even the once-advanced Mitsubishi couldn't dream of.
Mitsubishi 3000 GT: An Appealling Used Buy
Today, the Mitsubishi 3000 GT is perhaps a more tempting machine than it used to be. This, primarily, is because similar cars of the era all now have stratospheric prices; a clean six-speed twin-turbo UK Supra, for example, will easily set you back in the region of £50,000. That’s about the same as a 2016 C43 AMG which, unquestionably, is the more gratifying and enjoyable car to drive in standard form.
An immaculate 3000 GT, on the other hand, will only cost around £10,000-£15,000, and if you take a gamble at an auction, you might get one for a few thousand less. More to the point, you can also quickly sort out many of the initial gripes with the Mitsubishi thanks to the help of various specialists; a few tweaks can quickly transform the nature and feel of Mitsubishi’s heavyweight coupe.
Care must be taken, though, as the complexity of the 3000 GT can frequently prove to be its downfall. Buy an unloved example, or one that’s been poorly tuned, and the cost and difficulty of sorting it out can quickly ruin the ownership experience. Buy right, buy once, and enjoy.
Mercedes C43 Coupe: Now a Used Bargain, too
Of course, the C43 has now joined the 3000 GT in the pages of car history, as the W205-generation Mercedes C-Class gave way to the W206 model in 2021 (the W-numbers being internal Mercedes codenames for different model generations). And although the newer C-Class also comes in a C43 flavour, it's no longer available as a coupe and the engine is a complicated hybrid turbo four-cylinder unit, which doesn't quite offer the aural charm of the older car's power unit.
Because of all that, the older W205 C43 seems like quite a tempting used buy.
