Model History
The Mitsubishi Debonair was first introduced at the 10th All Japan Motor Show (later renamed the Tokyo Motor Show) October 1963. Its appearance at the time was described as "dignified" and was one of the first Japanese-bult sedans with a luxury intent, using a 2.0 L six cylinder and its exterior dimensions were just under Japanese government regulations for vehicles classified as "compact" while offering a spacious interior and luxury refinements of the period. At its introduction, it was regarded as a luxury Mitsubishi Colt 1000, as the Mitsubishi Galant had not been introduced until 1969, and was the largest sedan Mitsubishi had built to date. In Japan, it was sold at a specific retail chain called Galant Shop starting in 1969 with the introduction of the Mitsubishi Galant. At the time of the Debonair's introduction, Mitsubishi had a market reputation of building small, economical sedans, letting other manufacturers build larger, more expensive sedans. The Debonair was seen as a special purpose vehicle, and not marketed towards the general motoring public.
Three distinct generations were available during its 35-year production run until it was replaced in 1999 with the Mitsubishi Proudia in an attempt to continue to offer a top level luxury sedan. The first and second generation models were used by senior level executives of the Mitsubishi Group and affiliated companies, or essentially a Mitsubishi senior executive company car made by the motor vehicle division of Mitsubishi. As a result of the Debonair's perceived primary purpose as a "senior executive vehicle" the Debonair did not undergo regular improvements to its exterior appearance, while the mechanicals were routinely updated with the latest advancements as the years progressed. The international introduction of the Honda Legend in 1986 influenced many traditional Japanese luxury sedans to update the appearance of their vehicles, including the Debonair.
Read more about this topic: Mitsubishi Debonair
Famous quotes containing the words model and/or history:
“If the man who paints only the tree, or flower, or other surface he sees before him were an artist, the king of artists would be the photographer. It is for the artist to do something beyond this: in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day; to paint the man, in short, as well as his features.”
—James Mcneill Whistler (1834–1903)
“The history of all Magazines shows plainly that those which have attained celebrity were indebted for it to articles similar in natureto Berenice—although, I grant you, far superior in style and execution. I say similar in nature. You ask me in what does this nature consist? In the ludicrous heightened into the grotesque: the fearful coloured into the horrible: the witty exaggerated into the burlesque: the singular wrought out into the strange and mystical.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)