| Production | 1995–2005 |
|---|---|
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Engine | 2.5 6G73 V6 3.0 L 6G72 V6 3.5 L 6G74 V6 |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase | 2,720 mm (107.1 in) |
| Length | 4,930–4,980 mm (194.1–196.1 in) |
| Width | 1,785 mm (70.3 in) |
| Height | 1,370 mm (53.9 in) |
The second iteration of the Diamante was introduced in Japan in January 1995. The car was marginally larger with improved headroom.
Several engines were available. The base engine was a 2.5 L MVV (lean burn) V6, followed by a number of 2.5- and 3.5-liter variants, the 2.5 L engine sported 175 hp and the 3.5 L engine boasted 210 hp. The new Diamante range in Japan topped off with a 3.0 L MIVEC V6 rated at 201 kW (274 PS; 270 hp) at 6000 rpm and 304 N·m (224 ft·lbs) at 4500 rpm.
The gadget trend continued with the new Diamante, including a distance/lane-keeping system that tracked lanes and the car ahead using a set of radar and camera (this was first introduced on the 1992 Debonair). Satellite navigation featured prominently on the center console, and for the first time, a 5-speed automatic transmission was installed in a transverse drivetrain, complete with the Tiptronic-style INVECS-II technology.
The Sigma model was eliminated and not renewed for a second generation, due to poor sales in Japan; most Sigmas sold had become taxis and patrol cars.
For Australian market, the new Diamante (Verada) debuted in 1996. The 1997 Diamante went into production in Adelaide, Australia. The very first 1997 Verada rolled off the assembly line on July 1, 1996.
In the latter years of its life, the Diamante range was reduced to a single engine offering in Japan, first a 3.0 L GDI V6 with 240 hp (the first of its kind), and then a conventional 2.5 L V6.
The exterior was refreshed for 2002, and then again for 2004, the last year of the Diamante. Mitsubishi ceased to export the Diamante to North America after 2004 due to a decline in sales and unfavourable exchange rates. The U.S. market Galant grew in size, and the Diamante was replaced by the upper-end GTS trim of the Galant. In Canada, the Diamante was only sold in 2004.
On June 15, 2005, Mitsubishi announced it would halt production on larger sedans within Japan by December, including the Diamante and the Galant.
Read more about this topic: Mitsubishi Diamante
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