The
Mitsubishi Diamante, a near-luxury mid-size sedan, was introduced in its home country of Japan in 1990 and went on to win Japan’s Car of the Year award in its first year. In 1992 the
Diamante and its close relative, the Sigma station wagon, were introduced in other parts of the world, including the United States.
The
Diamante was Mitsubishi’s flagship vehicle in the U.S. at its launch, and it was available in two trims, the base ES and the more upscale LS, both with front-wheel drive and automatic transmission. The LS added standard alloy wheels, cruise control and ABS, with optional leather upholstery and manual sunroof. In 1994 the
Diamante was revised to add passenger-side airbags and standard cruise control for the ES, and an optional power sunroof and CD player to the LS.
After a one-year absence, in 1997 the
Diamante was redesigned and the Sigma wagon was discontinued. The redesigned Diamante sedan was four inches longer and had more headroom and improved interior styling. Standard anti-lock brakes and keyless entry were added in 1998, and a standard anti-theft engine immobilizer arrived in 2000. In 2002, a new VR-X trim with a 210-horsepower V-6 was introduced, in 2002 and again in 2004 various cosmetic changes were made, including a standard rear spoiler for the VR-X trim in 2004. Poor sales caused Mitsubishi to stop exporting the Diamante to the U.S. in 2004.
Diamante’s innovations included integration of Mitsubishi’s Intelligent Cockpit System, which offered the first passenger programmable adjustment of seats, door mirrors and steering wheel angle. Also,
Diamante was the first vehicle to integrate a Traction ControL System (TCL), in which an onboard computer retards power in conditions where too much power might compromise traction and safety.
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