1979 Mitsubishi Colt Sapporo

Description

Exceedingly rare UK supplied from new 2.0 Colt Sapporo found hidden away with its long term owners (father and daughter) in Malvern; gently recommissioned after 20 years in storage; wonderully original interior showing just 62,462 miles

A truly rare survivor, and likely unknown to many who read this and see the pictures.  Badged in the UK as the Mitsubishi Sapporo, it was also known as the Mitsubishi Galant Lambda, Plymouth Sapporo and Dodge (Colt) Challenger to cite but a few, depending on which market the car was in.

Named after the Japanese city Sapporo due to its positive International connotations following hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics the Sapporo in the UK was part of Mitsubishi UK’s Colt model range.

Dating from June 1979 this late model first generation coupe or, as the Japanese liked to deem it a ‘Personal luxury car’ and as such is pushed the boundaries of the usual coupe spec and featured frameless doors, vinyl roofs, velour interiors and as many power gadgets as the tech dept could throw at it.  Powered here by the 2.0 litre 4G52 4-cylinder petrol engine (although badged GSR, we do not believe it to be a turbocharged GSR model) driving the rear wheels via 5-speed manual transmission.

The car has been with our lady owner since July 2004 when she inherited it from her late father who purchased the car in February 1991.  It has been off the road since 2001 and garaged although started and run once every 6 months since then until it was finally pulled out in summer 2021 when it was given a sympathetic light restoration including a repaint in the original colour, the wheels refurbished and painted body colour and some other works including a repair to the exhaust and a service with new oil, filter and plugs.  The rest of the car was considered to be in good order and left alone to preserve the originality.

The mileage in June 2000 was recorded on the sole MOT we have as 62,116 miles and 62,460 miles in 2005 and it currently shows 62,462 miles suggesting the car has covered only 300 miles or so in the last 22 years and just two in the last 18, and thus would likely benefit from some regular use with a gentle bedding in period.

Finished in Grey/Bronze with light grey velour interior the car has stood up well, the interior all appearing to work as it should, the seats supple and comfortable. Starting promptly when we moved it around for these images, it feels and sounds like one of the rear callipers is binding a little.

Within the history file, we find only the V5C, old style V5, sole old MOT certificate, original period 1978 price list and options brochure, owner’s handbook and a couple of bills for the works undertaken and parts.

A rare UK supplied car from new (Gordon Moss Motors Limited, Mitsubishi main dealers of Evesham we suspect) with low ownership, low mileage and we all know what’s happened to the rarer Japanese cars of this era of late, values have sky-rocketed – consider the old Skylines, Supras, Corollas, Celicas etc  - they’ve all risen exponentially.

For more information contact - will.daniels@brightwells.com