1998 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE'S QUALITY
1998 Mitsubishi Mirage Offers Unexpected Refinement in a Compact Sedan. A compact sedan is the perfect car for many families, but many entry level models are so basic they might be better suited as small taxis. The Mitsubishi Mirage sets itself apart from uninspired competition as a roomy, reliable sedan that establishes new standards for comfort, quality and refinement. Though it shares a name with the sporty Mirage Coupe, the two have few exterior parts in common and have different wheelbases and overall size. In fact, the sedan version of the Mirage has a strong resemblance to the more expensive Diamante, Mitsubishi's highly regarded luxury performance sedan. Mirage's chiseled look has a very international style that reduces wind resistance for better efficiency and low noise levels. The exterior design provides other practical benefits. By avoiding the jelly bean look of some subcompacts, Mirage has family-sized interior space. There's room for five passengers, class-leading front legroom and an 11.5 cubic-foot trunk which expands to carry large items with an available 60/40 split folding rear seat. The Mirage is surprisingly roomy for a vehicle this size. Safety - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Mirage also has several safety features, too. There are dual front air bags, height adjustable front 3-point safety belts, side-guard door beams, and a stiff body structure that provides improved protection in a collision. Child passenger safety is emphasized with child protection rear door locks and rear child safety seat anchors. Yet for all its practicality, Mirage also has many of the fun-to-drive characteristics of Mitsubishi Motors' highly respected sporty cars. A four-wheel independent suspension - with MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front, as well as a sophisticated multi-link design at the rear -- keeps each tire properly placed in contact with the road and provides a smooth, balanced ride. The result is precise handling that makes Mirage as much a sports sedan as it is a sensible family car. While Mirage has a smooth-shifting five-speed manual transmission to fit its rather sporty image, its available four-speed automatic also fits well with the car and the segment's customers. Unique to the subcompact class, Mirage's automatic transmission actually adapts itself to the driver's specific style to maximize smoothness and fuel economy. And, during upshifts, the engine's torque is reduced slightly to make the shifts even smoother. Aithough Mirage is one of the least expensive sedans on the market, it's difficult to tell from the interior. A thoughtfully laid out dash puts controls where they should be, has a high quality look and feel, and is coded for recycling when it reaches the end of its service life many years from now. Overall, you'll find high quality materials and workmanship in both of Mirage's two sedan models. Mirage Sedan DE - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here With its 1.5-liter SOHC 12-valve 4-cylinder engine, Mirage DE is designed for economy and value, although it's far from being an "econo-box". Along with full-face deluxe cloth seating surfaces, the standard equipment list for Mirage DE includes power steering, rear window defroster, full wheel covers, a full-length center storage console, remote reieases for the fuel door and trunk lid, a covered passenger visor mirror and a slide-out dual cupholder. Mirage DE buyers can add air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with cassette, as well as comfort and convenience package that includes a comprehensive list of popular items. Mirage Coupe LS - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here The pocket-rocket in the Mitsubishi Motors' line, Mirage Coupe LS has a 1.8-liter SOHC 16-valve, 113-horsepower engine. To back up its role as the sporty, little luxury sedan in the Mitsubishi Motors' line, Mirage LS adds full-cloth front bucket seats and matching door trim, height adjustments for the driver's seat and steering column, digital clock, remote sideview mirrors, full trunk trim and center console armrest. To make Mirage LS even more upscale and sporty, buyers can add two different option packages that include everything from power windows, door locks and sideview mirrors, variable intermittent wipers and cruise control to a power sunroof and alloy wheels with locks. Overall, the 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage is a value-packed sedan that offers uncommon style and refinement. Its international design, high quality and comfortable features may seem unreal for a subcompact car, but Mitsubishi Motors' Mirage is certainly no illusion. Engines - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Depending on the model, Mirage Sedan is powered by one of two single overhead camshaft (SOHC) 4-cylinder engines: · Mirage DE has a 12-valve, 1.5-liter engine which produces 92 horsepower and 93 lbs-ft of torque · Mirage LS has a 16-valve 1.8-liter engine which produces 113 horsepower and 116 lbs-ft of torque Both engines have a cast iron block with an aluminum head, a belt-driven single overhead camshaft (SOHC), roller-type rocker arms and electronically controlled multi-point fuel injection. In addition, each Mirage Sedan engine is designed to respond faster and more smoothly in daily driving. By straightening the intake manifold runners on both engines, Mitsubishi Motors reduced air flow resistance, and maximum horsepower is achieved at 5,500 rpm. Additionally, the low-end horsepower and torque were increased. During those critical first few seconds when the driver teps onto the throttle, Mirage Sedan responds quickly, whether accelerating up a freeway on- ramp, moving away from a stop sign, or zipping along a twisty road. For 1998, the 1.8-liter engine also features hydraulic auto valve lash adjusters that eliminate the need for periodic adjustment, further reducing ownership costs. 5-Speed Manual Transmission - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Gear ratios for both 1.5 and 1.8 liter engines are unique to optimize the best combination for quick bottom-end response, smooth acceleration, quiet cruising and maximum fuel efficiency. In addition, the synchronizers are designed for smooth and consistent performance. 4-Speed Automatic Transmission - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Mirage Sedan's 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission - available on both DE and LS models -- is one of the most technically sophisticated and innovative transmissions to be found in any car, much less a popularly priced compact. It features technology that allows the transmission to "learn" the owner's typical driving habits and adjusts shifting strategies accordingly. The transmission first matches gear selections to the driver's needs under all road conditions, and then, through a learning function, modifies the timing of gear shifts in response to driver preferences and driving habits. To achieve the level of precision required, the system uses a neural network. With decision-making capability patterned after the human brain, the neural network quickly correlates a variety of inputs, including engine power output and brake applications, and instantaneously providing optimum gear shift timing based upon driving style and cargo load. Most other "thinking" automatics are programmed with a specific set of maps representing how a wide range of drivers operate their vehicle, but the Mirage Sedan takes this concept to the next level as its decision-making capability follows no set schedules. Rather, it operates along a continuum, making instant decisions based solely on the habits of the driver. For example, when driving in a relaxed manner, shifts occur at relatively low speeds to enable gentle, economical driving in the higher gears. When driving enthusiastically, the system holds the transmission in lower gears for higher engine speed. On downhill sections where the driver may frequently apply the brakes, the transmission downshifts to provide engine braking. Additionally, the transmission and engine computers "talk" to each other. For instance, during upshifts the engine computer slightly retards the ignition timing, reducing engine torque, which results in smoother shifts. As a result of this sophisticated adaptive control, the Mirage Sedan automatic transmission offers smoother shifting, is more responsive to individual driver's needs and is also more efficient. Suspension - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Mirage Sedan has a 4-wheel independent suspension that comprises MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link design in the rear. A front stabiiizer bar reduces body roll and provides crisper response when cornering. The multi-link rear suspension consists of upper and lower lateral arms, a trailing arm and a toe-control link. The toe-control link provides stabilizing toe-in when acted upon by cornering forces. Under such situations, the rear wheels will toe-in slightly to prevent oversteer or "fishtailing ." Steering & Braking - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Rack-and-pinion power assisted steering is standard on both Mirage Sedan models. Requiring only 3.2 turns lock-to-lock, this system provides quick response and a reassuring level of information about the road surface. Smooth, stable stopping is provided by power-assist front disc and rear drucn brakes. The front discs are ventilated for air cooling, which reduces fade under heavy use and improves overall durability. A four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is optional on Mirage Sedan LS . Body Structure - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Mirage Sedan's unit body is constructed to reduce the energy of a front or rear crash and the resulting forces that may reach the occupants by deforming the structure ahead of or behind the passenger compartment. At the same time, the passenger compartment has been designed to be more rigid and unyielding. To improve Mirage Sedan's crashworthiness, Mitsubishi Motors designed the body structure after analyzing a variety of computer models. As a result, stronger front and rear side members were added for improved side crash protection in the front and rear. In addition, the side sills were enlarged and the doors were reinforced to better resist side impacts. Mirage Sedan's compact unit body has immense structural rigidity. The unit body and perimeter frame are much more efficient at dispersing shock impact to the side sills, front floor and roof pillars. A front crossmember also suppresses movement of the steering wheel. The front and rear bumpers are designed to collapse in stages, allowing Mirage Sedan to absorb impacts more efficiently, further reducing the forces reaching the occupants. Environmental Friendly Engineering - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here In a never-ending quest to preserve the earth's limited resources and to protect the environment, Mitsubishi Motors has addressed several key issues in the design and manufacture of the Mirage Sedan. To help prevent the depletion of the ozone layer, the Mirage Sedan's available air conditioning system uses R134a refrigerant and non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) urethane is specified for the seat padding and steering wheel. For easier potential recycling when the Mirage Sedan reaches the end of its service life several years from now, most plastic parts are made from thermoplastics and stamped with a code indicating their material. To reduce exhaust emissions, the thickness of the head gasket on both Mirage Sedan englnes has been decreased and the distance between the top ring and the piston crown has been reduced. This decreases the tiny pockets and crevices in the combustion chamber where the air/fuel mixture tends to get trapped and escape combustion. Unburned fuel would otherwise enter the atmosphere as elevated hydrocarbon emissions. These 2-layer metal gaskets are also more resilient, which allows them to expand and contract with the aluminum head and iron block as they heat and cool under use. The exhaust manifold on the 1.8-liter engine is made of stainless steel. More expensive to use than the more typical cast iron, this design provides faster catalytic converter light-off during a cold start and thus lowers exhaust emissions, as well as improved manifold durability and reliability. Refinement - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here Mirage Sedan has several details that add up to uncommon refinement in a compact car. Both engines are mounted transversely in an east-west configuration to not only improve service accessibility, but to reduce the forces resulting from acceleration and deceleration shock loads that can twist the engine on its mounts. Road noise has been reduced through the application of damping pads, asphalt sheets, urethane foam and a 4-layer dash insulator. In addition, the connection between the engine and transmission was made more rigid and computer aided design (CAD) was employed to reinforce the cylinder block front bulkhead and lower deck to reduce engine noise. Mirage Sedan's flywheel is constructed so that its mass and the crankshaft are dynamically separated by a flexible plate. This arrangement "tunes" the resonant bending frequency out of the range that is particularly irritating to human ears. Even the alternator fan blades are designed to reduce both ambient and interior noise levels. In fact, in a quest to obtain the quietest ride possible, Mirage Sedan engineers went so far as to design the 1.8-liter's oil pan to reduce exterior noise. Aerodynamics - Buy The Mirage Sedan Here While it's muscular, chiseled exterior is reminiscent of expensive, European sedans, Mirage Sedan also has the practical benefit of being one of the most aerodynamic cars in the class. With a wind cheating 0.30 coefficient of drag, Mirage Sedan has reduced wind noise at cruising speed, as well as improved fuel efficiency. AN AFFORDABLE SPORTY CAR IS REALLY A MIRAGE 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage Coupe Has Style, Room and Sportiness
The Mirage Coupe may not be as well known as Mitsubishi's other sporty cars, the Eclipse and 3000GT, but it may indeed be one of the automotive industry's best kept secrets. With its value, sporty handling and aggressive looks, Mirage Coupe may become famous on its own by dispelling the illusion that all inexpensive small cars are ugly and dull. Although it shares its name with a four-door in Mitsubishi Motors' line, the sporty Mirage Coupe compact isn't just a two-door version of a sedan; in fact, only the deck lid and taillamps are common between the two. Its sporty profile and chiseled, muscular look has a low 0.30 drag coefficient without resorting to the jelly bean style of some subcompacts. Mirage Coupe delivers what its sporty style promises. A 4-wheel independent suspension with a sophisticated multi-link design at the rear for precise handling that makes Mirage Coupe as much fun to drive as it is smooth riding. Yet Mirage Coupe has more than just good looks and smooth moves; it's also very smart. While a smooth-shifting 5-speed manual transmission is standard, an available 4-speed automatic actually adapts itself to the driver's driving style to maximize smoothness and fuel economy. And, during upshifts, the engine's torque is slightly reduced to make the shifts even smoother, an engineering feature once found only on expensive luxury cars. Mirage Coupe proves a small car can be safe, too. There are standard dual front air bags, height adjustable front 3-point safety belts, rear child restraint anchors, side-guard door beams, and a stiff body structure with front and rear crumple zones that help provide occupant protection in the event of a collision. Although Mirage Coupe is one of the least expensive cars on the market, it's difficult to tell its price from the interior. A thoughtfully laid out dash puts controls where they should be, has a high quality look and feel, and is coded for easy recycling when the Mirage Coupe reaches the end of its service life many years down the line. Overall, you'll find little evidence of cost cutting in either of Mirage Coupe's two models: Mirage Coupe DE - Buy The Mirage Coupe Here With its 1.5-liter SOHC 12-valve 4-cylinder engine, Mirage Coupe DE is designed for economy and value, but it's far from being an econo-box. Durable, deluxe fabric trims the door panels and high-back seats, and the standard equipment list includes power steering, power-assisted ventilated front disc brakes, rear window defroster, a full-length center storage console, remote releases for the fuel door and trunk lid, a covered passenger visor mirror, and a slide-out dual cupholder. As options, Mirage Coupe DE buyers can add air conditioning plus a preferred equipment package that includes a height-adjustable steering column, AM/FM stereo with cassette player, intermittent wipers, full wheel covers and a driver's seat height adjustment. Mirage Coupe LS - Buy The Mirage Coupe Here The pocket-rocket in the Mitsubishi Motors' line, Mirage Coupe LS has a 1.8-liter SOHC 16-valve, 113-horsepower engine. To back up its sporty nature, Mirage Coupe LS has alloy wheels with locks plus a front stabilizer bar, while it shows competitors like the Nissan 200SX SE-R and Dodge Neon Sport it means business with a full-profile front air dam and an aggressively styled rear spoiler. Inside, there's air conditioning, AM/FM stereo with a CD player, full cloth sport seats and door trim, height adjustments for the driver's seat and steering column, 60/40-split fold-down rear seat, digital clock, intermittent wipers, and remote sideview mirrors. Mirage Coupe LS buyers can also choose a power glass sunroof (new for 1998), four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), and two option packages that include everything from power windows, door locks and sideview mirrors, variable intermittent wipers and cruise control to a side air dam and fog lights. If you think an affordable, well built sporty car with performance to back up its aggressive looks is really an illusion, look again. The 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage Coupe may just be the car you've been imagining. Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a fuil line of vehicles, including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles.
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