From the Classifieds: Ultra-rare Mitsubishi 380 TMR

One of the 20 Mitsubishi 380 TMRs ever produced has surfaced for sale on carsales, showing just 120,000km on the clock and listed for a healthy $49,000.

If ever there was an Aussie performance underdog, it was the Mitsubishi 380 TMR.

Born barely a year before Mitsubishi shut down its Australian manufacturing operations, this homegrown supercharged sports sedan isn’t known by many and sits deep in the vast shadows of the VE SS, FG XR6 Turbo and TRD Aurion.

This was Mitsubishi Australia’s attempt at challenging the status quo and once again bloodying the noses of V8-powered Holdens and Fords – something the preceding Magna V6 did rather well.

Developed and built locally by Team Mitsubishi Ralliart (TMR), the recipe was reasonably simple: take a 380 VRX and bolt a Sprintex S3/335 supercharger to its 3.8-litre engine (plus an upgraded intake) and replace the standard brakes with huge six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers.

Those multi-pot stoppers in turn acted on slotted 370mm and 340mm rotors respectively and were housed within chrome 19-inch wheels shod with low-profile rubber.

Other upgrades included a helical limited-slip differential, ceramic clutch, Koni dampers, an mild body kit, unique lower grille mesh, 60mm exhaust outlets and TMR-embossed seats.

The end result was a big, thirsty sport sedan offering significantly more poke than the standard 380 and some modest dynamic improvements that never really managed to hassle the SS or XR6 Turbo of the time.

It gave the comparable TRD Aurion something to think about, but the Toyota was and remains the sharper, faster, more complete vehicle that did a much better job worrying the rear-drive heroes.

This particular example, vehicle #13 of 20, has near enough 120,000km showing on its odometer – impressive for a 17-year-old family car – and looks to have been well looked after by its current and/or previous owners.

It will come “with books”, two keys, is registered and can be had with a Queensland road-worthy certificate for the fastidious.

Click here to view the full listing while it lasts!

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