Right now, Mitsubishi is again at a crossroads. On the one hand are the Project America vehicles-attractive, but relatively large with muted athletic abilities. The current, Project America-based Galant and fourth-generation Eclipse are both fine cruisers and decent everyday drivers, but they're hardly the hero machines enthusiasts hoped Mitsubishi would dedicate itself to building. On the other hand is the Evo IX-a clear star, a solid business success and the only car or truck in the current Mitsubishi range that generates passion among enthusiasts. Which will Mitsubishi lead with in the future?
The Thumping Heart Of Mitsubishi
Look at the specifications of Mitsubishi's 4G63 four-cylinder engine and there's nothing there to get particularly enthused about. It's a 2.0-liter four with an iron block, an aluminum DOHC head putting four valves over every cylinder and, well, not much else. No direct injection, no exotically formulated reciprocating components, and MIVEC variable valve timing is only a recent addition. There are dozens of engines from other manufacturers that are more sophisticated, but none have proven more durable than this hardcore beast. The 4G63 is, first and foremost, tough. Throw more boost in and the block doesn't crack open, the head gasket stays seated and the crank doesn't shatter.
The 4G63 is a member of Mitsubishi's 'Sirius' family of four-cylinder engines, all of which were developed during the 80s as powerplants for mainstream cars and trucks. The 4G61, for instance, was a 1.6-liter, DOHC, 16-valve version of the same basic engine used in the Mirage and Dodge Colt in the late 80s, while the 4G62 was a 1.8-liter, SOHC, eight-valve version used in the Cordia and Tredia toward the end of their production. The 4G63 name simply indicates that this Sirius engine displaces two liters. While 4G63s have all used 85mm cylinder bores and an 88mm stroke (1997cc total displacement), the 4G63 installed in the Mighty Max pickup had 84mm bores and a 90mm stroke, resulting in 1996 cc of displacement (but the same nominal 2.0-liter description).
It's the 4G63T-T for turbo-version of the 4G63 that has been the glamour engine at Mitsu for nearly two decades. Introduced in the first Eclipse GS and GSX where it sported 190bhp, the current MIVEC-controlled and intercooled version in the Evo IX is rated at a full 286bhp. And in the limited production, never-in-America, UK-spec FQ-400, it was making over 400bhp.
Making so much power in stock form hasn't built the 4G63's legend-that has just been the start. Sustained power levels well beyond 600hp aren't exactly common, but they do exist. Some tuners even claim to achieve in excess of 1000hp.
But it can't live forever. Even Chevy's small-block V8 was replaced by a new architecture with the introduction of the 1997 Corvette. Time for Mitsubishi to discard the 4G63? Apparently so. When the Evo X shows up next year, an all-new, all-aluminum, 2.0-liter turbocharged, 'world engine' reportedly making between 280-350bhp will be under the hood. Let's hope it's the start of a new and exciting chapter in Mitsu history.