Mitsubishi Model A
The Mitsubishi Model A is the ae caur built bi the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company, a member o the Mitsubishi keiretsu which woud eventually evolve intae Mitsubishi Motors, an the first series production automobile manufactured in Japan. It wis the brainchild o Koyata Iwasaki, the Mitsubishi's fowert preses an the nephew o foonder Yataro Iwasaki, who foresaw the vast potential o motorized vehicles an the role they woud play in the economic development o Japan. Envisioned as a luxury vehicle for heich echelon government offeecials an top executives, the Model A haed tae be reliable, comfortable an a showcase o Japanese craftsmanship.
Based on the Fiat Tipo 3, it wis a fower-door seiven-seat sedan pouered by a front-mountit 26 kW (35 hp) 2.8 litre straight-4 engine driving the rear wheels, and was capable o speeds up tae 20 miles per oor (32 km/h). 22 were built at the company's Kobe shipyard, including prototypes, between 1917 and 1921.
Acause it wis expensive tae produce—it wis built entirely bi hand, wi a cab made o lacquert white cypress—it could no compete wi cheaper American an European competition, an Mitsubishi haltit production efter fower years. Concentratin insteid on its successful Fuso commercial vehicles, the Model A woud be the company's last passenger caur till the Mitsubishi 500 o 1960.
At Mitsubishi's Auto Gallery (a museum o the company's maist historically significant vehicles, establisht at their R&D Center in Okazaki in 1989) there is a replica on display, assembled in 1972 uisin materials o the time. It haes a slichtly shorter wheelbase, an uises a water-cooled 977 cc fower-cylinder OHV ingine instead o the lairger 2.8 litre oreeginal.
[edit] References an Freemit airtins
- Mitsubishi Motors Web Museum
- Model A replica at Mitsubishi Auto Gallery
- Mitsubishi Model A specifications at Carfolio.com (these differ slightly from Mitsubishi's own figures)
- "The Greatest Japanese Cars Of All Time", Michael Frank, Forbes.com, 23 April 2001
