Cars - Mitsubishi Minica

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	Cars - Mitsubishi Minica

The Minica is a Japanese keicar model with a long history, first introduced in October, 1962 by Mitsubishi Motors as a two door sedan with a front mounted two cylinder two cycle air cooled 359 cc engine driving the rear wheels, a transverse leaf spring in front and rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear, based on the Mitsubishi 360 series of vans, wagons, and pickups. The Mitsubishi 360 pickup model continued to be produced into the early 1970s, renamed as the "Minica Pickup".

Second generation

The second generation Minica was introduced in July, 1969, with a 3 door sedan body and coil springs, front and rear, as well as an optional water cooled 28 horsepower (21 kW) engine and a sport model, the "GSS", with twin SU carburetors developing 38 horsepower (28 kW). A two door wagon body was added in December, which would remain in production until the early 1980s, the engine having grown to 546 cc. The "Minica Skipper" was introduced in May, 1971, as a two door coupe with liftable rear window and a 34 horsepower (25 kW) water cooled engine, as well as the optional 38 horsepower (28 kW) engine.

Third generation

The third generation Minica was introduced as the "Minica F4" in October, 1972 with a 360 cc overhead cam engine in the same basic configuration, but with the liftable rear window of the "Skipper", which itself continued production with the new engine as the "Minica Skipper IV". This model was the first sold by Chrysler Corporation in foreign markets as the "Mitsubishi Minica". In April, 1976 the keicar regulations were revised, and the car and wagon received a new 471 cc engine, a small increase in length, and a new name, the "Minica 5". The next year, the car and engine grew once again, creating the "Minica Ami 55". In September, 1981 the car received a facelift which again increased its size and was renamed as the "Minica Ami L", while the wagon was replaced with a three door sedan, the "Minica Econo". In March, 1983, the Minica became the first keicar to join in the turbocharging craze.

Fourth generation

The fourth generation Minica was introduced in February, 1984 as a front wheel drive vehicle in a three door and a five door configuration, again increased in size, and with a torsion beam axle with coil springs at the rear. In September, 1985, a four wheel drive model with a live rear axle was introduced. In January, 1987, a three cylinder 548 cc engine with optional turbocharger was introduced, and in 1988 fulltime four wheel drive became available. This generation was exported as the "Mitsubishi Towny", originally with a two cylinder 783 cc engine, later with a three cylinder 796 cc engine; a three door panel van was also marketed.

Fifth generation

In January, 1989 the fifth generation Minica was officially introduced, although the engine, wheelbase, and suspension remained unchanged. In addition to the three door and five door models, however, a model with one door on the driver's (right) side, two doors on the passenger side, and a liftgate was introduced, as the "Mitsubishi Lettuce". An advanced new turbo engine with double overhead cams and five valves per cylinder, producing 64 horsepower (48 kW), was introduced for the "Dangan ZZ" sport model and was later made available in naturally aspirated form as well, while the older design engine also was increased in displacement to 657 cc in March, 1990 when the keicar regulations were again updated, and a three door MPV model with optional four wheel drive, the "Minica Toppo", was introduced.

Sixth generation

In September, 1993, the sixth generation three and five door Minica and Minica Toppo were introduced, with longer wheelbase. The five valve per cylinder three cylinder engines were replaced with a pair of 659 cc four cylinder engines; one normally aspirated with single overhead cam and four valves per cylinder, and one turbocharged with double overhead cam and five valves per cylinder. A version of the Toppo with two doors on the passenger side, similar to the "Lettuce", was made available, along with a limited edition RV version. In January, 1997 versions of the Minica and Toppo with retro-styled front ends were introduced as the "Town Bee" model, and exported to Taiwan as the "Towny".

Pajero Mini

In December, 1994 the Minica's response to the SUV craze was introduced as the "Mitsubishi Pajero Mini", with its own dedicated platform featuring a shorter wheelbase, four wheel drive, and a choice of either of the four cylinder engines. In November, 1995 a larger version with the same basic body equipped with a 1,094 cc overhead cam four valve per cylinder engine (which exceeded the official size limits for the keicar class), the "Pajero Jr.", was introduced, along with a rear wheel drive only version of the "Pajero Mini" in January, 1996. The popularity of these vehicles inspired Mitsubishi to create several limited editions, including the "Pajero Mini Iron Cross", "Pajero Mini Desert Cruiser", "Pajero Mini White Skipper", "Pajero Mini Duke", "Pajero Jr. McTwist", and "Pajero Jr. Lynx". In June 1998, the wider "Pajero iO", exported as the "Montero iO" and to Europe as the "Pajero Pinin" (to honor Pininfarina which builds the European versions of the car at a factory in Bairo Canavese near Turin, Italy), was introduced, and in October, 1998 the keicar regulations were again updated, and the "Pajero Mini" was widened and lengthened.

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