This touring car appeared in one test and was quietly shelved destined to never appear again.
Mitsubishi enjoyed massive success in rallying during the early-1990s as along with Subaru it ushered in the four-wheel-drive era where it won four World Rally Championship Drivers’ titles in addition to a sole Manufacturers’ victory in 1998.
However, there was a side project to turn the Mitsubishi Asti RX into a Japanese Touring Car Championship contender for 1995.
At the time, the JTCC was well supported by manufacturers including Toyota, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Alfa Romeo and Opel following the transition from Group A in 1994.
This came as the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship was still finding its feet and wings were about to become a fixture in the JTCC ahead of major changes in 1996 when further modifications were allowed.
Mitsubishi had been a consistent entry in Group A using the Station leading to many collaborations between Australia’s Ralliart team and the Japanese factory squad.
It elected to enter rallying with the Gallant in 1988 where it won rallies until 1992 when the Lancer was released.
The JTCC program was to complement the rallying side of Mitsubishi, so the Mirage Asti RX was developed into a 2.0-litre touring car.
A lowkey test occurred in August 1994 at Tsukuba where the Mirage Asti RX was put through its paces by long-time Mitsubishi factory driver Akihiko Nikaya.
However, after this day it never appeared again and there is limited details surrounding this prototype.
Aerodynamics were limited as the planned addition of wings to the class was just beginning to make waves following the controversial Alfa Romeo 155 Silverstone in the British Touring Car Championship.
Mitsubishi further teased a Super Tourer at the end of 1995 by dressing up a Carisma at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but this was a false promise as it failed to appear on the STW grid in Germany.
One privateer did run a Mitsubishi, Rene Hollinger entered a Ecurie Basilisk-entered Lancer GTi in selected events where it was unsuccessful.
Another stillborn effort to run a Mitsubishi touring car effort was announced in 2008 for the Speed World Challenge Touring Car Championship by noted tuner Works using the Lancer.