Lonsdale (car)

Lonsdale YD
File:Mitsubishi Galant badged as Lonsdale for UK mar.jpg
Overview
Also called	Mitsubishi Galant Mitsubishi Eterna Mitsubishi Sigma (GJ)
Production	1982–83
Assembly	Adelaide, South Australia
Body and chassis
Class	Compact
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Powertrain
Engine	1.6 L I4 (81 PS / 60 kW) 2.0 L I4 (95 PS / 70 kW) 2.6 L I4 (103 PS / 76 kW)

Lonsdale was a marque of car sold in the United Kingdom by Mitsubishi Motors between 1982 and 1983. It took its name from the industrial suburb of Lonsdale in Adelaide, South Australia where Mitsubishi Australia had an engine production facility. The only car sold under this brand was the Lonsdale, a badge engineered Mitsubishi Sigma (GJ). It was sold as the Lonsdale YD41 and the Lonsdale YD45.

The car was powered by one of three four cylinder engines of 1.6, 2.0 and 2.6 litres, producing respectively 81, 95 and 103 bhp. The largest of these power units produced a maximum torque of 192 Nm., and was one of the largest post-war four cylinder engines produced.

Although the Sigma was merely an Australian version of the Mitsubishi Galant which was already available in the UK, the company's plan was to circumvent the "gentlemen's agreement", a voluntary import quota which limited Japanese-manufactured imports to 11 per cent of the market. However, the idea proved unsuccessful and most of the cars imported by Lonsdale remained unsold by the time the company ceased trading. Mitsubishi continued to sell the vehicle in the UK for 1984, although rebranded as the Mitsubishi Sigma as it was already known in its local market.

See also

• Colt Car Company
• List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom

References

• BBC Top Gear 10 Forgotten cars - Lonsdale