The Japanese import market is getting more interesting by the year. Interesting stuff is flowing onto our shores for the first time, and this Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4 is possibly one of the most obscure cars in Facebook group Obscure Cars for Sale I’ve seen. And I think it’s a fairly cool proposition to own something unique.
With the door to 2023 opening up, more and more weird Japanese imports will be allowed in under our 25-year rule. Next year, 1998 model cars open up, which means lower-tier R34 Nissan Skylines could be imported legally. This means the boring base stuff is allowed, but the more exciting 25GT Turbo is eligible. It’s a rear-wheel-drive 280-horsepower R34 that could be a really neat alternative choice. But back in the land of Mitsubishi, the 1998 Lancer Evolution V will be eligible.
This Legnum VR-4 wagon, known to most of us as a Galant, got imported as a 1997 model in 2022. It’s a pretty neat car packed with a lot of technology and has the unique distinction of being a Japanese Car of the Year edition, which the seller claims there are only 1,200 made. It doesn’t come with many extras compared to a normal Legnum VR-4 but does get a Nardi steering wheel and a badge.
Since this was the final generation of Galant VR-4, Mitsubishi pulled some neat tricks from the Lancer Evo. Most notably, the sophisticated Active Yaw Control and rear differential technology that made the Evo a real handler. At 3,400 lbs, the Legnum VR-4 was no lightweight, though is relatively light by today’s standards. By comparison, an Evo V was 2,800 lbs.
It looks well-kept and very clean. With a claimed 75,000 miles, the $14,000 that the seller is asking doesn’t seem too far off the mark, though the automatic transmission deserves some penalty points. For a cool winter wagon, I don’t think you can find much else.
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