The Colt Celeste was the sports coupé that Mitsubishi built on the platform of its first Lancer, the A70 of 1973. It was produced from 1975 to 1981, in the same period in which the Lancer saloons were exported under a variety of names – as the Colt Lancer in Britain and Ireland, as the Dodge Lancer in parts of Latin America and as the Chrysler Valiant Lancer in Australia.
Colt Celeste at a glance
| Maker | Mitsubishi Motors, Japan |
|---|---|
| Basis | Mitsubishi Lancer A70, launched February 1973 |
| Production | 1975–1981 |
| Body style | two-door sports coupé, a liftback in the Lancer range |
| Platform | A70, shared with the Lancer sedan, estate and wagon |
| Lancer body styles | two- and four-door sedans, five-door wagon, plus the Celeste coupé |
| Lancer engines, 1973 | 1.2-litre Neptune, 1.4-litre Saturn, 1.6-litre 4G32 |
| Lancer outputs | 70 PS, 92 PS and 100 PS for the A71, A72 and A73 |
| Lancer 1600 GSR | 110 PS with twin Solex carburettors |
| British name | Colt Lancer, on sale from late 1974 |
| Australian name | Chrysler Valiant Lancer |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the first-generation Lancer (A70), which describes the Celeste coupé and the Lancer range it was built on.
History of the Colt Celeste
Mitsubishi introduced the Lancer A70 in February 1973 to fill the gap between the Minica kei car and the considerably larger Galant, replacing the Colt 1200 last sold in 1970. Twelve models were launched, ranging from a basic 1.2-litre sedan to the more powerful 1600 GSR. There were three body styles – two- and four-door sedans and a rarely seen five-door station wagon introduced in September 1973 – and a fourth, the Celeste liftback coupé, joined the family in 1975.
The Lancer’s engine range began with an OHV 1.2-litre Neptune 4G42, an OHC 1.4-litre Saturn 4G33 and the larger 1.6-litre 4G32. Power outputs were 70 PS, 92 PS and 100 PS respectively for what were called the A71, A72 and A73 models. The 1600 GSR, introduced in September 1973, used two Mikuni-built twin-barrel Solex carburettors for 110 PS at 6,700 rpm, and the Lancer proved particularly successful in rallies – a claim Mitsubishi maintains to this day.
The Lancer was sold as the Colt Lancer in the United Kingdom, where it went on sale in late 1974, and the same name was used in Ireland and a few other European countries. The reluctance to use the Mitsubishi brand in many export markets stemmed from a fear of buyer resistance among those who could still remember fighting Japanese pilots in Mitsubishi A6M Zeros. In Australia the first-generation cars were sold under the Chrysler Valiant Lancer name, with approximately 11,800 units delivered between late 1974 and 1979.
Changes during the Celeste’s life
The Lancer itself was facelifted in Japan in November 1976, losing its L-shaped rear lamps in favour of wide rectangular units, with enlarged front indicators, bigger rubber bumpers and new grilles. The 1200 Standard was discontinued and the lower-end 1200 EL was replaced by a value-for-money 1200 Populaire. In April 1977 the 1.2-litre Saturn engine was replaced by the new 70 PS Orion G11B of 1,244 cc, a lean-burning MCA-Jet unit with a tiny second inlet valve that created a swirl and allowed a much leaner mixture; the MCA-Jet system was added to the existing Saturn 4G33 and 4G32 engines in June of the same year. It was this revised series that reached the United States as the Dodge Colt for the 1977 model year, taking over from a badge-engineered Mitsubishi Galant.
The Celeste remained in production until 1981, a year after Lancer saloon production ended in 1979; the Lancer vans continued until 1985.
Design and features
- Lancer A70 basis: the coupé used the platform and mechanical layout of Mitsubishi’s first Lancer.
- Liftback coupé body: a fourth body style beside the Lancer’s two- and four-door sedans and five-door wagon.
- Lancer engine range: 1.2-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre four-cylinders of 70, 92 and 100 PS in the saloons.
- Rally pedigree: the Lancer family included the 110 PS 1600 GSR and was campaigned in rallies.
- Export names: Colt Lancer in Britain and Ireland, Chrysler Valiant Lancer in Australia.
Colt Celeste versions
- Celeste (1975–1981): the two-door liftback coupé on the A70 platform.
- Lancer A71 (1973): 1.2-litre Neptune-engined sedan.
- Lancer A72 (1973): 1.4-litre Saturn-engined model.
- Lancer A73 (1973): 1.6-litre 4G32 model.
- Lancer 1600 GSR (1973): 110 PS rally-oriented version with twin Solex carburettors.
- 1977 MCA-Jet range: revised engines with the lean-burn MCA-Jet system.
The Celeste shared its platform with the Colt Galant‘s smaller stablemate, and the later front-wheel-drive hatchback is covered in Colt Mirage. More cars are in the Colt collection.
Video: Mitsubishi Celeste 77
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Mitsubishi Lancer (A70), English Wikipedia: Celeste production years, Lancer platform, engines, export names, facelift
