The Dodge Conquest is the Dodge version of the Mitsubishi Starion, a turbocharged rear-wheel-drive sports coupe that Mitsubishi built from 1982 to 1989. Dodge sold the car in North America alongside Plymouth and Chrysler versions, with the fastback body, four seats and a straight-four engine.
Dodge Conquest at a glance
| Maker | Mitsubishi Motors, sold as the Dodge Conquest |
|---|---|
| Production | 1984-1989 in the United States |
| Class | sports coupe |
| Body | two-door fastback coupe, four seats |
| Layout | front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.6 L turbocharged four in North America |
| Body styles | narrowbody and widebody |
| Top version | Conquest TSi (widebody, intercooled) |
| Related | Mitsubishi Starion, Plymouth Conquest, Chrysler Conquest |
| UK name | Colt Starion |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Mitsubishi Starion, the car Dodge sold as the Conquest.
History of the Dodge Conquest
Mitsubishi began selling the Starion in 1982, at a time when Japanese grand tourers such as the Nissan Z cars, Mazda RX-7, Toyota Supra, Honda Prelude, Isuzu Piazza and Subaru XT were popular. In the United States the car was sold as the Mitsubishi Starion, and badge-engineered versions were marketed as the Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler Conquest. In Britain it was sold as the Colt Starion. The Starion was one of the first modern Japanese turbocharged performance cars with electronic fuel injection.
The car was built in two body configurations, a narrowbody and a widebody. The narrower style complied with Japanese exterior dimension regulations that taxed larger vehicles and engines over two litres, and only the narrowbody was offered through the 1985.5 model year. The widebody split the range into a non-intercooled lower-powered car in the narrow body and a high-performance intercooled widebody. In most markets the widebody cars carried the Starion ESI-R or Conquest TSi label, and widebody cars were offered in the United States from 1986 to 1989. The car appeared in the 1984 film Cannonball Run II, driven by Jackie Chan.
The Conquest used a traditional front-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive, with a chassis derived from the high-performance version of the Mitsubishi Sapporo or Galant Lambda coupe, MacPherson struts and anti-roll bars front and rear. Many cars had a limited-slip differential and single-channel anti-lock brakes on the rear wheels as standard, and all models used gearbox steering rather than rack and pinion. American customers received the larger SOHC 2.6-litre Astron G54B engine, while most other markets had the 2.0-litre Sirius G63B. Both engines used computer-controlled fuel injection and turbocharging and produced roughly the same power, with the 2.6 having more torque and the 2.0 a higher redline; after 1987 European cars also moved to the 2.6-litre engine as emissions rules tightened.
In Japan a 12-valve intercooled version of the 2.0-litre engine was available from 1984 to 1987 in the top GSR-V trim, with a Dual Action Super Head that activated a third intake valve above a certain engine speed and raised the redline to 7,000 rpm. Turbocharged models produced between 145 and 200 PS depending on the turbocharger, intercooler and head. A naturally aspirated GX version was sold in Japan until 1983 without power windows, air conditioning, independent rear suspension, fuel injection or power steering. Seating was a 2+2 with rear seats unsuitable for large adults, and the front seats were adjustable for lumbar support, angle, knee support and position. A five-speed manual was standard in most models.
Design and features
- Turbocharged four: the 2.6-litre Astron in America, with electronic fuel injection.
- Narrow and wide bodies: the widebody came with an intercooler and more power.
- Conquest TSi: the top widebody version with the sportiest specification.
- Rear-drive chassis: Sapporo-derived MacPherson struts and optional limited-slip differential.
Dodge Conquest versions
- Conquest (1984-1985.5): the narrowbody car before the widebody arrived.
- Conquest TSi (1986-1989): the intercooled widebody version.
- Plymouth and Chrysler Conquest: the same car under other Chrysler badges.
- Colt Starion: the British name for the same Mitsubishi coupe.
The Conquest was Dodge’s turbo coupe of the 1980s alongside the Dodge Daytona, and it shared its market with the Dodge Stealth that followed. More Dodge models are in the Dodge collection.
Sources
- Mitsubishi Starion, English Wikipedia: bodies, engines, equipment, badges
