The Mitsubishi Minica is a series of kei cars built by Mitsubishi Motors over five generations from 1962 to 2011, mainly for the Japanese market. It was first built by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries, so the badge predates Mitsubishi Motors itself, and the range was eventually replaced by the eK and the i.
Mitsubishi Minica at a glance
| Maker | Mitsubishi, sold through Galant Shop |
|---|---|
| Production | 1962–2011, five generations |
| Precursor | Mitsubishi 360 light truck, April 1961 |
| First Minica | LA20, October 1962 |
| First engine | ME21 359 cc air-cooled twin, rear-mounted |
| First top speed | 86 km/h |
| 1964 facelift | ME24 engine and Auto Mix, no pre-mixed fuel |
| Second generation | Minica 70, July 1969 |
| Notable versions | Skipper, F4, Dangan |
| Replaced by | Mitsubishi eK in 2007 and i in 2011 |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Mitsubishi Minica, of which the material available covers the first two generations in detail.
History of the Mitsubishi Minica
The 360 and the first Minica
The precursor of the Minica was the Mitsubishi 360, a series of light trucks introduced in April 1961 for the lowest kei tax class. It had a 359 cc air-cooled engine with 17 PS, a top speed of 80 km/h and a fully synchromesh four-speed gearbox. After the passenger version, the Minica, arrived in 1962, the 360 van and pickup continued alongside it and shared its development. The unexpected success of the 360 and Minica led Mitsubishi to end production of three-wheeled vehicles.
The first Minica, the LA20, was introduced in October 1962 as a two-door sedan based on the Mitsubishi 360 light truck. It shared the front-mounted ME21 359 cc twin-cylinder air-cooled engine driving the rear wheels, transverse leaf springs at the front and a beam axle with leaf springs at the rear, and reached 86 km/h. It began with tailfins and a scalloped rear window, and in November 1964 the Minica and 360 were facelifted and given the improved ME24 engine of 18 PS with the Auto Mix system, which removed the need to premix oil and petrol.
In December 1966 a basic Standard Minica joined the range at 340,000 yen while the regular car became the Deluxe at 368,000 yen. A May 1967 update brought a modified dashboard, a padded steering wheel centre and the reed-valve ME24D engine of 21 PS. In September 1968 a Super Deluxe grade appeared with the new 23 PS water-cooled 2G10 engine developed for the next generation, a full vinyl interior and a plastic grille. The LA series was discontinued in July 1969.
Minica 70 and later generations
The second-generation Minica 70 arrived in July 1969 with a three-door hatchback body that Mitsubishi called a sedan, and it was alone in the kei class in keeping the traditional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. It had coil springs all round, MacPherson struts at the front and a five-link rigid rear axle, and the new styling included a rear hatch, a kei class first. Two 359 cc water-cooled two-stroke engines were offered: the Red with 28 PS and the Gold with twin SU carburettors and 38 PS, fitted as standard to the SS and GSS sport models. Basic cars kept the 26 PS air-cooled ME24E and reached 105 km/h, and a two-door wagon joined in December 1969 and lasted until the Minica Econo replaced it in 1981.
The Minica went through five generations in all, with notable versions including the Skipper coupé, the F4 and the turbocharged Dangan. It was sold at Mitsubishi’s Galant Shop dealership chain and remained a Japanese-market car almost throughout its life. The range was replaced by the Mitsubishi eK in 2007 and the Mitsubishi i in 2011.
Design and features
- Predates the company: the Minica was launched by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy-Industries.
- Rear engine at first: the 359 cc air-cooled twin sat at the front and drove the rear wheels.
- Auto Mix: the 1964 engine no longer needed pre-mixed fuel.
- Kei first: the Minica 70 was the first kei car with a rear hatch.
- Five generations: 1962 to 2011, then replaced by the eK and i.
Mitsubishi Minica versions
- Mitsubishi 360 (1961): the light truck that came first.
- LA20 (1962): the first Minica sedan.
- Minica 70 (1969): second generation with Red and Gold engines.
- Skipper and F4: later sporting and family versions.
- Dangan: turbocharged model of the 1990s.
The Minica’s commercial relative is the Minicab, and its early relative was the Mitsubishi 500. More cars are in the Mitsubishi collection.
Sources
- Mitsubishi Minica, English Wikipedia: 360, first generation, Minica 70
