Mitsubishi Magna

The Magna was a middle-sized vehicle that was produced by the Australian branch of Mitsubishi for a period of twenty years between 1985 and 2005. This vehicle was said to have attempted to rival the popular Ford Falcon and as Australians are said to favour larger cars, the Magna was conceived. A good portion of its spacious interior was created by incorporating front-wheel drive into early version of this model. This helped to free up additional rear room within the vehicle while providing drivers with a higher level of traction on slippery surfaces; another appealing aspect of the Magna.

Due to its relative longevity in the Australian market, the Magna spanned three different generations of modifications. All generations offered the consumer the choice of either economy vehicles or more luxurious models such as the SE and the SE Elite. This helped to market the Magna to a larger overall target demographic. Although the first generation suffered from some mechanical issues such as transmission problems, these were quickly rectified and the Magna was named as the Car of the Year by Wheels magazine in 1985.

The later models stressed larger six-valve engines and a notably increased level of fuel efficiency. Power windows and doors were also added as part of their standard package alongside safety airbags. Unfortunately, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited closed its operations in 2008. This ended the production of the Magna and an interesting fact to note is that this model was the last Australian car manufactured by Mitsubishi for this market.