Could this have been the next-gen Mitsubishi Galant?
It seems that Mitsubishi had an all-new Galant planned back in 2009
Mitsubishi is all about crossovers these days. The only sedan left in the line-up is the Mirage G4, also known as the Attrage in some markets. Yes, the Lancer is hanging in there, but it's only available in Mainland China and Taiwan, soldiering on a 14-year old platform. As for the Galant, it ceased production in 2012.
We were curious if Mitsubishi made plans to make next-generation versions of the Lancer and Galant. As it turns out, it seems that the Japanese automaker considered an all-new Galant about a decade ago. By the looks of it, the development of the tenth-generation model went as far as the design phase, and it was likely that it was a few steps away from reaching production.
Floating around the Japanese Trademark and Patent Office is a design proposal from Mitsubishi. The patent image shows what looks like a mid-size sedan. With that, we may be looking at what could have been a new-generation Galant. The file dates back to 2009, three years before Mitsubishi discontinued the sedan.
If this is supposedly the tenth-generation Galant, it would have been a significant leap from the previous model. Whereas the Galant 240M featured a rounded look, this proposal looks more aggressive with sharp lines and angles. The front resembles the Lancer EX with its large grille and slim headlights, while the long and relatively flat hood emphasizes its length.
The side looks much like a stretched Lancer. However, the trunk sits lower than its smaller counterpart that makes it longer than it seems. An interesting bit of design is the roofline, which appears sleek for a sedan in the late '00s. There was even a proposal for a panoramic sunroof. As for the rear, there's the long trunk lid along with slim taillights and dual exhaust pipes.
But as we all know, we never saw an all-new Galant after 2012. It was during this time when more consumers were going for crossovers and SUVs, denting demand for mid-size sedans. It's also possible that the sales of the 240M didn't inspire much confidence in Mitsubishi to continue the Galant.
Perhaps Mitsubishi made the right call with that, as D-segment sedan sales continue to decline. There are still Japanese mid-size sedans around, namely the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima (in other markets), and Subaru Legacy. However, these models no longer enjoy the sales they once had about 20 years ago.
Still, it's nice to see what might have been, especially for Galant fans around the world.
