Did you know Mitsubishi used to have V8 luxury sedans?

Mitsubishi wanted to take on the Toyota Century, Crown Majesta with the Dignity & Proudia sedans

When it comes to Mitsubishi vehicles, the Japanese brand is known for many revered nameplates. From the Lancer (and Lancer Evolution) to the Pajero, as well as the likes of the L300, Galant, Montero Sport, and the Mirage, Mitsubishi has built its reputation on vehicles that are reliable and durable, effectively making them a household name.

But did you know that Mitsubishi used to make V8-powered luxury sedans? Between the late 90s and the early 2000s, Mitsubishi did just that with the Dignity and Proudia sedans. Both vehicles used the same platform, with the Dignity serving as a high-end limousine while the Proudia was a premium full-size sedan.

Mitsubishi Proudia

The Dignity was aimed against the likes of the Nissan President, the Toyota Celsior, and even the Toyota Century. Meanwhile, the Proudia had its sights set on the Nissan Cima and Toyota Crown Majesta. Both sedans were designed by Mitsubishi and were co-manufactured with Hyundai, which the latter sold as the Equus.

Since both the Dignity and Proudia were massive sedans, they had to have a big engine to move all that weight. Mitsubishi came up with 8A80, an all-aluminum 4.5L naturally aspirated V8 that benefits from direct injection. It puts out 280 PS at 5000 rpm and 412 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm. The V8 is then paired to a 5-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. That's right, the 4.5L V8 is a transverse engine, which is unusual for a full-size luxury sedan.

Mitsubishi Dignity cabin

Despite being released in the tail-end of the 1990s, both sedans had some high-tech features at the time. The Dignity and Proudia had the Driver Support System that worked via a set of cameras that provided lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring. The sedans even came with a LiDAR-based adaptive cruise control system and a self-leveling air suspension system.

Mitsubishi Proudia interior

Mitsubishi initially estimated that they would sell 300 units of the Dignity and the Proudia per month. Unfortunately for Mitsubishi, both sedans fell short of their sales forecast, with the Dignity only selling 59 units before being discontinued. The Proudia, meanwhile, saw better sales but was ultimately axed as well, with only 950 examples getting picked up.

Surprisingly, the Hyundai Equus saw more success in Korea and even spawned a second-generation model before also facing the ax in 2016.

In 2012, Mitsubishi resurrected the Dignity and Proudia nameplates, albeit both were not made by the automaker. Instead, the new Dignity was based on the fifth-generation Nissan Cima, while the new Proudia was a rebadged second-generation Nissan Fuga. Unfortunately, both sedans were axed once again in late 2016 due to low sales.

Mitsubishi has since moved on from the Dignity and Proudia, and despite the sedans performing poorly in terms of sales, it was impressive for Mitsubishi to enter the full-size luxury sedan market with such vehicles.

So if you happen to see a first-generation Mitsubishi Dignity or a Proudia the next time you're in Japan, you're looking at a very rare sedan.