The Only V-8 Engine Ever Produced by This Japanese Auto Brand (2024)

When it comes to performance cars, Mitsubishi has had its share of success. They may not have been quite as dominant as the likes of Toyota or Nissan, but they produced some of the best performance cars of the late 90s and early 2000s. But they’re most known for the inline-fours that went into cars like the Lancer Evolution.

Something that may surprise you is that at the same time, the company was making the Evo V and the Evo VI, they were actually also producing a V-8 engine. This 8A8 V-8 is the only eight-cylinder engine that Mitsubishi Automotive has ever produced, and its story is actually pretty interesting.

We dive into the past of Mitsubishi and uncover the story behind their V-8 engine. We take a look at the engineering and innovation that went into its development and what cars it ended up powering. We also take a look at the Japanese brand’s Korean partner and how they made use of the engine.

Back In 1999, Mitsubishi Dropped A 4.5-Liter V-8

While their bread and butter was definitely creating turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines, Mitsubishi was up against some stiff competition in the market. This was particularly true when you looked at premium cars, most of which sported a large engine. With the Japanese brand wanting a shot at this market, they developed their first and last V-8.

The 8A8 V-8

Although technically classified as a range of engines, the only variant of the 8A8 that was ever built was a 4.5-liter naturally aspirated engine. This engine featured double overhead camshafts and gasoline direct injection technology. It featured a water cooling system, and it could produce up to 276 horsepower.

This engine was meant to help Mitsubishi compete with premium luxury cars that were popping up on the market towards the end of the 90s. It was built specifically for the launch of the Proudia and the Dignity, two full-size luxury sedans, with the Dignity being the latter. Financial pressure quickly forced Mitsubishi to discontinue these models, meaning they stopped using the V-8 engine.

Hyundai's Involvement

Mitsubishi didn't quite have the money or the resources to embark on this mission alone. Thus, both the Proudia and Dignity were developed in partnership with Hyundai Automotive, which would utilize the V-8 engine in one of their own cars for a good couple of years. This was the latest in a long string of ventures between the two companies.

Mitsubishi handled the creation of the cylinder heads and any equipment that related to the GDI system. Meanwhile, Hyundai handled the casting of the aluminum block as well as other major internal components. As much as this engine was Mitsubishi's baby, it wouldn't have been possible without Hyundai's resources.

This V-8 Lasted Only 15 Months In Mitsubishi Cars

As we mentioned above, the 8A8 engine was designed specifically for the Proudia and the Dignity, two full-size luxury cars produced by Mitsubishi Motors. Unfortunately, neither of these cars were meant to be long for this world, and within 15 months of their launch to the public, they were both discontinued and considered failures.

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The Proudia/Dignity

The Proudia and Dignity are very similar cars, with the latter being the slightly bigger and better equipped of the two. The Dignity essentially saw every part of the Proudia extended in order to create more space for the rear passengers. This included raising the roof line and extending the wheelbase. The Proudia came with a standard V-6 which could be upgraded to a V-8, but the Dignity had a V-8 in every model.

The V-8 engine in both cars managed to produce a decent 276 horsepower and 304 pound-feet of torque. Mitsubishi made some bold choices with their two large luxury cars, key among which was building them on a front-wheel-drive platform. Both cars utilized a five-speed automatic transmission.

The Competitors Of The Age

There was a reason that Mitsubishi felt that the Proudia and Dignity had a place in the market when they developed it. The late 90s saw the peak of highly luxurious full-sized sedans. Their competitors inside Japan were taking full advantage of this, and with huge success. The automaker saw huge potential in the market, their models just flopped.

At the time that the Proudia and Dignity were being released, basically every automaker in Japan had a full-size luxury sedan. The Mitsubishi vehicles failed to meet Mitsubishi's expectations, selling just over 1,000 units between the two cars over the course of three years on the market.

Hyundai Used The 8A8 V-8 Until 2008

Helping to develop and manufacture the V-8, Hyundai utilized the engine in one of their own luxury vehicles, the Equus. Unlike the Proudia and the Dignity, though, the Equus actually sold quite well. While Mitsubishi was discontinuing their sedans, the Equus utilized the 8A8 V-8 engine for a number of years.

The Equus

While Hyundai claimed that the Equus was meant to take on competitors from overseas like the BMW 7-Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, its main competitor was really the SsangYong Chairman. Not many of Hyundai's full-size sedans were exported and sold overseas, with most of its success coming from domestic sales.

The mainline Equus was similar in size to the Proudia, with some limousine models being made available to match Mitsubishi's Dignity offering. Just like the Proudia, the Equus was initially offered a standard V-6 engine, with the option of upgrading to a V-8. After the Proudia and Dignity were discontinued, Hyundai modified the V-8 to instead use a multipoint injector instead of Mitsubishi's GDI technology due to the fact that getting premium fuel in South Korea was incredibly difficult at the time.

The Equus Long Outlived The Mitsubishi Sedans

For the 2003 model year, the first year that the Hyundai would exist without its siblings at Mitsubishi, the Korean automotive company made a number of changes to the sedan to keep it competitive. This included giving it a new hood and an updated outward appearance, as well as completely updating the interior to align it with more modern offerings at the time.

The V-8 engine was kept in use in the Equus till the end of its first generation in 2008. However, during this time, the V-6 engines offered in the sedan were more popular and more refined. When the second generation of the Equus was introduced in 2009 it had a brand new V-8 engine that was completely designed and manufactured by Hyundai. The second-generation Equus is still considered to be well ahead of its time in terms of luxury.

Mitsubishi Has Taken A Fall Since The Early 2000s

Mitsubishi Automotive has seen a massive decline since the end of its V-8 engine. Its failure in the market was, to some degree, an omen of what was to come for the company. While the company dabbled in a number of different engine layouts, today they solely manufacture smaller engines.

Inline-Three

Mitsubishi's smallest engine they produce is an inline-three. The 1.2-liter engine sits at the heart of their smallest car sold in North America, the Mitsubishi Mirage. It may be be super efficient, but this little hatchback produces a maximum of 76 horsepower and is as basic as a car can possibly be. The underwhelming power of this engine is a big reason why the Mirage is being discontinued after the 2024 model year and will no longer be available.

Inline-Four

Mitsubishi makes a number of differing cars with inline-four engines. In the U.S., the Outlander, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross all utilize a four-cylinder engine. However, none of these engines are particularly impressive or powerful. In fact, the Outlander is the only car of the three that manages to keep up with its rivals in the segment, and that's because of its standard third-row of seating.