Publication: Motor Fan
Format: Test Drive Report
Date: December 1971
Author: Hiroshi Okazaki

A Well-Judged Mass-Market Coupe

On the eve of the Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi Motors has announced a new 1400cc coupe. We promptly took it to Fuji Speedway to assess its performance—and this is what we found…

A Nicely Settled Driving Position

A stylish compact coupe has now joined the Galant series.

Its name is the Galant FTO. The initials “FTO” are said to derive from the Italian Fresco Turismo Omologare—or, in English terms, “Fresh Touring Homologated.”

Publication: Auto Sport
Format: Road Test
Date: December 1971
Author: Hajime Hiratsuka

Driving the Galant Coupe FTO: Hard Cruising on Shinano Roads in Late Autumn

On November 1, Mitsubishi Motors introduced a new model under the catchphrase “a coupe with room to grow”: the Galant Coupe FTO, powered by a 1400cc Neptune engine. The name “FTO,” we’re told, is derived from the Italian Fresco Turismo Omologare—which, loosely interpreted, suggests a car homologated as a “fresh” touring machine.

Publication: Car Graphic
Format: Group Test
Date: February 1972
Author: “C/G Test Group” (uncredited)

Comparison test: Mitsubishi Galant FTO GIII vs. Toyota Sprinter SR

This month, we compared two 1400cc sports cars, the Toyota Sprinter SR and the Mitsubishi Galant FTO GIII, under a variety of conditions, including performance testing at Yatabe. We would like to begin by briefly explaining why we chose these two models from the many cars in the same class. First, the Sprinter SR boasts the best specs in its class, making it a natural choice for pure motoring enthusiasts like us (and we think many C/G readers share our priorities), so we unanimously agreed that it should be included. Second, the Galant FTO GIII was just recently released on the market, and since we drove the GII last month and were impressed with its handling, we were particularly interested in how the GIII, which has 9ps more power, would stack up, so we included it as well. When we think of Sprinters, the Nissan Sunny GX also immediately comes to mind. In our opinion, however, the Sunny Coupe 1200GX is the best of the Sunny model range, and the Excellent, with its SOHC 1400cc engine, is a downgrade in every respect (except for having a brake servo), so we deliberately left it out of this comparison test. To avoid any misunderstanding, we should add that the C/G test is first and foremost a test of driving performance, and places particular emphasis on the balance of maneuverability and braking power with power performance, especially when it comes to cars that are marketed as being sporty.

Publication: Auto Sport
Format: Group Test
Date: June 1973
Author: Auto Test Editorial Staff (uncredited)

Editors’ Comprehensive (?) Test Drive: Galant FTO 1600GSR and 1400SL-5 vs. Corolla Levin and Levin J

The car slides on at an angle, refusing to straighten. The guardrail closes in like an arrow…

The second editorial test session, held in the rain at Tsukuba, turned into something resembling a spin exhibition. Faces drained of color, sweat creeping in, legs trembling, we pressed on–telling ourselves that this, too, was valuable experience–as we fought to keep the cars under control.