2004 Mitsubishi Galant - exterior design concept
Brave. Courageous. Dauntless. Heroic. Gallant. Galant. Those preceding synonyms perfectly sum up the 2004 Mitsubishi Galant's exterior appearance, defined by styling that sets it apart in the midsize sedan market. Sporting an overall design theme that combines elements of architecture with modern art, and emboldened by a wide, sporty stance, the Galant challenges preconceptions of what a midsize sedan can be.
The larger, more sophisticated 2004 Galant creates dynamic appeal by combining an imposing, split front grille; a broad, intimidating stance; and coupe-like styling with four-door functionality. These attributes endow the Galant with an undeniable presence on the road. "Even when parked, the Galant's design implies forward motion," said Dan Sims, lead designer.
The Galant's sculpted, well-defined sheet metal covers the broad-shouldered frame of a vehicle that provides ample seating space for five. The Galant also features chic, modern aesthetic cues sought by consumers who may not have previously considered owning a midsize sedan. As the Galant proves, good looks are more than skin deep.
A vehicle is characterized by its styling. The Galant's styling presents a modern, sophisticated take on the archetypal sedan. With its gracefully tapering C-pillar, the Galant's silhouette mimics that of a sporty coupe, making the vehicle appear to be smaller than it actually is. Defined by its sheet metal, the Galant represents a strong, well-proportioned and athletic vehicle. The Galant is influenced by American sedans in its size, Japanese sedans in its execution, but high-end European sedans in both form and proportion.
Upon initial glance at the new Galant, one will notice that the integrated bumpers are designed to flow smoothly into the fender metal. The front end is dominated by the aggressively styled, split-front grille with a wide, expressive center pillar that prominently wears the Mitsubishi badge. That center pillar extends upward to raise the center of the hood, creating a powerful ridge that widens toward the A-pillars, making it obvious that high performance lies just beneath the surface. The Galant's frontal view, which is dominated by a split grille and lower front valance which contains several imposing air intakes, suggests the purposeful, sporty and sophisticated nature of this vehicle.
The European-flavored sports sedan image is portrayed from more than frontal angles. The Galant's flanks are defined by strong shoulder lines that start just aft of the A-pillars and continue the length of the vehicle. Viewed from the side, these shoulder lines flow upward toward the rear and help to create a sense of forward motion. From its low front bumper to its high rear decklid, the Galant's wedge shape helps it to achieve a very low coefficient of drag.
Adding to the sports sedan appeal are the Galant's large wheels and tires. Standard wheels measure 16 inches, and ten-spoke alloys are optional equipment on the ES and LS trim lines. The up-level GTS model wears 17-inch cast aluminum five-spoke wheels.
In the Galant, Mitsubishi has succeeded in creating one of the most sophisticated and emotionally compelling interpretations of the traditional midsize family sedan. The Galant's exterior styling is an expression of individuality and sophistication.
Aerodynamics
With a modern, uncluttered design, the Galant's sculpted exterior sheet metal helps the vehicle achieve a 0.31 drag coefficient. This number compares favorably with other examples from the midsize sedan category. A low drag coefficient helps improve fuel economy and performance by reducing the wind resistance that the vehicle must overcome at highway speeds. In addition, the Galant's windshield molding and side mirrors are designed to reduce turbulence, create less wind noise and offer superior management of water flow which improves visibility in wet conditions.
Exterior Dimensions
Every one of the Galant's exterior dimensions has increased in comparison to the previous model. At 190.14 inches, the Galant's overall length has increased by nearly three inches. The Galant's design cues are more athletic than ever before; thanks to integrated bumpers that keep offset to a minimum, the Galant is not visually unwieldy. The wheelbase has increased by more than four and a half inches, to its current length of 108.3 inches. The wheels have been relocated to the corners of the vehicle, which, besides improving balance, also creates more room where it counts: on the inside. The stretched wheelbase, 61.8-inch track width (the widest track in its class), and class-leading 72.4 inches of overall width help the Galant to maximize interior passenger room.
Exterior Colors
The Galant's exterior colors combine a mechanical, metallic tinted effect with warm earth tones to create a rich, upscale appearance. The chromatic exterior colors help to accentuate the chiseled forms and sophisticated appeal of Galant's sheet metal. The eight exterior colors are Sterling Silver, Titanium, Dover White, Kalapana Black, Steel Blue, Machine Green, Platinum Beige, and Ultra Red.
Sunroof
The Galant's sunroof is designed to create a larger opening than the sunroofs found on most competitors in the midsize sedan segment. The increased size of Galant's sunroof helps introduce more sunlight into the passenger compartment, creating the sense of livelier and more spacious interior room. As an additional safety precaution, the Galant's sunroof is designed to retract if an object is caught within its panel upon closing. Front and side wind deflectors help reduce wind turbulence and lower interior noise levels. The power sunroof is optional on ES and LS trim lines and standard on GTS, and includes an overhead storage unit with a map lamp, and dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors.
Trunk lid
The Galant's trunk lid is designed to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods from the cargo area. The trunk aperture measures 36.2 inches (920 mm) across at the taillights, which provides more than enough elbow room to load and unload bulky items. A four-link hinge eliminates protrusion of the hinge into the storage area when the trunk lid is closed, so packages won't be accidentally damaged. Pressurized gas springs keep the trunk open when loading or unloading the trunk. An inner handle, conveniently placed within short reach on the inside of the lid, makes closing the trunk lid a simple operation.
Front Lamps
The Galant's front headlights utilize an efficient double-filament lamp with a multi-reflector lens. By optimizing the shape of the multi-reflector lens to maximize the bulb's projection, the beam pattern has been enhanced to help provide superior nighttime visibility. The front turn signal indicator, front side marker and front side reflex reflector have also been integrated into the front lamp assembly to create a very effective, yet compact composite light unit. Galant GTS includes the fog lamp kit as standard equipment.
Rear Lamps
Despite its compact size, the rear combination lamp also includes the rear turn signal, rear tail and brake lamp, reverse lamp and reflex reflector. The combination of a striped lens cut and a multi-reflector give this tail light assembly more depth, and a greater sense of quality to the unit. An aluminized reflector adds brightness to the lamps beam and improves visibility. The taillight's red housing uses an aluminized interior to help enhance the strength of illumination.
Exterior Equipment
Unique visual details help to identify each of Galant's four trim levels. The base-level DE has black side mirrors and door handles and 16-inch wheel covers. The ES, LS and GTS trim lines feature body-colored side mirrors and door handles, body side moldings and a strip of chrome trim which feature a center mounted LED brake light. The GTS further adds 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, as well as unique headlights. The GTS taillights are also integrated with a short decklid spoiler, which features a center mounted brake light. The GTS also is the only model that includes a pair of fog lamps mounted in the lower front fascia as standard equipment.
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