The Mitsubishi 3000GT Is The Bargain Supra Alternative You Can't Ignore

With the news that the new Toyota Supra could have a manual gearbox and maybe a more interesting engine configuration than we’d been expecting, we’ve done what any self-respecting car enthusiast would do and gone to the classifieds over a coffee.

Sadly, though, the best twin-turbo Supras are fetching north of £20,000, so at that price you might as well wait for the new one. What we did find was another muscular, good-looking Japanese coupe from the 1990s, and this one is a bit of a steal by comparison.

Picture a twin-turbo three-litre V6 with a claimed – and apparently conservative – 290bhp on tap, plus a technological arsenal including four-wheel steering, four-wheel drive and a history that spans just two owners in its 21 years. Yep, it’s a very solid-looking Mitsubishi 3000GT.

Our pick from the classifieds seems to be a UK car with full leather and two turbos bolted onto the 24-valve V6 at the front. It’s a second-gen model built for the 1996 model year, sold to an unnamed company who kept it for just nine months before selling it on to the current owner, who has kept it for the last 20 years. That’s a good sign.

Sadly this car doesn’t have the tunable exhaust system of MkI cars, but despite the electronically controlled suspension being discontinued after 1995, the seller here claims this car has it. It’s possible that this one was built in ’95 and sold a year later. It has the active aerodynamics, as well, so you’re getting a box of tricks that the Supra could only dream of.

The car’s service history looks good, with very regular oil and filter changes. The service book has some 31 stamps. It runs well, says the seller, with good oil pressure and no aftermarket mods that could upset the drivetrain and trigger big bills. The bodywork could use some attention, the advert says, but as far as remedial work goes, that’s not necessarily a challenge.

The 106,000 miles isn’t that much, averaging about 5000 miles per year over its life. That’s enough to keep the mechanicals sweet, but not enough to stress them into failure. The current MOT lasts until April next year and it’s had some recent work, including brakes, tyres, water pump, cambelt, tensioners, aux belts and two new propshaft centre bearings. These are big boxes to tick.

On the market for a very attractive-looking £4700 with a private seller, that’s less than a quarter of what you’ll pay for a good, late-model twin-turbo Supra. We’d have to say the characterful and complex cult hero you’re looking at right now might be the better buy – and we don’t think it will ever get more affordable than it is today.