New Sigma Super quiet and elegant

Press, 16 August 1984, Page 26

New Sigma Super quiet and elegant

By

PETER GREENSLADE

After the new Mitsubishi Sigma SE, a near $27,000 four-speed automatic saloon, was introduced by Todd Motors at the end of May, the Porirua-based company’s sales and marketing people must have been quite despondent when they read newspaper reviews of the car Because, in the main, they were lukewarm.

The top-of-the-range SE is tangible evidence that among Mitsubishi’s many and highly diverse talents is electronics. The automatic transmission features an overdrive gear and has an electroni-cally-controlled directcouple clutch which eliminates torque converter slip and is claimed to improve fuel consumption. Other micro-processors automatically control the air-conditioning, cruise-con-trol system, digital instrument panel and a range of operations including the windscreen wipers, interior lights, powered windows and warning lights. That is a rather imposing list, but most of the motoring journalists were unimpressed by the automatic transmission system, which tended to give the impression that it knew more about how the SE should be driven than they did. As well, the air-conditioning system, despite its electronic wizardry, proved extremely difficult to regulate.

Add to those idiosyncracies a suspension system that played havoc with the best of spines and Todd had a car not calculated to favourably impress a group of individuals who had already devoted a substantial part of their working year to sampling a wide variety of new models.

Perhaps the motoring writers were wide of the mark in their assessment of the Sigma SE for, from all accounts, Todd network dealers have been beseiged by potential buyers. If that has actually been the case, good luck to them. Motoring writers may be inclined to suggest that anything new and running on four wheels must sell at the moment with devaluation casting its black shadow. Also, what appears good to the average car buyer often is not viewed in the same light by a motoring journalist who makes a living by giving readers an unbiased appraisal of each car sampled. Having said all that, it now seems appropriate to add that having had the opportunity to drive the $20,495 Sigma Super Saloon with five-speed manual gearbox, I am happy to

report that this new Sigma is an impressive car. It shares the elegant lines and interior space of the more expensive SE and the interior finish, although not quite so opulent, is just as good. The same applies to the exterior finish. The SE is an exceptionally quiet-travelling car and so is the Super Saloon, although in the version sampled there was a certain amount of high-speed wind roar around one of the windows, due no doubt to faulty sealing. Whereas performance tended to be sluggish in the automatic SE, it was quite crisp in the manual Super and although it would be scratching for the high-per-formance label, acceleration, maximum speed and road-holding appear to be well beyond the demands of most owners.

The gearshift, like that of many front-wheel-drive cars, tends to be a shade vague on first acquaintance, but some familiarity works wonders.

On all but the rougher suburban streets, the riding qualities are good, although the suspension is, perhaps, a little harsher than one would expect in a car of this type. Nevertheless, this quality makes the Sigma Super a very stable and civilised touring car that does not throw its occupants around on winding roads and seems to corner without exaggerated roll. Steering is by rack and pinion, power assistance being supplied by a vane pump. At low speeds it is exceptionally light but as speed increases more drive input is needed so that even in strong cross winds it runs straight and true — a reassuring feature. The steering gear and linkage are mounted on the front subframe and this insulates the passenger compartment from road shock. There is no torque steer or front-drive feedback apparent through the steering column and, no doubt, that results from the combination of power-assisted steering and front suspension design. However, I felt that a little more castor action would not go astray. The self-correcting element in the steering is not strong. A sub-assembly comprising a cross-member, which carries the McPherson struts and houses the driveshafts, and an anti-roll bar are employed at the front. The geometry is designed to counter nose-div-ing under heavy braking. At the rear a U-section

beam axle is employed with a torsion bar fitted inside. The axle is located by trailing arms and lateral rods. The layout is fairly popular these days and is said to combine the best features of independent and non-independent suspension to give positive handling and good riding characteristics. In fact, this layout is designed to keep the rear wheels perpendicular, no matter what angle the body adopts. Ventilated disc brakes are employed at the front and quite large diameter drums are used at the rear. This set-up is more than adequate for the performance available from the 76kW (102bhp), four-cylinder overhead camshaft engine, which features Mitsubishi’s own counter-rotating balancing shafts.

In terms of spaciousness, these new Sigmas have as much room as anything in the popular section of the car market — if not more. However, they do fall short as far as luggage accommodation is concerned. Although there is ample room in the boot, the sill height and the smallness of the opening are disadvantages. Driver accommodation would be hard to better. The individual seat is adjustable fore and aft, as well as for rake and height, and the steering column and the

control panels attached to either side of it can be raised and lowered.

The control panels are not much more than a finger touch away from the steering wheel and ' the direction indicator control can be flicked by a finger without the hand leaving the wheel. I was able to cover a respectable distance in the Sigma Super on a wide variety of roads as well as the regular test circuit and I must say that as a well proportioned and comfortable family saloon it exceeded my expectations. As a general rule, Todd Motors turns out well assembled cars that represent fair value for money. This Sigma Super Saloon is no exception.