In the early 1970s, Lamborghini was setting the world on its ear with the futuristic Countach and their Italianate take on the AMC Marlin, the mighty Espada. Mitsubishi, on the other hand, was working hard to integrate twin balance shafts into a modest overhead-cam four-banger.
The result of these endeavors? Old man Ferruccio bailed on the company he founded in 1974. The company, though it became an ’80s-bedroom-wall sensation, didn’t find true success until it fell into the hands of the Volkswagen Group in 1998. The Silent-Shaft-equipped Mitsubishi Starion, however, spearheaded Mitsu’s entry into the American market alongside the Tredia and Cordia. Truly a trident of power to rival Maserati’s.
The turbo specialty sports coupe also saw captive-import duty as Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth Conquest. While it was sold in other markets with the vaunted 4G63 engine made famous by the DSM triplets and the Lancer Evolution, the American Starion always boasted the big 2.6L Silent Shaft motor, known far and wide as the Astron. Lately, Mitsubishi has not been doing so well. In its day, however, the Astron’s balance-shaft tech was licensed to numerous companies, including another concern now under the VW umbrella: Porsche.
The Lamborghini Asterion is sadly not the second coming of the Astron. Its hybrid powertrain is unlikely to be found in anything called a Sapporo. It will, however, be rather exclusive. It will almost certainly make obscene noises. And now reputed pictures of it have surfaced in what is alleged to be Italian enthusiast mag Quattroruote. Carscoops dug the images out of the forum netherworld.
The Asterion apparently features a V-10 sourced from the Huracán, as well as a triple-electric-motor setup. The four powerplants are supposedly good for a combined 888 horsepower. We’ll see the car in Paris this week. In the spirit of the Veneno, Sesto Elemento, and Aventador J, we expect it to cost all the money. We’re a bit bummed that this car wasn’t built in 1988, back when Sant’Agata was under Chrysler’s stewardship. Mopar’s lash-up with Mitsu would’ve made an Astron-powered Asterion a real possibility.
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