Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg (56k warning!)

[Mustang]

Don't want to get OT but any chance of a few pics and your impression of the Cyborg in a new thread?

CJ

The car: Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg ZR 1.6 MIVEC
The cyborg is my first ‘hot hatch’ and it’s a blast. My one is the only one I’ve ever driven and it’s been modified so I’m not sure how it compares to a stock unit.

Styling: I quite like the looks of the mirage/colt as 3dr hatchs go -nicer to look at than a civic/ fiesta/ almera, et, IMO. This car has been completely debadged, and other than the exhaust and mud flaps there are no visual mods which I like –only the mivec alloys give it away (to those in the know) that it isn’t a humble 1.3 colt. (Stealthy)
The standard interior is quite nice too, Recaro seats, momo steering wheel, white dials.

Mods: K&N induction kit, SS exhaust, Tein suspension, Ralliart strut brace.

At times these type of engines (mivec, vtec, vvti, etc) come in for a bit of criticism –that they are too peaky have little torque and need to be thrashed. I disagree, the engine feels willing and rev happy, and will make decent progress without having to drop a few cogs, and thrash it. It feels lively and eager as a GTI should.

It’s a frantic drive though, the engine note builds nicely on the standard cams, once it hits the mivec zone it whales like a banshee helped by the induction kit and exhaust –at this point you’ve lost the stealth mode so that those people in the rear view mirror know that they’ve been Mivec’d.
When cruising the car settles down nicely –not a fan of loud exhausts myself.

The suspension mods make the handling feel very sharp on smooth tarmac, but are probably better suited to Japanese rather than Irish roads. Belting down a country road with the mivec screaming is an intense experience. You find yourself constantly pushing it to keep it in the mivec zone.
Perhaps it’s just me but I’m inclined to go on the offence when the natural enemy appears –everytime I see a civic I feel compelled to floor it –must grow up!
All in all I’m enjoying my time with car, I love the cheeky spirit of the little hatch.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Tasty looking hot hatch - these are VERY underrated - perhaps because they never really sold them over on this side of the world.

Some nice mods there too - like the front splitter,side skirts and exhaust - not in your face.

Is that Tein Adjustable coilovers then??? - If so the ride must be rock hard for Irish roads - get thee to a track day!

Or better still - get thee to the 1/4 mile next Sunday and see how it does against its big brother FTO Mivec - the result could surprise you!

[Mustang]

are you selling that there car??? http://tinyurl.com/kzneg i thought you liked it???

Yes I am, and yes I do. You interested GF?

Tasty looking hot hatch - these are VERY underrated - perhaps because they never really sold them over on this side of the world.

Agreed, at 175PS more powerful than the levin, or civic SiR, and nicer looking than the pulsar VZR. I do like the effect of the debadging. They are a relatively rare comodity compared to the civic or even the levin/trueno.

Is that Tein Adjustable coilovers then???

Not exactly sure, other than than it's Tein I couldn't tell you

[Myfeckin FTO]

are you selling that there car??? http://tinyurl.com/kzneg i thought you liked it???

Mustang is doing what I did for 5 years up untill I got my present FTO - I changed cars a couple of times a year - got to drive some nice machines but bought them to sell them on -


Sold a Red GR Tip, Racing Puma,Cougar and MX5 RS within a year and made money on all of them (6K on the Racing Puma) -

Hence I had a few years of depreciation free motoring - in fact made a few bucks along the way. You are better off buying hot hatches like the Type R's, Cyborgs or cult cars like the Racing Puma or MX5 etc rather than FTO's as they are easier to sell on and will have a better profit margin to boot.

Stuck on my present FTO at the mo as I've spent so much money on it and is my favorite car to date.

Mustang will have no problem shifting that Cyborg - they are relatively easy to insure and a willing market of lads who can't get insured in FTO's plus they are cheap to run and a hoot to drive.

[Mustang]

Some more snaps from my recent excursion to West Cork....

[Myfeckin FTO]

He he he!

Think myself & CJ know that tunnel pretty well!

Worth holding a meet for that tunnel alone.




BTW Mustang - that Cyborg looks SORTED!

[Muad_dib77]

The suspension mods make the handling feel very sharp on smooth tarmac, but are probably better suited to Japanese rather than Irish roads. Belting down a country road with the mivec screaming is an intense experience. You find yourself constantly pushing it to keep it in the mivec zone.
Perhaps it’s just me but I’m inclined to go on the offence when the natural enemy appears –everytime I see a civic I feel compelled to floor it –must grow up!

1. Nah Bro - It's not just you
2. Don't ever frow up! - I'm under the destinct impressinon that growing up eqauls being boring..
3. THe Ride looks sorted..

Spotted a Couper DOCH Turbo Mirage for sale the otherday - almost went to have a looksie.. Didn't look nearly as clean as this little cracker! Wrooum!

[cpoh]

Agreed, at 175PS more powerful than the levin, or civic SiR, and nicer looking than the pulsar VZR. I do like the effect of the debadging. They are a relatively rare comodity compared to the civic or even the levin/trueno.

First off sweet car, is it a cyborg zr, come with lsd as standard?

Id take issue with the 175ps tag though. The problem with all the 1.6L dohc engines from the mid nineties is that the manufacturers all overestimated the power output of the cars for some unknown reason. Toyota and mitsubishi were especially guilty. Combined with 95 unleaded most of these cars come out with 150bhp tops. The levin is even worse with mid 140bhp figures the norm on the rollers in this country. Although being nowhere perfect the honda and nissans were a little closer to the stock quoted figures, most b16 honda engines come out at arounf 160-163bhp mark if looked after.

Where the colt really falls down in comparison to its rival the civic is its longer gear ratios in second/third and forth.

Here's a nice comparison of all the 1.6n/a cars from about the same time. The civic is the king of chav but its also the king of performance in this sector!

http://asia.vtec.net/side/cyborg/

[Mustang]

Agreed, at 175PS more powerful than the levin, or civic SiR, and nicer looking than the pulsar VZR. I do like the effect of the debadging. They are a relatively rare comodity compared to the civic or even the levin/trueno.

First off sweet car, is it a cyborg zr, come with lsd as standard?

Id take issue with the 175ps tag though. The problem with all the 1.6L dohc engines from the mid nineties is that the manufacturers all overestimated the power output of the cars for some unknown reason. Toyota and mitsubishi were especially guilty. Combined with 95 unleaded most of these cars come out with 150bhp tops. The levin is even worse with mid 140bhp figures the norm on the rollers in this country. Although being nowhere perfect the honda and nissans were a little closer to the stock quoted figures, most b16 honda engines come out at arounf 160-163bhp mark if looked after.

Where the colt really falls down in comparison to its rival the civic is its longer gear ratios in second/third and forth.

Here's a nice comparison of all the 1.6n/a cars from about the same time. The civic is the king of chav but its also the king of performance in this sector!

http://asia.vtec.net/side/cyborg/

I am quoting the manufacturers figures @175PS...I'm not about to take it to a rolling road to verify the claim. The 'urban legend' seems to be that the power figures are overstated (as you say)-without seeing actual figures I couldn't comment one way or another. IIRC correctly we had a CA4A cyborg at the rolling road last year which came in on spec. Interesting write up...seen it before....the fact the civec comes out on top despite the lower power and power to weight figure is interesting....
I take your point on the high gearing 3rd gear will take you past 100mph (on a private rd.) -the fact that it revs past 8000rpm helps too

[cpoh]

I am quoting the manufacturers figures @175PS...I'm not about to take it to a rolling road to verify the claim. The 'urban legend' seems to be that the power figures are overstated (as you say)-without seeing actual figures I couldn't comment one way or another. IIRC correctly we had a CA4A cyborg at the rolling road last year which came in on spec. Interesting write up...seen it before....the fact the civec comes out on top despite the lower power and power to weight figure is interesting....
I take your point on the high gearing 3rd gear will take you past 100mph (on a private rd.) -the fact that it revs past 8000rpm helps too

The problem with the smaller n/a motors is that they absolutely hate 95 unleaded, they dont suffer from detonation as badly as higher cc'd turbo cars but they just dont perform as well as they should when on japan ron fuel. Take this combined with serious overestimating of power figures from the manufacturers and the fact that your dealing with an 8-10 year old car and people who dyno their car expecting stock figures are going to be seriously dissappointed.

Id find it extremely hard to believe/nigh on impossible that a cyborg came out with the factory 173bhp on irish fuel, I was onto Martin before at westward and he said the amount of colt/levin/pulser/civic owners he's sent home gutted being 20bhp off stock quoted figures was unblievable.

The Mirage cyborg is a fantastic car, much better looking than the civic imo and tastier inside too, the seats are fantastic. How do you find it compared to the fto. Id imagine it wouldnt be far off a stock gr or tiptronic gpx?

[JayVersion"R"]

He he he!

Think myself & CJ know that tunnel pretty well!

Worth holding a meet for that tunnel alone.

Thought I recognised it alright, Puma rumbled through that once or twice, must give it a lash with the Version R. Nice little car Mustang, very tasty. I agree with Myfeckin FTO get it on the track, it'd be great fun

[ikeane]

Directions (and a map) to that tunnell would be nice guys...looks interesting

[JayVersion"R"]

Directions (and a map) to that tunnell would be nice guys...looks interesting

And wait until you hear the sound of the car roaring through it. it is incredible.

Right head for Kenmare, once there on the approach into the town drive straight until at the bottom of the small hill and turn left(turning right will bring you into the town itself), head out over the bridge and stay on that road towards Glengarrif. No point telling you how many miles to it exactly coz I don't know, but litterally keep driving until you come to the tunnel. Mind the roads as they are fairly dodgy and the tourists are sure to be on your side of the road. And I can tell you now it is one serious drop if you decide to do a funky manouver. hope that helps

[CJ]

Nice machine Mustang, I've driven an older 'MIVEC' (as Cyborg owners tend to call them), cracking litle drive, they're surprisingly quick for a 1.6 and look much better than equivalent Jap hatches.

CJ

[Mustang]

Nice machine Mustang, I've driven an older 'MIVEC' (as Cyborg owners tend to call them), cracking litle drive, they're surprisingly quick for a 1.6 and look much better than equivalent Jap hatches.

CJ

I used the clay bar on it just before I took the pics -my initial feeling was that the clay was not quite the 'life altering experience' that I'd hoped, that said it does look well shiney in the pics.
The mivec does not give the turbo-style kick in the back that I was expecting, but at the top end in the mivec zone, the car really shifts
You're welcome to a spin in it over the weekend CJ

[tin tin]

that is a very nice Cyborg pluse the body kit those skirts are sorted arfter as is the front spliter i have got the pre face-lift colt from yours with the full body kit as standerd well worth having very clean looking to