In the 1980s, performance cars were trying to find their foothold in an automotive landscape that had just been riddled by the oil and gas crisis, power-robbing emissions equipment, and strict fuel economy regulations. The biggest and most powerful engines at the time were choked by smog control equipment, low compression ratios, air pumps and highly restrictive exhaust systems to meet these requirements. With many enthusiasts still mourning the loss of the high-powered, but now dated, muscle cars, the future of performance looked bleak. It was at this time that Mitsubishi and other Japanese automakers made their move in an effort to entice American automotive performance enthusiasts, by offering small economical sports cars with a boost.
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