In July 1986, Mitsubishi dramatically changed the appearance of its top-level flagship sedan Debonair, as its previous version was seen as extremely rare and not a sales leader or image maker of Mitsubishi vehicles. The all-new Debonair adopted a front-wheel drive format, a cost-effective way to increase interior space without investing money on engineering in an executive sedan. It also came with Mitsubishi's first V6 engines, the "6G71" 2.0 L and the "6G72" 3.0 L under the "Cyclone" moniker, which were shared with the Galant model line later. So as to comply with Japanese government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement, vehicles installed with the 2.0 L engine were installed in a shorter and narrower car - accomplished simply by fitting smaller bumpers. Fitted with the 3-litre V6, the Debonair would reach , if it wasn't for the mandatory limiter used in Japanese cars.