Mine was in 1977, or rather it was my older brother’s. He came home from the Army in a 1975 Dodge Colt and I remember being 12 years old and fascinated by it. It was so small (compared to the cars of the day). And the engine: a small inline 4 cylinder! All the cars I knew had a V-8 or V-6, and here was this little mill that was so quiet and smooth at idle. Our Dad (R.I.P.) was not a fan, as he worked for and eventually retired from GM. But my brother and I had a lot of good times in that car. We lived ½ hour from the city, so it took us to the movies, to Burger Chef and to the video arcades (yes, I’m dating myself). We even drove it from Ohio to Disneyworld one summer!
I remember he named it “Herbie” after the old movies…When I got my license, he let me borrow it to take a girl on a date, and even then, I remember it had the light clutch feel us manual drivers know and love, and just that overall Mitsubishi "feel".
42 years later now, and my brother’s health is failing. He came over to my house last week, and I proudly showed him my G4. I started it up and let him hear the idle, and I asked “what does that sound like”? He smiled and said “the Colt”. I helped him into the passenger seat and we took a drive; he couldn’t believe it was a 3 cylinder and how smooth it rode. I offered to let him drive but he declined, saying he hadn’t driven a standard in a while. It’s tough watching his health decline, but for a few minutes there, we were together again, headed off to town in the old Colt. My G4 “Miri” is the spiritual and physical successor of Herbie, and that puts a smile on my face. I know she comes from good bloodlines.
Betty
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