Mitsubishi HSR-II

Which part of the 1989 Mitsubishi HSR-II isn’t found on the world’s most desirable hypercars today?

• Variable aerodynamics is so standard as to be one of McLaren’s calling cards.
• All-wheel-drive and a turbocharged engine — practically standard features now.
• Exterior cameras and interior digital displays are baked into road regulations.

Aren't concept cars fascinating?

Shame about them and auto shows having all but died.

While some concepts from this era, like the Nissan XIX, tried to envision the look of future products, moon shots such as the HSR-II projected show-goers into a future where all of middle America is stuffed into sub 5-seconds-to-60 mph family cars. Like a Tesla.

OK, before I slapped your brain with a musky fish, it wasn’t so much that Mitsubishi thought everyone would be in an HSR-II, more that Mitsubishi needed to get busy inventing the future. 

The marketing people were on fine form by naming the second of the company's "Highly Sophisticated-transport Research" concept cars. For -II, an emphasis was placed on high speed driving and maneuverability — yeah, it's fully drivable.

Paving the way for some of the features found on the GTO, the company's flagship (3000GT VR4 over here), the HSR-II had a laundry list of features that would just about all die on the show stand:

• Variable coefficient of drag, from a Cd of 0.20 to 0.40
• Air brakes and movable flaps, to help adjust the car at high speeds
• An interior lined with video displays, readouts, and what looks like a restaurant order-taking terminal at the driver armrest
• Rear video camera 
• 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine with all-wheel-drive, believed to have come from the Galant VR-4.