CALL OF DUTY!

THE MITSUBISHI CORDIA HAS BECOME A RARE SPECIMEN ON AUSSIE ROADS. THIS EXAMPLE IN NSW POLICE SPEC MIGHT JOLT YOUR MEMORY OF A PAST ENCOUNTER YOU WOULD RATHER FORGET!

- WORDS DAVE MORLEY * PHOTOS MARK BEAN

I have spent my fair share of time in cop cars. And I know what you're thinking, but you'd be wrong. See, as the son of a country copper who served the NSW force for three decades, I can remember all sorts of highway patrol cars turning up at our house (attached to which was often the one-room police station). I can just remember Cooper Ss and the comical sight of an eight-foot-tall copper winding himself out of the things, and I recall vividly a dark green LC Torana GTR that used to haul up in the driveway mid-shift.

In later years (but still a kid) I was ferried around in cop cars (as were all coppers' young 'uns back then). But an extra special treat was to score a ride in a highway patrol Charger. I blame this youthful exposure for the undercoated pile of Hemi-powered crud that currently resides at the MBC.

Ultimately, I left home and my relationship with HWP cars changed dramatically. For the worse. Instead of looking forward to seeing them, I was now watching my mirror like a hawk lest one of the buggers spotted me having too much fun me and required a roadside chat. And into that category, I'll put things like VL Turbo Commodores, XR8 Falcons, and even XD and VK V8s. And this car, the Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo.

Not every state or territory operated Cordia Turbos, but NSW did and right at the time I was perhaps most interested in the concept of rapid transit. Bummer. And not that I'd have been stupid enough to try to do a runner, but everybody back then knew you couldn't outrun a Cordia Turbo. Not unless it blew up mid-pursuit, anyway.

The Mitsubishi Cordia Turbo was a dead-set revelation when it landed on an unsuspecting Aussie public back in 1984. Sure, Mitsubishi had already blooded us with the Starion Turbo, but the unassuming looking little Cordia hatchback was straight out of left field. With a bang.