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Mitsubishi plans to unveil a Plug-In Hybrid Crossover

March 10, 2009 at 9:40 am By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Mitsubishi

Words are being exchanged that Japanese auto maker Mitsubishi is planning to reveal the a plug-in hybrid crossover at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

There are no other details thus far regarding this matter, but we just know that this hybrid would equal the size of the Nissan Qashqai. Apparently, an executive from the company revealed that Mitsubishi would now like to focus on more fuel efficient, smaller engines to power its SUV’s.

In line with that, the auto maker will also launch a new 1.8 diesel power plant later this year. The executive also mentioned that Mitsubishi has re-assigned its motor sport engineers who were part of the Dakar racing program to help develop the company’s electric vehicle program.

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Mitsubishi announces withdrawal from Dakar rally

February 4, 2009 at 9:00 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi, Motorsports

Mitsubishi Racing Lancer

It seems that one by one all the Japanese manufacturers are pulling out of motorsports (Honda, Suzuki, Subaru, Kawasaki). The latest casualty is Mitsubishi’s Dakar rally team. Some expected this as Mitsubishi’s luck in the rally took a down turn this year after it won the event 7 times running. It could be the new V6 diesel-based Racing Lancer (shown above), or simply because its opponents got better.

“It is extremely regrettable. I am sorry for our fans. We were a good team too. Since 2004, we continued to participate in the rally even in difficult times by cutting costs. We gained much technologically during this time. It pains me to say we will no longer be able to participate,” said president MMC Osamu Masuko.

According to Mitsubishi, pulling out from the race will cost it some money but in the long run it would be saving money. This decision comes after announcing an expected net loss of 60 billion yen (670 million dollars) for the current financial year to March, attributed to dropping sales and a strengthening Yen.

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Nikkei: Mitsubishi to supply 10,000 electric cars a year to PSA Peugeot Citroen?

January 12, 2009 at 4:01 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Citroën, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Mitsubishi, Peugeot

Peugeot Electric Car
Click for enlarged image

We first heard of a joint study between Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen to evaluate a potential cooperation between the two companies on the supply of electric vehicles back in June 2008. The study also included evaluating the feasibility of shared production sites for producing components for electric vehicles.

Japanese newspaper The Nikkei (the same guys who reported the Suzuki Kizashi would be axed) now reports that the deal went through and Mitsubishi will supply the French company up to 10,000 electric cars a year by the year 2011. This could include the Mitsubishi i MiEV, which is shown above as an artist’s impression with Peugeot styling (look after the jump for a Citroen version).

PSA would benefit by getting electric car technology fast, while Mitsubishi would benefit from PSA’s vast distributor network in Europe, which would be beneficial for Mitsu’s coffers anyway since they are the supplier, despite the cars not having Mitsubishi badges.

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Mitsubishi Racing Lancer and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X: side by side comparison photos

January 6, 2009 at 1:05 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Mitsubishi

Racing Lancer
Click for enlarged image

Mitsubishi Motors has commissioned this interesting photoshoot featuring the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and the Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 side by side in static and action shots. Both are turbocharged and feature all-wheel drive, but they are totally different machines despite sharing the Lancer nameplate.

The Racing Lancer does not use the Lancer’s chassis, as you would already know looking at how much larger it is, or if you’ve been reading this blog’s previous coverage of the Racing Lancer. It’s actually built on a tube steel frame structure, with carbon fiber “skin” bolted on. It’s a hardcore rally machine that’s used as Mitsubishi’s entry in the Dakar 2009.

Powering it is not a variation of the 4B11T that powers the Lancer Evolution, nope. This one’s an oil burner! A 3.0 litre V6 mated to a Ricardo 5-speed sequential gearbox puts out 260 horsepower and a massive 650Nm of torque over a decent torque curve, or at least that’s what Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart’s driver Hiroshi Masuoka says. According to Hiroshi, the diesel engine outperforms its petrol-powered siblings in terms of controllability on a challenging terrain, and it also rushes faster out of corners and along straights.

One may wonder if Mitsubishi plans a “CrossLancer” by putting a higher suspension and offroader styling bits onto its Lancer hatchback by deriving the look from the Racing Lancer’s styling elements. Anyway, check out two more shots after the jump.

Related Posts:
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 for Dakar 2009
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer MRX-09 in action!
Mitsubishi Racing Lancer wins its maiden race!
[Read more...]

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Next generation Proton Waja to be based on the Mitsubishi Lancer platform

December 5, 2008 at 4:58 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Mitsubishi, Proton, Proton Inspira - full details, specifications and test drive

Mitsubishi Lancer Fortis

After many years of going around in circles talking to companies such as PSA Peugeot Citroen, Volkswagen and GM, Proton has finally ended up at a familiar place, Mitsubishi Motors. Proton announced to Bursa Malaysia today that it has entered into a product collaboration program with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Japan. The following is the scope of the product collaboration:

  • A Development Agreement, to develop a new Vehicle Model for PROTON based on details of work, target specifications, job sharing and time schedule as determined by both parties (“Licensed Product”).
  • A Licence Agreement, where MMC grants PROTON a non-exclusive license to use technical assistance and patents solely for the purpose of utilization of technical information for restyling, modification and improvement work, manufacturing of local parts, assembling, selling and after sales services / support of the Licensed Product to be sold under PROTON’s trademark and styling; and
  • An Engineering Services Agreement, wherein MMC will provide the work and services for PROTON’s manufacturing of the Licensed Product.

StarBiz revealed today that the Mitsubishi vehicle to be provided to Proton is the new Lancer, which will be used to replace the Waja. A quick check with sources inside Proton revealed that the vehicle would pretty much be a Lancer with only minor changes to the design, even less than what Mitsubishi Taiwan has done to their version of the Lancer.

The Lancer Fortis is shown in the image above, just compare it to the original Lancer (chopped by Theophilus with Proton badges) shown below, it’s a world of a difference! So the good news is our version will likely keep the Lancer’s original aggressive looks.

Proton Lancer
Click for enlarged image

The new Lancer-Waja will likely be priced at a higher price point than the current Waja CPS, but lower than the Perdana. We’ll also get the GEMA series of engines that comes with the Lancer, though it’s not clear at this moment which one. The GEMA engine is available in 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4 litre displacements.

Other proposed areas that Mitsubishi and Proton are in discussions about include the rebadging of the Persona and the 2009 Proton MPV as a Mitsubishi in certain markets and the joint development of an A-segment hatchback (a new Savvy-sized vehicle), but when contacted by this blog, sources in Proton indicated these additional projects are at best only in discussion stages only, and not something confirmed.

In fact, an A-segment hatch may not be such a good area for Proton to venture into right now, given how price sensitive the A-segment market is. Maybe later, if Proton gains enough technical know-how on how to build a car cheaply and once it has enough economies of scale to price it low yet make a sufficient profit.

The only two car manufacturers enjoying success in that market segment are Suzuki and Daihatsu, who are experts in small cars. It’s very hard to profit and with the current condition of Proton’s economies of scale, I doubt Proton could create an A-segment hatch that could have the right features, quality and price to enjoy a decent amount of success whether in Malaysia or overseas.

I doubt even accounting for the potential units sold under the Mitsubishi badge could help out there as Mitsubishi themselves do not have much successful experience in that area.

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Southeast Motor V3 Lingyue: Mitsubishi distributor’s first own-brand compact car

November 23, 2008 at 11:43 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, China, International News, Mitsubishi

Southeast Motors V3 Lingyue

Fujian-based Southeast Motor only sold Mitsubishi vehicles like the Zinger MPV in China, up to now. This is their very first self-branded car called the Southeast Motor V3 Lingyue, which uses the 4G15 Mitsubishi 1.5 litre MIVEC engine.

Dimensions of 4,405mm x 1,700mm x 1,415mm with a 2,500mm wheelbase make it slightly bigger (and heavier) than our own second generation Proton Saga. The 1.5 litre MIVEC engine it uses puts out a decent 109 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 134Nm of torque at 3,000rpm.

It’s priced between 60,000 yuan (RM31,850) to 80,000 yuan (RM42,450), depending on which model. Four models are available, but all of them come with 5-speed manual transmissions with no automatic available.

Looking at its dimensions, wheelbase and the detailing of the design it looks pretty much like the sixth generation Mitsubishi Lancer (the one the Evo4, Evo 5 and Evo 6 is based on) refreshed with a different front end and rear end and some technical updates.

Look after the jump for many more shots of the V3 Lingyue.
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2009 Mitsubishi Zinger MIVEC launched in China

November 22, 2008 at 12:58 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Zinger

This is the Mitsubishi Zinger, sort of like a replacement for the MPV known as the Mitsubishi Kuda in Indonesia. It’s based on the Mitsubishi Challenger’s ladder-frame rear wheel drive truck platform.

In a nutshell, you could call it Mitsubishi’s equivalent to the Toyota Innova, a cheap way to put together a decently sized 7-seater people carrier that can be priced cheap and positioned lower than premium car-based MPVs such as the Grandis.

The Zinger usually comes with the 2.4 litre 4G64 engine that produces 136 PS at 5,250rpm, and a variant of this engine in a nearly similiar tune is also found in the Chery Eastar MPV. Quite an old design I must say, but in certain markets you can also get a newer model called the “Super Zinger” which features the newer 2.4 litre MIVEC 4G69 engine from the Grandis that produces 159 PS.

Mitsubishi Zinger

It’s currently being sold in Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Costa Rica and Indonesia. There are probably some other countries which I’ve left out. The most recent facelifted model with the 4G69 engine has just recently been launched in China by Southeast Motor.

Southeast calls it an not something simple as an SUV or an MPV… it gets a completely new term called an “MICS-RV”! The M is supposed to stand for Multi-purpose, the I for Interior Roominess and Ride Comfort, the C for Compact body size, the S for Sophisticated Styling, the R for Rough-road capability and the V for value for money. What a tongue twister… phew!

Looking at the success of cheap MPVs like the Nissan Grand Livina and the Toyota Innova here, and Mitsubishi’s uncanny ability to do magic with the pricing of its cars lately such as the massive price cut for Grandis and the Lancer having an unbelievable price for a CBU Japan car, could the Mitsubishi Zinger do well in Malaysia?

Look after the jump for more photos of the Mitsubishi Zinger.
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Mitsubishi Racing Lancer wins its maiden race

November 5, 2008 at 8:43 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi, Motorsports

Mitsubishi Racing Lancer

The Mitsubishi Racing Lancer has emerged tops in its maiden race at the Baja Portalegre 500, piloted by Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret from France. It finished 515.16km of stages in 6 hours, 11 minutes and 48 seconds, winning by a margin of 4 minutes and 3 seconds.

According to Peterhansel, the 280 PS 3.0 litre V6 motor in the Racing Lancer is a huge improvement in all areas especially the strong torque that helps bring the Racing Lancer faster out of slower turns. He also commended the chassis and the suspension, which apparently was set up very well by Mitsubishi engineers.

Second and third place were BMW X3 SUVs. I wonder if those are actual X3s or tube frames with X3-like body panels just like the Racing Lancer.

Look after the jump for two more shots of the Racing Lancer.
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Mitsubishi i MiEV commercial van due in 2009

November 4, 2008 at 1:30 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi i MiEV

It’s common practice in Europe to sell commercial vehicles of small hatchbacks designed to carry one or two people at the front and a pure cargo carrying layout at the rear, so there are even things like the Peugeot 207 Van.

Mitsubishi is doing just that, as the Japanese car manufacturer is developing a commercial version of the Mitsubishi i MiEV electric hatchback (passenger version shown above) that is designed to handle cargo. The commercial i MiEV “van” will be launched in 2009, but production volume will be limited by the supply of lithium ion batteries available. The electric i-van will be offered in global markets, not just in Japan. It could be stretched or have a different bodyshell based on a stretched chassis to increase cargo area.

According to Mitsubishi, electric vehicles are quite suitable as commercial delivery vehicles as they have predictable driving patterns, relatively short ranges and they return to a common garage so planning the vehicle’s recharging schedule is easier.

Source

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Mitsubishi Triton 3.2 Test Drive Report

October 23, 2008 at 12:10 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Mitsubishi, Test Drive Reviews

Mitsubishi Triton 3.2
Click for enlarged image

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia recently launched an upmarket variant of its Triton pickup truck series. This new variant, designated as the Triton 3.2 brings the total models available to 4. These are the Triton Lite available in manual mode only, Triton 2.5 which is offered both in automatic and manual transmission options and the fore mentioned 3.2, available in only automatic. We’ve just finished putting the new Triton 3.2 through its paces. Read Harvinder Singh’s write-up after the jump.
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