Archive for Mitsubishi

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I was thinking the other day about how the Proton Perdana V6 and the Proton Arena are pretty much the only Proton cars from the old generation still on sale now, with the old Saga having being replaced recently by a second generation model that has been rather well accepted by the public.

Before the Volkswagen-Proton talks collapsed, many have been speculating that the next generation Proton Perdana replacement nodel could be a badge engineered Volkswagen Passat. There were many good artist’s impressions of a Proton-badged Volkswagen, mostly based on the long wheel base Skoda Superb.

Now that that deal is off, we will have to look at the current Mitsubishi Galant/Mitsubishi 380 to see what the new Proton Perdana could end up like, as developing a Perdana on Proton’s own is definitely not very financially viable. Proton previously entered into a technical partnership agreement with Mitsubishi, but we have not really seen any obvious results from that yet, as it looks like it is still at exploratory stages.

So yes, getting to the point of this post, I asked Theophilus Chin if he could whip up a second generation Proton Perdana replacement for us to admire and imagine. It’s basically a Mitsubishi Galant/Mitsubishi 380 with styling derived from the 2nd generation Proton Saga. Do you like it? A Proton Perdana based on the Mitsubishi Galant could come with a 2.4 liter inline-4 engine, probably the 4G69 which makes 160hp at 5,500rpm and has a maximum torque of 212Nm at 4,000rpm

If you’re interested in taking a trip back to the past, read the posts below back from 2005, and 2006 when Proton was still in talks with foreign partners: mainly PSA Peugeot Citroen, Volkswagen and a bit of Mitsubishi.

Related Posts:
Perdana Replacement Model to be a Volkswagen Passat? - 27th June 2005
Perdana Replacement Model photoshop based on Skoda Superb - 17th July 2005
Mitsubishi 380 powered by a 3.8 liter V6 - 4th February 2006
Mitsubishi 380 to be exported to Malaysia - 9th March 2006
Perdana Replacement Model due in April 2007 - 27th June 2006
Perdana Replacement Model to get inline-4 engine - 17th July 2006
Perdana Replacement Model study still underway - 1st August 2006

The facelifted Mitsubishi Galant will be joined at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show by its sportier sibling the fourth generation Mitsubishi Eclipse which also receives a mid-life facelift. The new facelift features a new front and rear as well as a higher power output for the 3.8 liter V6, which now puts out 265 horsepower and 355Nm of torque.

The new front look now features Mitsubishi’s new corporate grille, which sports a rather Audi-like look with a blackened bar going through the middle.

More details on the facelifted Eclipse once Chicago 2008 rolls by.

Click here to read the rest of Facelifted 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse at Chicago 08

Everyone’s waiting for the next generation full model change Mitsubishi Galant that was previewed as the Mitsubishi Concept-cX to arrive, but Mitsubishi decided to facelift the current Mitsubishi Galant in the American domestic market anyway.

The USDM Mitsubishi Galant can be had with either a 160 horsepower 2.4 liter inline-4 MIVEC engine with a 4-speed auto, or a 238 horsepower 3.8 liter MIVEC V6 with a 5-speed auto that takes the V6 Ralliart model from 0 to 100km/h in about 6 seconds.

More shots after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2009 USDM Mitsubishi Galant Facelift Revealed

Mitsubishi has revealed some details of the new 5-door hatchback that will be displayed at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March this year.

The car is called the Mitsubishi Prototype-S and is naturally based on the new Lancer family. Mechanical specifications include a 2.0 liter inline-4 DOHC MIVEC turbocharged engine putting out 240 PS and 343Nm of torque. This is mated to a Twin Clutch SST automated manual transmission that puts power to all four wheels via a full-time 4WD driveline which features Mitsubishi Motors’ Active Center Differential (ACD).

Active Center Differential (ACD) uses an electronically controlled multi-plate hydraulic clutch to optimally vary the front-rear torque split to different driving conditions and deliver the best balance between steering response and traction.

Related Posts:
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Sketch

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The Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT is flying off the shelves and there is currently a 12 month waiting for the car, so if you book the car now you will most probably receive it in end-January 2009. When contacted, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia said the long waiting period is due to overwhelming demand coupled with global production constraints.

Also, there will be a price hike, which Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia says is due to unfavorable exchange rates. According to Mitsubishi, majority of customers who placed bookings in the first two months of launch (August and September 2007) may enjoy the current price, but some may have to pay the hiked price, which is RM119,624.10 OTR without insurance. This new higher price will be effective September 2008 onwards, so if you manage to get your Lancer 2.0 GT before September, you will pay the original price.

As for the few units of the Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GLS variants which are already on Malaysian roads, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has no plans to officially launch the GLS at the moment, but have brought in limited units to offer to those who have made bookings for the Lancer GT as an alternative car for those who do not want to wait for their 2.0 GT. The Lancer GLS is priced at RM114,500 OTR with insurance.

Related Posts:
Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT launched in Malaysia

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These are the latest sketches of the upcoming 5-door version of the new Mitsubishi Lancer. It looks like a closer-to-production version of the original Mitsubishi Sportback Concept that was shown years ago. Expect a production or near-production car to be shown at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March.

One more photo after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Sketch

The “warm” version of the Lancer Evolution, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is expected to be unveiled sometime in 2008, and it is expected to be based on the 5-door hatch version of the Lancer. The 5-door Lancer was previewed to us through the Mitsubishi Sportback Concept (shown above).

Expected specification level - 240 PS detuned version of the GEMA family Mitsubishi Evolution X engine, the Evo X’s 6-speed Twin Clutch SST automatic, an all-wheel drive system carried over from the Lancer Evolution IX, an aluminium bonnet panel, Recaro front seats, sports steering wheel with paddle shift and a Ralliart radiator grille.

Related Posts:
Mitsubishi set to update model range
Mitsubishi reveals twin clutch SST gearbox

Mitsubishi will be using the upcoming Dakar 2008 endurance race to collect valuable technical feedback on both durability and endurance for its new range of high performance clean diesel engines, which will be used in Dakar 2009.

Some Mitsubishi concept vehicles have already given us a sneak preview of whats in store - one of them being a 2.2 liter found in the Mitsubishi Concept-ZT that produces 188 horsepower and 400Nm of torque and another more high powered one in the Concept-RA putting out 204 horsepower and 420Nm of torque.

Mitsubishi currently uses PSA Peugeot Citroen turbodiesels in cars such as the Mitsubishi Outlander. The turbodiesel Outlander features a biodiesel-capable 2.2 liter turbodiesel producing 156 hp and 380Nm of torque.

There is a second variant of the Mitsubishi Lancer on Malaysian roads now - this particular unit snapped while parked in the Gardens parking lot seems to be a lower spec version called the Lancer GLS.

While the car still has a front lip and side skirts, it lacks the Lancer GT’s rear wing and the wheels are smaller 16 inch ones and of a thick 5-spoke design. The interior is also of a different colour with a two tone design - darker top and a light cream bottom with wood trim. Seats are also light cream. The car is definitely a 2.0 liter with the paddle shift CVT as you can see a 2.0 badge on the rear and paddle shifts in the interior.

Check out more photos after the jump, or head on to the Lancer GT club forums where they have more details on this new GLS.

Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Lancer now comes in 2 variants?

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The Mitsubishi Concept-RA could inspire a replacement for the Mitsubishi Eclipse, but for the moment we will have to wait for the 2008 North American International Auto Show to see the car in actual metal as all we have are these artist sketches of the coupe.

Power from a low-emissions 2.2 liter 4-cylinder MIVEC DOHC Variable Geometry Turbocharger turbodiesel engine putting out 204 PS and 420Nm of torque is put down to the ground to all four wheels via the S-AWC driveline from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The S-AWC system incorporates Active Center Differential, Active Yaw Control, Sport Antilock Brake System, and Active Stability Control.

The low emissions from this turbodiesel engine that meets the US Tier 2 Bin 5 regulations are achieved without urea, instead it relies on a new converter system that brings together diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), NOx trap catalyst (NTC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) technologies.

The Concept-RA’s chassis is constructed with an aluminum space frame made from extruded aluminum sections and die-cast aluminum members, while the engine hood, fenders and other outer panels are made of high impact-resistance and easily recyclable plastic resin.

One more rear view sketch after the jump.

Related Posts:
The new Lancer Evolution’s S-AWC system

Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Concept-RA to debut at Detroit 2008