Archive for Mitsubishi

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A slew of next generation Mitsubishi models is on the way, set to bring the whole model range of Mitsubishi cars up to date with current times and current design language. First up is a Lancer Ralliart to slot between the usual plain vanilla Lancer sedan and the top of the range Lancer Evolution X.

The Lancer Ralliart’s four pot 2.0 liter turbocharged engine will put out 260 horsepower and will feature all-wheel drive hardware, though not the latest and greatest version in the Evo X, but the previous generation system from the Evolution IX.

The Lancer Ralliart will also be the top of the line model for the upcoming 5-door hatch version of the Mitsubishi Lancer, which you can expect to be strongly based on the Mitsubishi Sportback Concept, one of the first few Mitsubishi concept cars to feature the latest Lancer’s design language.

An electric version of the Mitsubishi i is also in the works, though I doubt it would use the advanced in-wheel motors of the Mitsubishi i MIEV. A replacement for the Mitsubishi Pajero iO (also called the Shogun Pinin) is also in the works, based on the Mitsubishi Concept-cX. Last but not least, the Mitsubishi Galant will receive a full model change in 2010 or 2011, to be based on the Mitsubishi Concept-ZT.

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The new Mitsubishi Concept-ZT was on display at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. The Concept-ZT carries the same design language as the new Lancer (called the Galant Fortis in Japan), but looks like an enlarged version. It should point to how the next generation Mitsubishi Galant will look like.

Just a short recap as regular visitors would have already read about the car in a previous post - the Concept-ZT is powered by a 188 horsepower 400Nm 2.2 liter turbodiesel engine with a VGT turbocharger mated to a Twin Clutch SST gearbox. The car also has an electronic LSD differential for the front, and ASC based on Mitsubishi’s AWD system.

More information on the Concept-ZT is available in the previous post I wrote about the concept car, linked below.

Check out more live photos from the show after the jump.

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Mitsubishi Concept-ZT to be unveiled at Tokyo 2007

Click here to read the rest of TOKYO LIVE 2007: Mitsubishi Concept-ZT

The new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X will be used as a course car for the Japanese leg of the FIA World Rally Championship to be held in Tokachi, Hokkaido from the 26th to 28th October 2007.

A course car - also referred to as Double Zero or Zero cars - travel through the course before competing vehicles to make sure track conditions are okay and everything is ready. The Double Zero car departs 30 minutes before the race starts, and the Zero car departs 15 minutes before the race starts.

This rally-equipped Lancer Evolution X will be modified with an integrated rollcage and various other reinforcements which result in the strength and stiffness of the car being drastically upgraded from the normal road-going version. It will also have a Ralliart-developed constant-mesh close-ratio gearbox, a sump-guard, floor guard with fuel tank protection and mud flaps.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has unveiled official details on the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X ahead of it’s official unveiling at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. There are two models: the Evolution X GSR and the bare bones competition-centric Evolution X RS. The manual version will be launched first, with the Twin Clutch SST version to be available towards the end of November.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR comes with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed Twin Clutch SST dual clutch automated gearbox. It also includes the S-AWC all-wheel drive system. The standard wheels are Enkei 12-spoke 18 inch cast alloy wheels with 245/40R18 tyres, but there is an optional premium package which upgrades these to 18 inch BBS lightweight alloy wheels.

The other noticeable difference on the exterior is the oversized rear spoiler on the GSR which uses a twisted-section wing panel with different attack angles at its ends and in the center portion to match the airflow over the body surface.

On the interior, you get Recaro full bucket front seats which also host the optional SRS side airbag. There is also a leather package which uses genuine leather combined with Glanluxe, an artificial suede-finish leather made by Seiren Co Ltd. The steering wheel is of a small diameter for smooth operation and is wrapped with genuine leather. The left steering wheel spoke either hosts the S-AWC mode selector or audio controls depending on what spec levels you choose.

The instrumentation cluster includes a multi-info display which provides the driver vehicle status information such as fuel remaining, Twin Clutch SST mode, and S-AWC operating mode.

The new engine is of course the 4B11T, a 280PS 2.0 liter inline-4 DOHC engine with MIVEC varaible valve timing which has more torque than the previous 4G63 unit - 422Nm at 3,500rpm. It is 12kg lighter excluding auxiliary equipment thanks to the usage of a die-cast aluminium cylinder block, head cover and chain case. The new engine now uses a rearward facing exhaust manifold which improves exhaust and emission control efficiency and allows the engine to be mounted lower as there is now no need for the exhaust piping to pass underneath the engine. This reduces center of gravity.

While the standard suspension is already a sporty setup with MacPherson struts at the front and a multilink setup at the rear, there is an option to take this a step further with a high performance packagew hich includes Bilstein single tube shocks and Eibach coil springs. The standard Brembo brakes are replaced with 2-piece versions which save 1.3kg at each wheel. Tyres are also replaced with ones with stiffer walls and better grip.

Mitsubishi plans to sell 4,000 units in Japan this year. More photos after the jump.

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Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR and RS

The new facelifted Mitsubishi Grandis will be available in Mitsubishi showrooms nationwide by the end of this month. On the exterior, you have a newly designed front grille, front bumper and fog lamp inserts, while on the interior there are some changes like the switch from a 2-DIN head unit to a 1-DIN head unit.

The Mitsubishi Grandis is powered by the 4G69, a 2.4 liter MIVEC engine putting out 165 PS at 6,000rpm and a maximum torque of 217Nm at 4,000rpm. This is mated to an INVECS-II 4-speed automatic transmission.

The Grandis list of standard features includes power steering, power windows, retractable wing mirrors, fully automatic climate control air conditioning, dual SRS airbags, corner sensor, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) body, ETACS (Electronic Time and Alarm Control System), plenty of storage areas, and flexible three-row seating for 7 passengers. A DVD entertainment system also comes standard with an 8 inch LCD monitor.

The Grandis is fully imported as a CBU from Japan and retails for RM158,629.80 on the road without insurance, a big drop from the previous price of RM205,635.00 on the road without insurance. Colours available are Black Mica, Cool Silver, Medium Purplish Grey Mica and White Pearl.

The Mitsubishi Grandis comes with a 5-year or 100,000km warranty and a 3-year or 60,000km Maintenance-Free program. Owners will also be provided with a Mitsubishi Assist 24 card which offers privileges like 24-hour roadside assistance.

More images after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Facelifted Mitsubishi Grandis in Malaysia

The Mitsubishi i MiEV SPORT is based on the previous i MiEV Concept research vehicle, though the two cars look quite different from each other. The i MiEV SPORT Concept features Mitsubishi’s unique in-wheel motors and S-AWC all-wheel drive.

The MiEV system’s lithium-ion battery is installed in the lowest area under the floor, and in place of the rear engine in the standard combustion engine Mitsubishi i, you have your motor and inverter arranged underneath the luggage compartment. This arrangement provides an optimal weight balance and a low center of gravity.

Three motors - one in-wheel motor in each front wheel (27 horsepower, 250Nm torque) and another for the rear wheels (63 horsepower and 180Nm of torque) - together from an E-4WD system which electronically optimizes output to each motor. Electric Active Yaw Control (E-AYC) regulates torque between the left and right rear wheels, thus resulting in power to all four wheels being variable.

The i MiEV SPORT will be unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show in October this year.

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Mitsubishi will be exhibiting the Mitsubishi Concept-ZT at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, one of the three concept vehicles that will be on display this October. The Mitsubishi Concept-ZT is powered by a 2.2 liter clean turbodiesel with a Variable Geometry Turbocharger that makes 188 horsepower and 400Nm of torque. This engine is mated to a Twin Clutch SST dual clutch automated gearbox, and like the Concept-cX, it will have a Green Plastic-based interior.

It also has S-AWC all-wheel drive combining a front Electric Limited Slip Differential, ABS and ASC, based on Mitsubishi’s famous 4WD system.

It looks like an enlarged version of the 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer, which might mean we are actually looking at the next generation Mitsubishi Galant here. It’s wheelbase is 2815mm, compared to the Lancer’s 2635mm wheelbase. Compared to the giant Mitsubishi 380/Galant which can be considered it’s predecessor, it is longer at 4950mm compared to 4835mm, but narrower at 1820mm compared to 1840mm.

The chassis is built using an aluminium space frame structure which combines aluminum extrusion and aluminum die casting, giving the body strength and rigidity yet being relatively lightweight. Outer panels use a shock-resistant, recyclable resin, similiar to the one on the Delica D:5’s front fenders.

Mitsubishi has also equipped the Concept-ZT with a number of gadgets. The Mitsubishi Concept-ZT has a pre-crash safety system that uses millimeter-length radar waves to detect cars far ahead as well as obstacles in the adjacent lane. It warns the driver to take action if the chances of a collision are high.

A lane-drift warning system uses a front camera, steering angle sensor, speed sensor, and a yaw rate sensor to calculate the possibility of the car veering out of its lane, thanks to the camera which can recognize lane markings on the road.

Wide-angle lense cameras are placed at the front, the rear, and the left and right sides of the car. Optical distortions are corrected by the system before displaying it on a screen in the car, allowing the driver to view the situation around the car as seen from the top.

A park assist system can also maneuver the car into a parking space without any driver intervention except for braking. Finally, the car is equipped with a pop-up hood that minimizes pedestrian injury by popping up the hood before the pedestrian’s head hits it, creating a buffer.

UPDATE: Check out more photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Concept-ZT to be unveiled at Tokyo 2007

A brochure of the JDM market Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X has been scanned and posted at the Lancer Register Forum, revealing to us the first official details and power ratings of the new rally-inspired sports sedan, though the car that the rest of the world will get might be slightly different in terms of power outputs.

The 4B11T makes 280 PS at 6,500rpm and 422Nm of torque at 3,500rpm. You can see the engine’s torque curve in the little graph embedded in this post. This is slightly better than the Evo VIII’s 4G63T that makes an equivalent output but lower peak torque at only 400Nm.

Two models will be available - the GSR and the RS. The RS is the lighter, more bare basics version - so bare that it doesn’t even have that trademark Evo rear wing, knowing very well that owners will most probably dump it for a carbon fibre GT wing-type design. The GSR can be equipped with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed Twin Clutch SST gearbox, while the RS only comes with a 5-speed manual.

Click here to view all pages of the brochure scan.

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Previously we got to see sketches of the Mitsubishi Concept-cX, but now Mitsubishi has released more images of the Concept-cX Compact SUV. While the front of the Concept-cX shares Mitsubishi’s new shark grille nose that first made it’s debut on the Mitsubishi Concept-X, the rear glass hatch design seems to have taken a leaf out of Volvo’s book with the Volvo C30’s large rear hatch design.

The Mitsubishi Concept-cX is powered by a 1.8 liter turbodiesel that uses a variable geometry turbocharger and is compliant with Euro 5 emission standards. It is mated to Mitsubishi’s new Twin Clutch SST dual clutch automated transmission. It drives power to all four wheels using an electronically-controlled 4WD system.

The 4100mm long compact SUV uses a special environmentally-friendly plant-based resin interior that it calls Green Plastic.

More photos including interior shots after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of More shots of Mitsubishi Concept-cX

The Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT was launched yesterday, and I managed to attend the public launch thanks to an invite from EON Automart Sdn Bhd - thank you Ellis!

This latest entrant into the coveted C-segment market is a fully imported CBU unit from Japan. Now you might expect it to be abit pricey because of this - just look at the price of the other C-segment CBU Japan car - the Mazda 3.

Rumours of a sub-120K ringgit price seemed to indicate a CBU from another ASEAN country. But Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia truly surprised us all with an aggressively lower price of RM 115,980 OTR with insurance for a CBU Japan car!

Anyway, let’s get down to what the Lancer offers other than a competitive price. The new Lancer is bigger than the previous model, which might give us a clue on why Mitsubishi decided to call it the Galant Fortis in Japan instead of the Lancer - Japan normally classifies cars according to dimensions. The 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer is only available in one trim level for Malaysia - the Lancer 2.0 GT.

The Lancer 2.0 GT packs 155PS at 6,000rpm and 199Nm of torque at 4,250rpm under it’s hood. I will not go into further details on the engine here, please read my previous detailed post on the 4B11 engine for more details. It’s a must read for those who are slightly more geek-inclined. The Lancer 2.0 GT is only available with the INVECS-III CVT transmission in Malaysia, so stick shift fans will be slightly disappointed. However, it makes up for it somewhat with 6 virtual gears that you can cycle through with the steering-mounted magnesium paddle shifters. Suspension consists of a MacPherson strut setup at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear.

The feature list is impressive. You have a full sporty bodykit complete with a rear wing that’s not too large in my opinion, and you’ve got huge 18 inch alloy wheels. One thing I noticed is that despite 18 inch wheels, fender gap is still very noticeable, so for the best aesthetics most will be looking to lowering the car.

On the interior, you have a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with a 6-speaker audio system, steering wheel audio controls, and fully automatic single zone air conditioning. No cruise control though. The interior is done up in a nice dark grey colour with geometric check trim panels - I suspect some enterprising people will be developing carbon fiber replacement panels for these soon - could possibly look really nice.

Unlike the LCD and push-button interface for automatic air conditioning that most cars have, the Lancer’s dash design looks like your conventional three-knob manual air conditioning control at first glance - but it is in fact automatic. Operation of the auto air conditioning looked intuitive to me, simply push one of the knobs to activate automatic climate control for the set temperature.

The meter panel consists of two large meters (speedo and RPM) flanking a small multi-information display LCD that lights up with red lettering. The multi-information display can show a few screens with information such as average speed and fuel consumption, engine coolant temperature and odometer, distance until empty and odometer, as well as a maintenance schedule record.

The Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT comes with sporty leather seats - the leather used is Nappa leather which is a premium leather, none of that PVC fake leather stuff. According to Wikipedia, Nappa leather is a full-grain leather, typically dyed, made from unsplit kid-, lamb- or sheep-skin, and noted for softness and durability. It is often used in high-quality leather products such as high-end furniture and accessories such as wallets and luggage. The front seat is height adjustable, while the rear bench has an arm rest with two cupholders built into it, and the whole bench can be folded down in a 60:40 split in case you require more storage capacity.

The Lancer 2.0 GT’s front seats have sensors built into them - these work hand in hand with the SRS airbag system, feeding the airbag deployment logic data on the driver’s seat position and the front passenger’s weight. Other than the two front SRS airbags, the Lancer 2.0 GT also has anti-lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution, however there is no form of electronic stability control.

The rear boot has 400 liters of storage capacity, and while I could not find any handle to open the boot from the rear, there is a boot lid release button on the remote control that you can press if you need access to the boot without having to pull the boot release lever from inside the car.

The Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT is only available in four colours - Cool Silver Metallic, Medium Purplish Gray Mica, Red Metallic, and Black Mira. The Lancer comes with a 5-year or 100,000km warranty, with free maintenance for the first 3 years or 50,000km.

Have a look at two videos after the jump, as well as more photos of the Lancer.

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Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 GT in Malaysia