A Show of Strength

Attracting one of the biggest crowds during the 39th Tokyo Motorshow was the Mitsubishi Motors exhibit, in which the Japanese car company admitted to still having a long road ahead towards recovery. What with a loss of US $4.4 billion in its latest fiscal year and a defect cover-up scandal in its home market in early 2004, one would have easily forgiven the triple-diamond company if it had come up with a modest display as it set its sights on getting its house in order.

Instead, the Mitsubishi Motors that revealed itself to the public this October was dynamic and cutting-edge, clearly having turned a corner in its design and packaging philosophies while showcasing its legendary motorsports-derived technology in one of the most spectacular concept cars on display.

At the official opening of its exhibit, Mitsubishi Motors President Osami Masuko declared, "In the first-half of fiscal 2005, in Japan, sales have increased year-on-year in every month since May. The latest figures indicate overall first-half year-on-year growth of 12 percent. For the second-half, we are confident of achieving sales targets as the launch, two days ago, of our new SUV model Outlander and the forthcoming launch of the new-concept minicar "I" in January next year will accelerate sales in Japan.

Combined with modest increases in US sales compared to 2004 figures, credited largely to the new Eclipse sports coupe — the first of several new models that Mitsubishi hopes to make a comeback with - and with the debut of several promising new vehicles and concepts in Tokyo, it certainly does appear that Mitsubishi will soon be able to challenge the other big guns of the automotive industry for serious market share.

Herewith are what the designers and engineers of Mitsubishi have wrought with their takes on 21st century driving fun, efficiency, and image.

i — Just how much more efficient can the minicar become? Mitsubishi thinks that its "i" is the answer. Shown in prototype stage, the i promises functionality, stylishness, safety, and a high factor of fun-to-drive in its cocoon-like shape. With its rear midship-engine layout, a super-long wheelbase is afforded that pays dividends in stability, space, and comfort while also creating lively steering responsiveness.

It also creates a sizeable front crushable zone to make it a very safe minicar, while a brand new engine gives it sprightly performance on and off the line: a turbocharged and intercooled 3-cylinder engine with Mitsubishi Innovative Valve Timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) that develops 64 horsepower, low fuel consumption, and clean emissions.

Concept-D:5 — A concept for the next-generation Delica/Space Gear model, one of the Japan market’s most important models, the Concept D:5 looks like something to take your family with on that vacation to Mars. Sporting a functional mono-box architectural concept, "super-mobility" was the key design objective, and as such it has exceptional ground clearance and a highly versatile interior.

The monocoque body uses a "rib bone frame"; a ring-structure frame resembling rib bones that’s efficient in increasing body strength and stiffness. The rib bone frame is also used as a major design element, left exposed as a visual device and combining with a crystal roof for an airy effect that also conveys a sense of reassuring safety. Advanced driving aids include a peripheral monitoring system of 10 approach sensors, a Lane Trace Assist system that gently steers the van within the highway lane, and Adaptive Cruise Control that uses millimeter-wave radar to adjust your speed relative to the car you’re behind of.

Utilizing the all-wheel drive system and 2.4-liter MIVEC engine of the Outlander SUV, the Concept D:5 is a fairly accurate indicator of what the production Delica/Space Gear will look like in a few year’s time.

Outlander — Launched for the home market two days before the Tokyo Motorshow, don’t expect the new Outlander to hit our shores for another two years or so, however. An all-new platform with curves reminiscent of the new Eclipse sports coupe, the new SUV nonetheless sports a less controversial front fascia than the currently available model. Prominent cut lines at the pillars and wheel wells still make it visually distinctive, and its interior raises the bar with Euro-esque design likely inspired by a few BMWs and Audis. Improvements in cabin efficiency make it more spacious and versatile than before, but the real news is with its drivetrain.

An aluminum cylinder block 2.4-liter DOHC MIVEC is mated to a 6-speed Sport Mode Continuously Variable Transmission with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Mitsubishi’s proven electronically controlled 4WD system derived from the Lancer Evolution rally car is combined with Active Stability Control technology for dynamic handling on and off the road. The new platform features increased body and chassis stiffness, an aluminum roof panel lowers the center of gravity, and mono-tube shock absorbers contribute to class-topping levels of handling and stability.

Lancer Evolution MIEV — A politically correct Evo? "Well, why not?" must have been what the engineers were thinking with this technology showcase. Call it the "Electric Evo", if you will. It’s a Lancer Evolution IX powered by four outer-rotor in-wheel motors, high-efficiency direct drive motors that fit neatly into the 20-inch wheels. Maximum combined output is 270 horsepower, drawing energy from a lithium-ion battery system under the floor. Zero to 100 kph performance is rated at less than 8 seconds, and top speed is 180 kph, leaving today’s electric vehicles standing.

Concept-X — This is what happens when you let the people who engineer and design your cars have their fun: an insanely capable sports car that makes enthusiasts pray it goes into production sooner rather than later. The Concept-X is the culmination of Mitsubishi’s research and experience in its World Rally Championship-winning and image-setting "Evolution" series of rally cars.

A totally new design (could the next-generation Lancer look like this, then?), Concept-X is a four-door sports car with an unashamedly muscular exterior and a purposeful interior. The exterior is highlighted by LED head and taillamps, gaping air intakes and brake ducts, enormous 20-inch low-profile wheels on competition alloy wheels, Brembo brakes that look large enough to stop a train, and a surprisingly low-key rear fascia that only hints of its potential with a rear wing and dual tailpipes.

Inside, a purely functional cockpit with lavish use of billet aluminum, a competition-spec steering wheel with paddle shifters for the 6-speed auto-manual transmission, an on-board multimedia system, 4 Recaro racing seats,… and is that a bottle of nitrous on top of the transmission tunnel??

"Super Fast ‘n Crazy Furious" must have been what the engineers were thinking with this car, because it’s powered by a 2-liter, DOHC MIVEC intercooled and turbocharged engine that’s so far unrated (perhaps because they still don’t know how much power it’s capable of), uses all-wheel drive, and has an advanced Super All Wheel Control that combines Active Brake Control, Steering Control, and Roll Control Suspension technologies for a fully integrated system.

In addition, the frame is a ring-structure design for superior body stiffness, while the use of aluminum in the engine, hood, trunk lid, fenders, roof, and front and rear door panels reduce weight, the moment of inertia, and lower the center of gravity.