Mitsubishi on the upswing

The last time the Tokyo Motor Show was staged (October 2005), Mitsubishi Motors was reeling from the backlash of a particularly devastating recall program. Understandably, the mood at the Mitsubishi camp back then was less than enthusiastic. Hopeful, maybe, but certainly not peachy. At the Mitsubishi booth and subsequent dealers’ meeting during the 40th Tokyo Motor Show held recently, however, you could almost feel the electricity with all the anticipation. I can attest to this fact. I was there.

The enthusiasm was evident because of the prospect of an upswing in local sales due to the expected arrival of what promises to be a killer volume seller in the oh-so-handsome next generation Lancer. But it was really the revelation of Mitsubishi’s long-term plans that made the atmosphere a little more special. Like most Japanese manufacturers who participated in the recently concluded show, Mitsubishi proudly flaunted its vision of the future to this year’s batch of visitors. That vision is encapsulated in the quirky little concept car called MiEV or Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle. Symbolically, the MiEV stands for a confidence that is no doubt buoyed by the positive growth Mitsubishi experienced after it had put behind its recall troubles. Realistically, the MiEV presents a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel reliant combustion vehicles. And that is another way of saying that there really is nowhere to go but up.

The MiEV may not be the most handsome concept car to come out of the show (Toyota’s FT-HS has my vote for that one), but it is certainly among the most significant as it delivers convenience along with practicality in its simplistic yet awe-inspiring straightforwardness. As its name implies, the MiEV is an electric car. As such, it does away with the regular combustion engines we are used to seeing and using on a regular basis. Like most of its electric powered kin, the MiEV can be charged in specially developed recharging stations. Unlike earlier electric powered cars, however, it can also derive its power from your own wall socket. It‘s this sort of practicality one actually expects from Japanese auto makers. Thankfully, Mitsubishi has joined this forward-looking bandwagon and has come along swinging with the best of them.

How relevant is the MiEV in the Philippine setting, you ask? Well, if you’re expecting it to make an impact out on Philippine roads in the near future, you’ve pegged the wrong expectations altogether. Electric cars are years, perhaps even decades, away from actual local market penetration. But at least you have an idea where we are headed. Or to be more precise, where our children and our children’s children are headed.

Now, if it’s immediate local impact you’re thirsting after, then allow us to guide you towards the stunning new looker called the Mitsubishi Lancer. Admittedly, there hasn’t been a Lancer variant that has tickled the fancy of the Pinoy car buff the way the late great Box Type of the 80s did. Through the years since the Box Type’s demise, the “it” car has been either the Toyota Corolla or the Honda Civic. But those fortunate enough to have glimpsed the new generation Lancer at the 1st Philippine International Motor Show held last August are perhaps a little more enlightened by now.

So straight from Tokyo, I come to you with both good news and bad news about this, perhaps the most awaited release from Mitsubishi in decades. First, I bring you the good news. The Philippine STAR, through this writer, was among the few local publications to have been blessed with an actual test drive of the über-Lancer, the Evolution X. Without revealing too much (which is actually part of the bad news), this much we’ll say: it is a performance vehicle of the highest order. Though it doesn’t sound particularly preposterous on paper (2.0-liter turbocharged all-aluminum straight 4), the Lancer Evolution X is a beast out on the road. Balance, acceleration, testosterone-inducing baritones on the over revs and even the car’s posture are marvelous. After we’d driven the darn thing, we were even treated to a rally driver’s take on a twisting track reminiscent of WRC routes. It was an exhilarating experience, to say the least. Its more sedate siblings might not have its beastly exuberance, but the same basic engineering should keep more than a few Pinoy road users happy.

The Lancer Evolution X and its more tame brother variants, in fact, are living it up to rave reviews in the United States, where it has already been launched. Which brings us to the bad news. The Philippines, being among the smaller markets to share the left-hand drive setting with the United States, is on the short end of the stick where allocation is concerned. While Mitsubishi Motors Philippines officials were initially confident of a last quarter of 2007 local launch, demand in the good old US of A has left them pondering on a more realistic first quarter of 2008 release date. Which means we’ll all have to wait a bit more before Mitsubishi’s ace makes it to local shores.

Still, I’ll posit this much: the new generation Mitsubishi Lancer will turn out to be the poster boy for that bold statement I used as a head for this article. I’ll bet my ball bearings on it.