At the
Paris Motor Show in September Mitsubishi will show the "Outlander-Concept", a near-production representative of the new Outlander crossover that will go on sale in Europe early in 2007.
Though the Mitsubishi Outlander has already gone on sale in the USA and Japan, with record-breaking sales in the latter market, the car we get in Europe is said to be quite different. This car will not replace the Shogun, instead sitting between traditional 4x4s and the modern MPV. It will feature an advanced four-wheel drive system.
The Paris show car will sport a metallic red paint colour with silver details, as was used on the Mitsubishi Concept-X car in
Tokyo last year. Large 20-inch alloys aside, it is thought that this 'concept' closely represents the production car, including the pointy grille treatment first seen on the new L200 pick-up. Mitsubishi calls this design feature the "Mount Fuji grille"!
No doubt the new Outlander will feature the
outgoing car's 2.4-litre MIVEC powerplant, but in a serious bid for European sales, the new car will come with the option of a VW Group-sourced turbodiesel, with about 140bhp. This is the same unit as fitted to the
Grandis we tested. Prices will be announced closer to the launch date.
Shane O' Donoghue - 8 Aug 2006