| Concept Car Preview | Frankfurt Motor Show | Mitsubishi Concept-cX |
Former Mitsubishi President Koyata Iwazaki once guided the company using several key principles based on global and societal awareness, in order to maintain a stable environment - in essence making sure the Japanese marque did their bit to help.
Sounds like 21st Century PR speak doesn't it? Except he spoke of such corporate beliefs in the 1930s when global warming was as much bother to people as Belgium.
Since then many have followed suit, more so now than ever before. Mitsubishi too, has kept to its principles (let's ignore the whole Evo thing for now...), and built the all-wheel drive Concept-cX to prove they have at least one eye on environmental issues today.
The Japanese manufacturer has realised the popularity of the fuel-efficient diesel engine in Europe and has pursued a cleaner, more capable oil burner as a result. The cX's showpiece unit is a 1.8-litre, 134bhp, four-cylinder turbodiesel, producing 276lb.ft of torque at 2,000rpm. The engine incorporates a more efficient variable geometry turbocharger, Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst. It was Mitsubishi's plan to make its new Euro 5 engines available in 2010, but has stepped up production for early 2009 in accordance with the growing belief that fuel-efficient cars will be ever-more appealing to motorists.
To further help the fuel economy of the new engines, the Concept-cX features an automated manual Twin Clutch SST gearbox, with three driving modes (Normal, Sport and S-Sport) thought to debut in the Evo X in Tokyo.
With some of the 'earthy tones' of brown interior trim made from 'Green Plastics' (bamboo and resin), the concept car maintains the 'jet-fighter' look of the new Lancer as well as sharing AWC (All-Wheel Control) and a centre differential. Sitting 1,550mm tall, the car has pronounced wheel arches hugging 225/45 R19 tyres that are perched on a relatively wide 1,750mm track, giving a somewhat purposeful stance. The 'fast hatch' rear features a two-tone split tailgate and roof spoiler that helps to keep the sporty element Mitsubishi hopes to achieve.
No news on production yet, but we expect the Concept-cX to become more than an engineering exercise.
Kyle Molyneux - 30 Aug 2007