Mitsubishi touts the past, present and future in Geneva

Mitsubishi’s theme at this year’s Geneva motor show will be “yesterday, today and tomorrow”, spanning the company’s 90-year history. The new Outlander SUV, scheduled to arrive in the UK in March, will be introduced alongside a more purposeful concept version, and the Prototype X concept car, first seen in Detroit, will also be on show.

For the ‘yesterday’ motif, Mitsubishi will take show goers down memory lane with an exhibit spanning the 90-year timeline of Mitsubishi Motors Inc.’s automotive division, unveiling an exact replica of the 1917 Model-A, Japan’s first attempt at a series production passenger car. The stand will also represent Mitsubishi’s 45-year heritage in motor sports, likely with historical rally cars and Dakar contenders on hand.

Showcasing the company’s 70-year history of building 4x4s will be the new Outlander SUV, built on a platform jointly developed with DaimlerChrysler and employing diesel engines sourced from both Volkswagen and PSA. The 2-litre ‘pump-jet’ VW diesel producing 138bhp and 229lb.ft of torque will be available at launch, while a 154bhp 2.2-litre common-rail PSA unit with 280lb.ft of twist will join the lineup toward the end of the year. Mitsubishi’s own 2.4-litre petrol engine with 159bhp and 167lb.ft of torque is scheduled to be launched during the fourth quarter of 2007, and a 3-litre unit producing 217bhp and 204lb.ft of torque is also said to be in the pipeline.

By Mitsubishi’s own admissions, the Outlander is not an ‘authentic off-roader’. Though it features an all wheel drivetrain, the Outlander is more of a soft-roader than a hardcore mud plugger. Mitsubishi claims it brings ‘car-like levels of driving pleasure’, accentuated by its 4-wheel independent suspension, high performance brakes and low centre of gravity realized through its use an aluminium roof panel.

A more potent Outlander V6 Concept Livery fitted with Mitsubishi’s new 3-litre V6 MIVEC engine will also be unveiled at the show. Said to have been inspired by the Pajero Evo 2+2 concept first displayed at the 2002 Geneva motor show, the ‘muscular fenders’, flared wheel arches and matt metallic grey paint (with a white roof and accents) will presumably emphasize the concept’s potential.

Mitsubishi’s highly anticipated next-generation Lancer Evolution will again be previewed in Prototype X concept form, hinting at the design for the upcoming model. The Prototype X concept shares much of the design language of the Lancer sports sedan unveiled in Detroit, itself incorporating cues from the 2005 Concept-X and Concept-Sportback concept cars. A turbocharged version of the aluminium 4B11 2-litre DOHC MIVEC powerplant used in the new Lancer is claimed to achieve the highest power rating ever in a Lancer Evolution model. No word yet on when the actual model is scheduled to hit dealer forecourts.