Of all the names Mitsubishi could have chosen to name their upcoming concept car due to premiere at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, they went and selected their most famous and most revered - possibly the most recognisable two-syllable, three-letter car name in the history of cars.
Here’s the first official teaser of the Mitsubishi e-Evolution concept. Ready to be disappointed yet? Good, because this is an SUV concept, so there’s even less chance of it ever really evolving (Heh) into the kind of showroom-ready rally car we still miss.
But, give Mitsu some credit, as they’re calling it a “very high performance automobile” that, for more reasons than one, will feature their trick 4WD system, presumably still called S-AWC (Super All-Wheel Control).
Since it’s a concept car, they’re want to give it a futuristic edge and on the e-Evolution we have electric propulsion to some capacity. Mitsubishi have not revealed whether it will feature a hybrid powertrain or one that relies solely on battery power turn those wheels. Instead, we do get confirmation that it will showcase “advanced Artificial Intelligence technology”.
Both battery electric cars and advanced (or some of the most advanced for 2017) autonomous vehicle systems is something very familiar to Mitsubishi’s new partners, Renault-Nissan, and this forthcoming concept car is the first real evidence of the sheer volume in technological injection the automaker has received since Nissan bought a 34 percent stake last year.
The new synergy does give Mitsubishi a wider arsenal with which to keep pace with market leaders on many fronts, and it looks like they're not keen on wasting any more time to yank themselves back into a competitive position among the likes of Toyota and Honda, its main rivals.
Prior to the deal with Nissan, Mitsubishi’s 10th-generation Lancer had already been revealed to be planned for retirement* 2017 after a 10 year lifecycle, with no direct replacement being detailed. Presumably, the fuel mileage scandal that shook the company’s financials in early 2016 that lead to said partnership with Nissan further complicated the Lancer’s future, and with it the next Lancer Evolution.
Understandably, the brand is now more focused than ever on the future, setting their near-term goals about capturing more customers and gaining market share. Thus, it’s unsurprising that this e-Evolution concept car will come in the form of a “low slung aerodynamic SUV Coupe”.
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