Added Style and Performance
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is applying the “Special Edition”; treatment to its critically acclaimed ninth-generation Lancer Evolution. The 2006 Lancer Evolution SE offers special features at a competitive price of $33,249 MSRP to make this legendary performance vehicle even more thrilling. The new SE trim level represents the final enhancement to a Lancer Evolution body style that has been on sale in the U.S. market since 2003.

Inside the Special Edition trim level, supportive, red-stitched RECARO seats accentuate the interior while the exterior receives a new front airdam extension that adds style while reducing front end lift. A lightweight aluminum roof panel, also found on the Lancer Evolution RS and MR, helps control body roll by lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity. The feather weight 17”; forged BBS(R) alloy wheels, now in a new “Diamond Black”; finish, add style while reducing unsprung weight to improve suspension performance. The SE trim level also includes high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights with halogen fog lamps giving the vehicle a distinctive look. The available exterior color choices for the Lancer Evolution SE are Apex Silver, Graphite Gray and Tarmac Black.

CYPRESS, Calif. — Mitsubishi unveiled the Lancer Evolution SE on Monday, describing the new trim level as the final enhancement to the body style that has been on the market since 2003. A new Lancer Evo is expected sometime next year.

Mitsubishi said the Lancer Evo SE would start at $33,249. The new trim level includes red-stitched Recaro seats, a front airdam extension designed to reduce front-end lift, a lightweight aluminum roof panel that controls body roll by lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity and 17-inch forged BBS alloy wheels in a new “Diamond Black” finish.

The SE also includes HID headlights with halogen foglamps. Available exterior colors are apex silver, graphite gray and tarmac black.

The SE is powered by a 2.0-liter I4 DOHC intercooled turbocharged engine mated to a 5-speed transmission.

The revised airdam, Recaro seats with red stitching, and forged BBS wheels in diamond black are also available on the MR trim level as a $500 appearance package, the company said.

August 30, 2006—Cypress, Calif.—The all-new, next-generation Mitsubishi Outlander for 2007 offers a level of user technology generally associated with luxury-category, sport-utility vehicles, including several firsts for the compact SUV segment. The 2007 Outlander optionally offers a hard drive navigation system, a 650-watt (max) Rockford-Fosgate(R) Premium Audio system, SIRIUS(R) satellite radio with six month pre-paid subscription, hands-free calling through Bluetooth(R) wireless technology and a DVD rear seat entertainment system with a nine-inch wide-format LCD screen.

The 2007 Outlander is available in three trim lines, the value minded ES, the well equipped Outlander LS and the sport/luxury XLS. On Outlander XLS models, the standard FAST (Freehand Advanced Security Transmitter) Key entry system allows passive vehicle unlocking and engine start/stop simply by carrying the remote control.

“The new Mitsubishi Outlander brings premium-level user technology into the rapidly growing compact SUV segment, but with a focus on ease-of-use that some luxury models lack,” said Dan Sims, general manager, Mitsubishi R&D America, Design Center. “We designed the onboard information and entertainment technology to enhance the driving experience, not distract from it, and to give passengers the most useful and enjoyable entertainment options.”

GLOUCESTERSHIRE - August 1, 2006: A specification-packed addition to the Colt family arrives at Mitsubishi dealers in time for September’s registration plate change.

The three-door Colt Blue, priced at £8,499 ($16,712 USD), is aimed directly at style-conscious drivers and, with free insurance and three years’ free servicing included throughout September, it makes Mitsubishi ownership more accessible and more appealing to a younger audience.

Created following the success of the Red and Black models, Colt Blue comes with an array of interior and exterior kit along with guaranteed low running costs courtesy of a lively and charismatic 1.1-litre three-cylinder engine.

With a litre of petrol nudging towards £1 (disgustingly high in US numbers), owners will enjoy infrequent fuel station stops thanks to a combined fuel economy figure of 49.6mpg while ultra-clean CO2 emissions of 135g/km place the Colt Blue in one of the lowest road tax bands. But, unlike some supermini rivals, being frugal doesn’t come at the sacrifice of performance. Quickly shift through the slick five-speed manual gearbox and 0-62mph is dialled up in just 12.9 seconds and, where legal, this cool Colt will reach a 103mph maximum.

366hp at 6887rpm/363lb.ft at 3200rpm

A development of the FQ-340, the new FQ-360 features a 366bhp version of Mitsubishi’s 2.0-litre turbo engine. Available to order now, priced at £35,504, it reaffirms the ‘Evo’s’ reputation as the everyday supercar, offering pace and practicality at an affordable price.

Making its debut at the British Motor Show, the new FQ-360 joins a three car Lancer Evolution line-up, consisting of the FQ-300, the FQ-320 and the FQ-340, all of which continue. Orders can be placed at any Mitsubishi Ralliart dealer with first deliveries expected in September.

Model range

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-300 - £28,039

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-320 - £30,039

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-340 - £33,039

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360 - £35,504

Outlander to Make Paris Show Debut

Mitsubishi Motors will use the 2006 Paris Motor Show in September to launch its all-new European SUV, the Outlander.  Due to go on-sale spring 2007, the new mid-size 4x4 has been designed to bring new levels of comfort and drivability to an important and expanding sector of the market.

70 years of 4x4 technology

Seventy years after its seminal PX33 4 wheel-drive torpedo, MMC will be able to demonstrate in Paris its expertise in this area through a coherent, up-to-the-minute and totally renewed SUV line-up, filling key sectors of the growing SUV market in Europe.

After the successful launch of its L200 sport-utility-truck earlier this year and prior to another most important introduction, Mitsubishi Motors will unveil “Outlander-Concept” in Paris.

TOKYO—Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is studying whether to sell a small, gasoline-sipping car in the United States.

If projections are favorable, the car in the so-called B segment could be assembled at the company’s plant in Normal, Ill.

Mitsubishi believes that more Americans may shift to smaller cars because of rising gasoline prices. Osamu Masuko, president of Mitsubishi Motors, does not want to cede that growing market to the likes of Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Chevrolet.

“We have to consider the possibility of bringing a B car to the United States if we determine that the U.S. customers are going in that direction,” he told Automotive News at the Tokyo Motor Show last week.

He said a likely candidate could be the small Colt hatchback that is sold in Japan. But he said it might be too costly to modify the Japanese vehicle to meet U.S. regulations.

He said if the company determines that it could sell from 50,000 to 70,000 units here, he could make a business case to produce the vehicle at Normal.

Trevor Hofmann | Canadian Auto Press

According to top-ranking Mitsubishi officials, the prototype shown in Frankfurt is very true to the next Lancer Evolution, which bodes well for the automaker gaining ground as new models get released.

“The overall shape is close to the production model,” commented Akinori Nakanishi, chief designer for Mitsubishi Motors Corp. “We want a more mature looking, upscale and sophisticated model.”

It is believed that Mitsubishi will attempt to heighten the EVO’s appeal to a broader range of new car buyers when the new model comes along, it currently only sells 5,000 units in the U.S., and none in Canada being that bumper restrictions don’t allow its sale north of the 49th.

Currently, the manual-only performance car’s “boy-racer” styling is not popular among women, and Mitsubishi hopes its classier design and the addition of an automatic transmission will help lure more female performance buyers to the EVO camp.

The Evolution “is more boy-racer looking,” Nakanishi added. “We need a broader audience because of the price.”

Having enjoyed five years of success with the ANCRO administered National Gravel Championship, Mitsubishi decided to take the Evolution Challenge to the BRC in 2006, following the announcement that WRC cars would be no longer be allowed to participate and therefore hand the competitive advantage to Class N4 machines.

Series organisers are confident that the move to the British Championship will see registrations for the series increase and provide a host of benefits to competitors, such as: High quality stages, top level competition, increased media profile, more opportunities for sponsors, special deals for registered competitors and therefore represent excellent value for money.

The new-look six-round British Championship will feature three gravel and three asphalt rallies, therefore providing a balanced mixture of surfaces. It is hoped that the inclusion of the asphalt events will make the Evolution Challenge more appealing to Irish competitors.

Organisers are aware that some teams will be concerned that the move to the BRC will see the cost of competing escalate, but with the British Championship taking on a new format, the difference of competing in eight events in 2005 and six events in 2006 will be minimal. A spokesman for the Evolution Challenge said:

“With the series launched at BRC Live at the beginning of the season and the Rally GB at the end, plus the addition of television coverage, there will be many more advantages for sponsors. Therefore, we hope that teams will exploit these features and see the move to the BRC as a great opportunity. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic year.

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Compact sedan’s turbocharged, intercooled engine now features advanced MIVEC technology, producing higher torque and better overall performance

Source: Mitsubishi Motors of North America

Bred from legendary racing DNA and a legacy of heart-pounding excitement on the FIA world rally circuit, the striking new 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX was introduced today at the New York International Automobile Show. Loaded with power and aerodynamic enhancements culled from Mitsubishi’s rally-racing success during the past 13 years, the Lancer Evolution IX further distinguishes the vehicle as the undisputable leader in the high-performance compact sedan market.

This latest edition to the Lancer Evolution model line, designed to compete against far more expensive sports cars, easily lives up to its Mitsubishi motorsports pedigree. By combining brute power and graceful agility, the Lancer Evolution IX is sure to raise the adrenaline of driving enthusiasts at every turn.

Charged with taking the Lancer Evolution driving experience to the next level, Mitsubishi engineers complemented the vehicle’s unmatched riding and handling characteristics - refined on the world’s most demanding test tracks - with even more power and torque for 2006.

“Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, nothing can touch the Lancer Evolution IX,” said Rich Gilligan, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America. “For people who want to truly stand out in a high-performance compact sedan, there’s no better value than this latest edition of the Lancer Evolution series.”

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced that the Lancer Evolution IX high-performance 4WD sports sedan would go on sale at affiliated dealerships throughout Japan on March 3, 2005. With a 2.0-liter intercooler-turbocharged engine powering all four wheels through an electronically controlled 4WD system, Evolution IX raises all dynamic performance parameters to a new level. Tax inclusive prices range from 2,940,000 yen to 3,570,000 yen.

Evolution IX marks the 12th model in the series, which has also included an automatic transmission model, since the Lancer Evolution debuted in October 1992. Major features distinguishing the latest model include the adoption of Mitsubishi’s proprietary MIVEC variable valve timing technology in the intake system and improvements to the turbocharger that result in higher torque and produce better response for improved engine performance across its full rev range. New front and rear bumpers bring both high aerodynamics and cooling performance.