Mitsubishi out to wow Detroit

Mitsubishi has released sketches of the concept coupe it will unveil at next month's Detroit motor show.

The sculpted two-door is called the Concept-RA and could well point to the next generation Eclipse coupe that has been a core vehicle in Mitsubishi's American stable.

There is also talk in Japan that the concept will lead to a 21st-century version of the Starion coupe of the 1980s and the GTO of the 1990s.

The Concept-RA uses the S-AWC all-wheel-drive system and twin-clutch transmission from the Lancer Evolution 10.

But instead of the go-fast Evo's turbocharged 2-litre petrol engine, Mitsubishi has teamed the clutch with a direct-injection 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit producing 150kW (200bhp) and 420Nm of torque, similar torque output to the Evo. The Lancer Evo 10 has just gone on sale in New Zealand in manual guise. The first of the cars using the twin-clutch will arrive in the new year.

The Concept-RA has a space frame made up of extruded aluminium sections and die cast aluminium members. Plastic resin is used for most exterior panels to cut weight.