Mitsubishi's new Colt is not a mirage

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Mitsubishi New Zealand is expected to challenge the success of the Toyota Echo and Honda Jazz when it launches its new small car next year.

The new car, launched as the Colt last week in Japan by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, will likely be rebadged the Mirage to capitalise on the success Mitsubishi had here through the 1980s and '90s with the original Mirage.

The five-door hatchback is the first all-new Mitsubishi model since DaimlerChrysler took operational control and represents the company's new styling direction.

It is built on a platform it shares with the upcoming Smart four-door. Other derivatives expected to spin off the platform include a three-door for the European market and some Lancer models, all part of an MMC plan to introduce around 15 new models to the Japanese market by 2007.

Ross Cameron, Mitsubishi New Zealand's marketing chief, welcomes the new small car. "The segment is cluttered but we think we can give it a nudge," he said.

"It's also a price-sensitive segment and we have to get that right. That will be a challenge."

Previous Mirage models were big sellers in the small car segment but Mitsubishi largely abandoned it a couple of years ago, selling 23 in 1999 and one in 2000.

It now wishes it hadn't - small cars account for about 20 per cent of the overall market.

Mitsubishi styling chief Olivier Boulay penned the new Colt, the design of which strongly presents the company's three-diamond logo in the triangulated nose.

But in the overall shape it also apes the Honda Jazz, a huge success in New Zealand since its launch in September.

Mitsubishi calls the Colt's look "one-motion form" because it sweeps from head to tail without interruption, maximising interior and occupant space.

The Colt in Japan will be offered with the choice of new low-emission four-cylinder engines: a 1.3-litre producing 66kW and 121Nm and a 1.5-litre unit developing 72kW and 132Nm. Both engines are mated to a continuously variable (CVT) transmission.

"The Colt represents a new direction for Mitsubishi Motors in terms of design and quality," said MMC president Rolf Eckrodt.

"Our alliance with DaimlerChrysler made it possible to achieve the highest safety and quality levels," Eckrodt added, referring to MMC's "Quality Gate" system of checks carried out during development and production

The Colt also marks MMC's commitment to producing new, exciting products. "Our turnaround is on track," said Eckrodt.

"We are ahead of schedule in reducing costs and optimising our processes. "The Colt will be the driving force of a sales-led growth in Japan," he said.

A feature of the Colt is the seating - indivdual or bench front and rear.

The bench front seat has a 6.1-litre capacity locker under the front passenger seat squab.

Both bench and individual rear seats have 150mm of travel adjustment (the individual seats may be adjusted separately) and can be tumble-folded forward to create more luggage space.