Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback: Hatched In Paris

Motoring Channel Staff - 13/June/2008

Tokyo, Japan— Mitsubishi has taken the wraps off the production version of the slinky new Lancer Sportback.

No longer a prototype or a concept car, the Sportback can be seen in all it's production glory.

Mitsubishi's share price is expected to be boosted after the Japanese car maker published photos of the new model and announced that it would launch the new Lancer hatchback at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

With a European influenced design based on the Prototype S concept car, the new model will initially be offered in Europe with diesel and petrol engines later in the year.

There will also be the Subaru WRX rivalling model in the form of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart, which will feature an AWD drivetrain borrowed from the Evolution X models. It will also get a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine outputting about 170kW and 340Nm of torque.

While it is expected that only two petrol engines will be offered in Australia when the car arrives here in late 2008 or early 2009, European drivers will get to choose from fuel-efficient 1.5-litre (80kW) or 1.8-litre (105kW) petrol engines, and also a 2.0-litre turbo diesel (103kW) engine.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia will introduce the 2.0-litre petrol versions in this country initially, but the diesel-powered model is not out of the question in the current climate of soaring petrol prices.

The Senior Manager of Corporate Communications for Mitsubishi Motors Australia, Lenore Fletcher, told the Motoring Channel that "The diesel model is something we very much want to have," but also pointed out that the company is hesitant to release a diesel Lancer sedan or Sportback in Australia without an automatic transmission.

Roughly 3 out of every 4 cars purchased in Australia are equipped with automatic transmissions, and Mrs Fletcher added that diesel-powered Lancer sedan and Sportback models "would be incomplete without it [automatic transmission]".

Currently there is no automatic options for the diesel Lancer range, but there have been suggestions that the diesel Outlander SUV could be mated with Mitsubishi's new SST twin-clutch gearbox, which could be a possible fit for the diesel Lancer somewhere in the not-too-distant future.

As a direct rival to the new Impreza hatch, which has proved a great success for Subaru, Mitsubishi's svelte Lancer Sportback models will come in a range of different trim levels, culminating in the range-topping AWD Lancer Sportback Ralliart model complete with a dual-clutch sport shift transmission (SST), sports seats, aggressive body work and an upgraded chassis.

The new Sportback will be get its global launch at the 2008 Paris Motor Show on October the 2nd, and will feature a new auto-folding function.

According to Mitsubishi, the Lancer Sportback "offers an 'auto-folding function' which enhances luggage compartment convenience through adjustable rear floor height and rear seatbacks that can be tipped forward via a lever located in the luggage compartment".

Based on the the Lancer sedan, which you can read about in either our First Drive or Road Test car reviews, Mitsubishi expects the new Sportback to build on the popularity of the fresh-faced Lancer sedan when it arrives in Australia in late 2008.

Related articles:
- Mitsubishi Sportback Prototype S (2008)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (2008)
- Mitsubishi Pajero (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Evolution X (2008)
- Mitsubishi Concept-RA (2008)
- Mitsubishi Lancer (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback (2009)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (2008)
- Mitsubishi Outlander (Road Test)
- Swift Sport vs. Ralliart Colt (Road Test)
- Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt (Road Test)