The Mitsubishi Lancer Is Set To Be Reinvented As A Crossover
You know how the Eclipse name has been re-purposed by Mitsubishi for a Qashqai-sized crossover? The Japanese company isn’t done yet: the latest famous badge to be reinvented to flog SUVs is ‘Lancer’.
Used since the early 70s for a succession of saloon cars - some of which were turned into fire-breathing, rally-bred Evolution cars - the Lancer name bowed out in most markets last year. However, Auto Express reports that it’s to make a comeback on a new SUV which is aimed to take on small crossovers like the Toyota CH-R and C-segment hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus RS.
“We’re going to replace ASX, Outlander and Triton [the JDM name for the L200]. Then we have these two boxes: Pajero and Lancer,” Mitsubishi Motors COO Trevor Mann told the publication. “Lancer’s probably the easiest one; we believe we’ve got a solution that could fit the segment,” he added.
That “solution” is likely to take some styling inspiration from the e-Evolution concept (top of page) which Mitsubishi revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. Yep, there’s certainly a theme of illustrious Mitsubishi badges ending up in places that don’t sit terribly well with enthusiasts.
The brand is going through something of a rebirth right now, and from what we’ve seen so far, and recreating the halcyon days of cars like the Lancer Evos and the 3000GT simply isn’t on the agenda.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Next up: The new Coca Cola original grape drink.
New coke, a classic reborn
Evo fans would be disappointed…..
Wow. Whats next? A bus Aventador?? FML… 😥🔫
😭 I can’t stand.
a piece of 💩.
As if mitsubishi already had enough issues with product salea
This might not be the case.
It’ll likely be a Shogun Evolution spiritual successor
However these “design cues” would likely be transferred onto a saloon body,
What I’m saying is: Don’t get your panties into a twist just yet.
And no they’re not going through a “rebirth” it’s more likely a recovery form the dwindling sales and rough times the company is having, currently the GTO and the Evo are not on the cards because it would probably bankrupt them
insert thank you gif
RIP Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi’s like that guy who likes to follow the mainstream trends but no one cares or notices him
Me curently
Renault has Nissan and Mitsubishi, and most people would think that they were going to try to match vw’s group, making Nissan the Seat opposition and Mitsubishi the Skoda’s.
Instead they are just destroying the good rep of both of them, making them less and less desirable…
I really don’t get it…