Next Pajero to target Cayenne
Mitsubishi's all-new Pajero is just a month away from emerging and it has Porsche's benchmark Cayenne in its sightsJapan’s car-makers are scrambling to get their concept cars ready in time for the Tokyo motor show opening on November 20 and one highlight that’s sure to cause a stir is Mitsubishi’s Concept GC-PHEV.
Slated to land in showrooms as the next-generation Pajero within two years, the GC (Grand Cruiser) concept is already being touted as a Porsche Cayenne crusher with sharp, innovative styling and a state-of-the-art plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Described by some as a cross between a Nissan JUKE and a Range Rover Evoque, the Concept GC-PHEV employs a bold grille design, sharp angles and oversized fenders and wheel-arches.
While the SUV’s specifications are clouded in secrecy, we can tell you the concept will be powered by an upgraded version of the current Outlander PHEV’s powertrain.
The plug-in Outlander incorporates a 124kW 2.4-litre petrol engine and two 60kW electric motors that generate a generous driving range of up to 900km and mind-bogglingly low fuel consumption of just 1.9L/100km.
The GC concept is expected to incorporate a similar plug-in hybrid system but adds a larger 3.0-litre V6 that is claimed to lift power and acceleration to levels approaching that of the upcoming Porsche Cayenne PHEV.
The specs of the plug-in Cayenne are also under wraps, but expect it to appear with the same PHEV system as the Panamera S E-Hybrid. It pairs a 245kW supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with a 70kW electric motor that draws energy from a 9.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack, bringing combined power output to 306kW.
The Panamera PHEV has the ability to run on electrical power for up to 36km and 135km/h. Performance is impressive with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.5 seconds, a top speed of 270km/h and a stunning fuel consumption claim of 3.1L/100km – in a car that weighs 2095kg.
Given the Outlander PHEV – which is due on sale here next year -- can manage a top all-electric speed of 120km/h, with the revised plug-in hybrid system incorporating a bigger 3.0-litre engine we expect higher electric-only speeds and even better electric-only mileage from Mitsubishi’s bigger new Pajero.
In contrast to the Outlander PHEV’s 4WD system that employs a lock mode, the Mitsubishi GC concept features an electronically-controlled super-low mode and S-AWC (super all-wheel control) system that regulates left-right torque vectoring – similar to the system that first appeared on the 2007 Lancer Evolution.
The wonders of such hybrid systems are that they provide V8-like performance with V6 diesel-like economy or better, combined with a level of refinement, quietness and comfort not previously available in such a large SUV.
Other Mitsubishi concepts to be unveiled at Tokyo are the Concept XR-PHEV (Crossover Runner) and the Concept AR (Active Runabout), which could preview Mitsubishi’s nest ASX.
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