TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: New Evo not in Mitsubishi's plan

Mitsubishi has poured cold water on any kind of replacement for its discontinued Lancer Evolution super-sedan in the near future -- despite showing an abruptly styled, Evo-badged crossover concept at this week’s Tokyo motor show.

In fact, some of the Japanese brand’s most senior executives told motoring.com.au the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT was just for show, but admitted it’s one possible direction for a belated replacement for Mitsubishi’s aged Lancer, which ceases production in December and will be discontinued in Australia some time next year.

“Where to after that is still under discussion,” said Mitsubishi Motors Corporation chief operating officer Trevor Mann. “So we haven’t scratched it, if you know what I mean, but we haven’t agreed conceptually yet on where we should go.

Mann said the future of small sedans was in doubt globally, citing the sales decline of the Lancer – which was first launched in 1973, formed the basis of 10 Evo generations since 1992 and has not been renewed since 2007 -- and the light-sized Mirage sedan, which was axed Down Under late last year.

“If you look at those segments on a global basis, they are in decline in almost every country in the world. So when we ask our product people ‘OK, what do you want for a new sedan, show me the volumes, show me the profitability, does it work?’ it’s starting to become more and more difficult…

“In a declining market where everybody is fighting for their share, is that what you want to do? You could focus on a hatch, or you could say ‘I don’t want a Lancer, I want something else’.

Mann said the Lancer nameplate still held a great deal of customer awareness but stressed that Mitsubishi – which finalised its alliance with Nissan in December -- could not afford to get its replacement wrong.

“We’re a brand with a limited portfolio. We can’t afford a failure. What we’ve got to make sure is what we do is right – right for our customers – and explain what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and why is this right.

“To some extent, that’s one of the reasons why we’ve shown the e-Evolution, because it gives an example of what could be done. So ‘is it interesting or not interesting?’ is what we’re trying to judge.

“You’ve got to look at where I’m going to get the return on my investment, where the mass of customers are, and if we don’t believe there is a significant mass for us we wouldn’t do it.

“If we believe there is perhaps a unique proposition that we could make, that could start to make a bit of a market, then we’d be interested. So this is what we’re studying.”

Last week Mitsubishi announced a mid-term 2020 business plan including five major upgrades and six all-new models over the next three years, including the Eclipse Cross that arrives here in December, Indonesia’s Xpander people-mover and a ‘kei’ car for Japan – one of two Mitsubishi EVs to come within six years.

Separately, Mitsubishi’s global product planning and development boss Vincent Cobee said the ideal of number of models in the brand’s line-up was seven, “at least five” of which would be SUVs or LCVs.

Mann would not confirm whether Mitsubishi would become a 100 per cent SUV/LCV brand, saying: “I’m not going to say yes and I’m not going to say no. I’m saying it could be possible.

“The options are we’ve got two sedans at the moment. One of which is on its way out. Do we go ahead with two? Do we go ahead with one and, if it’s one, how do we position that between the current two vehicles? Or do we do something else?”

Cobee said the ASX and Triton were in line for major upgrades soon, but declined to confirm what the other three upgraded or three new models will be. He said there would be two new models every year between now and 2020, but indicated a new Outlander would not be one of them.

Meantime, Mann indicated that a number of core Mitsubishi models (perhaps ASX and Outlander) would eventually share their platforms with Nissans like the QASHQAI and X-TRAIL, and that Mitsubishi would lead the development of both the next-generation Triton and Navara.

However, while a potential Lancer replacement could be paired with either the Nissan Pulsar or QASHQAI/X-TRAIL, he said Nissan’s Patrol platform was too expensive to form the basis of a new Pajero, which – if there is one -- could be based on the next Triton/Navara/Pajero Sport’s ladder frame.

“We will focus our efforts on core models,” said Cobee. “It’s likely those core models will be six, seven, eight – seven is a good number. I have a good idea where we are: you’ll find Eclipse Cross, ASX, Outlander, Pajero Sport, Triton.

“So you’ve got five out of the seven or eight and we will make them live on a six- to eight-year life cycle depending on the categories. So you can expect that once we’ve digested the alliance we will do one car per year. I’m talking a full new model change.”

SUV, EV and Evo to converge
Cobee said Mitsubishi would focus on its core strengths such as SUVs, 4WD capability and plug-in hybrid technology, which come together in the Outlander PHEV and e-EVOLUTION.

The latter moves the game on by featuring a triple-motor 4WD system employing a single motor to drive the front wheels and a new Dual Motor Active Yaw Control (AYC) system that couples two rear motors through an electronically controlled torque-vectoring AYC unit, all integrated into MMC's unique Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) vehicle dynamic control system.

However, he stressed the definition of SUVs was blurring.

“It’s very clear that Mitsubishi has a lot of credentials in terms of driving control and I think we should be a bit careful with what we call SUV.

“What we’re trying to say is what we call SUV values, which are flexibility, durability and all terrain capability… so I think what is very clear is Mitsubishi Motors will remain very strong on driving capability and we’ll have at least five of its seven models will remain SUVs or pick-ups or things like this.

“But we should not exclude the fact we have a huge heritage in Lancer that we have a huge capability in 4WD and 4WD does not systematically mean SUV. So we need to articulate commonly developed platforms with brand essence and identity.

“Do I want to use platforms common with the [Nissan] alliance?’ The answer is yes. ‘Do I want to be specific on 4WD technology to get you enthusiasts excited?’ Yes and to be honest only my brand can do these things.

“So this is the kind of articulation we need to do, but it will not just be SUVs, it will be primarily SUVs. And compared to other brands there will be less show and more performance.

“The line between what we thought was a hatchback and an SUV is very fine. Somebody who bought a sedan 20 years ago was buying style, comfort, status. Somebody who is buying an SUV today is not the same person who was buying a Pajero two years ago. What this person is buying is a sense of safety, flexibility. What are those two guys going to buy in 10 years is a very interesting question.”

Cobee said there would always be a place in the market for performance vehicles, just not ones that run on petrol.

“Everybody has turned its back on performance cars with fossil fuel,” he said. “But we’re trying to say that beyond the challenges of regulation, EV is much more performance than internal combustion engine.

“There will always be people like me who like to drive. I’m not so sure those people will be able to access the V8 5.0-litre engine but they might be getting even better performance for similar prices when all the regulatory cost kicks in out of an electric vehicle, which will also give you great silence and very smooth acceleration with little vibration -- but I’m sure we can create the noise.”

Asked specifically if the e-EVOLUTION concept confirmed a new-generation Evo model was in Mitsubishi’s future, Cobee said: “I think we should be pragmatic about where we are.

“Why did we put that name? First to tease you, but fundamentally because we want to make a very clear statement that an electric vehicle does not have to be sad…

“So if you see anything on that car you see a more than attractive design and the stated performance – not only power with rear axle yaw control and all those things. So it’s a statement of performance, an ambition of pleasure to drive while being an electric vehicle.

“So it’s fairly natural to say if there’s a name to put on it it’s ‘evolution’ because the mission stands for ultimate driving performance.

“Are we going to put that on the road? We are going to use some of those elements in a number of cars, maybe not only one car but many of them.

“There is a huge logic in saying a compact SUV could be an electric vehicle and EV could have performance. If you want to a very strong performance with 4WD you need three motors. Maybe you need to find something that only Mitsubishi know how to do, which is the three-motor electric active yaw control.

“So it’s more a statement or a manifesto of what we are and what we can do. I think what we’re doing is saying the path to a new Evo is a long one.

“By putting the Evo name on that concept we’re saying we’re willing to put the candles in a row to see how far we can go.

“Is there going to be an SUV Evo? Not in my current plan. I’m not even sure of what an Evo customer will be interested in buying. You walk the stairs step by step.”

Cobee made it clear that one of the prerequisites for a born-again Evo was company profitability – which along with a 30 per cent increase in sales and revenue is a key target of Mitsubishi’s mid-term ‘DRIVE FOR GROWTH’ plan -- because any Evo-badged model was unlikely to be profitable.

“We have to walk the talk. In 2017 [Japanese financial year ending March 2019] we said we’d be profitable. So yes you need to demonstrate you are credible, profitable. And then you’ll be entitled to think how we push the brand further.

“But let’s be clear – the car you are talking about is unlikely to be a profitable car in any case, so it will take time to decide. But is it interesting as a showcase, as a halo?

“So I think we need to integrate all of those and decide what do we stand for, what do we aim for versus the alliance as a technology donor.

“You have one particular ultimate step. I am aware of this. I would be a customer if that exists, [but] now that’s an if.”

>> <a href="/tokyo-motor-show/">Read more Tokyo motor show news<br> </a>>> Check out 2017 Tokyo motor show photos