Tokyo, Japan - One of Japan’s most iconic nameplates is back. Get ready for the next Mitsubishi Evolution.
However, to quote Star Trek’s Dr ‘Bones’ McCoy, it’s an Evo, Jim, but not as we know it.
Heads have rolled and development directions have changed since ailing Mitsubishi was taken over by the Renault Nissan alliance, and this is among the first results of those changes.
This is the the first official picture of the Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept, due to debut at the 45th Tokyo motor show on 25 October, and billed as an exciting insight into the brand’s future direction.
Earlier this year Mitsubishi boss Trevor Mann said the next Evo would not necessarily be a sedan - and this low-slung ‘flagship concept’, with four doors and dramatic buttress-like C pillars, is described as an SUV coupé.
The ‘very high performance’ e-Evolution blends traditional Evo all-wheel drive and an electric powertrain with advanced artificial intelligence, so it’s safe to assume a fair degree of autonomous driving capability is involved, although no details are given.
We don’t even know whether it is a plug-in hybrid or a pure electric, although the abundance of pale blue lighting accents suggests the latter. It also has the obligatory rear view cameras in place of side mirrors, and lots of very crisp body detailing.
For now it’s just a concept but the use of the word ‘flagship’ in Mitsubishi’s press material suggests that there is some sort of ‘halo’ production version (perhaps in very small numbers) in its future. As soon as we know more, so will you.