In an interview with Auto Express, Mitsubishi Chief Operating Officer, Trevor Mann, said work had begun on replacements for all of the brand’s current SUV models, and that a solution is in place to fill the segment left vacant by the Lancer’s discontinuation.
“We have a long-range product plan that’s pretty solid until 2025, and a dotted line beyond that. Within that what we’ve said is, ‘Which vehicles do we want? What are we going to work on?’ We’re going to replace ASX, Outlander and Triton. Then we have these two boxes: Pajero and Lancer,” Mann said.
“Lancer’s probably the easiest one. If you look globally, the C-segment hatchback market is not shrinking. It’s down a bit in the US and Europe. But its numbers are still expanding in China. So there is appeal. And I think because the segment is so large globally, we’ve got to take a look at it”.
Also speaking to the publication, Mitsubishi Chief Designer, Tsunehiro Kunimoto, said that the controversial e-Evolution Concept shown in Tokyo last year had in effect provided a preview of what the brand’s next range of smaller vehicles could look like, adding that a big focus has been placed on how the concept could evolve into the next Lancer.
“Just because it’s C-segment doesn’t mean it has to be a very conventional hatchback. Maybe we can create a new type of hatchback vehicle. We’re thinking quite radically. Originality is as much a part of the Mitsubishi design philosophy now as consistency,” Kunimoto said.
With Mitsubishi currently fielding five global SUVs in the form of the Eclipse Cross, ASX, Outlander, Pajero Sport/Challenger and full-size Pajero, it remains to be seen where the production Lancer would fit in, although speculation is that it will likely slot-in between the ASX and Outlander.
What remains unknown though is whether the re-introduction of the Lancer name would result in Mitsubishi also reviving the Colt name for a new B-segment rival mulled last year, which could see it using the same platform as the Nissan Micra and the recently spotted new Renault Clio.
