Mitsubishi's future concepts

Mitsubishi's Australian arm revealed last week that it had a net current asset deficiency of $168 million.

However, the company is showing 22 per cent growth over last year and this week launched the new Lancer, its top seller, with other Lancer derivatives to come over the next 18 months.

Meanwhile uncertainty still remains about the future of Japanese parent Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, despite posting its first profit in many years last financial year.

Yet Mitsubishi is showing they are in for the long haul with not one, but three future concept cars at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show from October 27.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia corporate affairs senior manager Lenore Fletcher said their revival strategies focused on financial recovery and a generation of new product.

“The concepts shown at Tokyo are testament to the latter,” she said.

The Tokyo concepts give an insight into what their future product may look like.

There is the i MiEV Sport 2+2 light car which is a zero-emissions electric vehicle, the diesel-powered Concept ZT, which could show the eventual design course for the 380 family car and the Concept-cX which shows the future for Mitsubishi's compact SUVs.

The fastback i MiEV Sport features a lightweight aluminium space frame, a high-capacity lithium-ion battery and a cabin lit by blue power-saving LEDs.

Drive is provided by three magnetic synchronous electric motors, one in each front wheel producing 20kW of power each and the third driving the rear wheels with 47kW.

Maximum speed is rated at 180km/h and range is up to 200km.

Electronic four-wheel-drive optimises the output of all motors, while a new electric active yaw control system directly regulates torque at the left and right rear wheels via an electric motor.

Super All-Wheel Control integrates ABS and Active Stability Control for improved stability.

Green credentials abound with an auxiliary photovoltaic generator on the roof, a power-generating fan inside the front grill, regenerative braking to recover energy when the car is slowing down and heat-absorbing window glass to boost the efficiency of the aircon.

Concept-ZT is powered by a new fuel-efficient, 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque, mated to a new Twin Clutch Sport Shift Transmission.

The sleek family car puts an emphasis on safety with a lane-drift warning system that steers the car back into the lane, all-around multi-monitors, automatic parking function and a pop-up hood to reduce pedestrian injury.

It also has a pre-crash safety system that uses millimetre-length radar waves to detect cars ahead and obstacles in the adjacent lane.

If objects are too close and there is danger of a collision, it warns the driver to take action. If it determines a collision is imminent, it pre-tensions seat belts, activates crash-restraint seat cushions to increase passenger restraint and initiates emergency braking.

The wedge-shaped Concept-cX compact SUV is powered by a new 1.8-litre diesel engine producing 100kW of power and 280Nm of torque, mated to the Twin Clutch SST.

It is driven by a 4WD-based integrated vehicle dynamics control system used in the Outlander.