New Mitsubishi Outlander to come to Geneva!

A new diesel and petrol motor, 6-speed auto, could come to India by early 2013  
Mitsubishi may be suspending its manufacturing and assembly operations in Europe, but that isn't stopping them from making a song and dance at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Mitsubishi's next-generation Outlander will be previewed there and they have revealed the first pictures of the the vehicle. 
            The new Outlander will be larger, more efficient and better loaded than the current model. It features a choice of three motors, two which will go on sale later this year. A new 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel motor will be offered to begin with. While Mitsubishi haven't revealed neither power nor torque figures, the company has indicated that it will come with either a 6-speed manual or a new 6-speed auto, replacing the current CVT gearbox. The diesel Outlander produces just 130 g/km of CO2 and has a Start-Stop system that aids it in arriving at such a low figure. The two motors will be offered in both 2WD and 4WD formats and as such can be expected to be offered here in India as well. A third motor will be a plug-in hybrid that will go on sale in 2013. Using Mitsubishi Motor Corporation's existing technology found on the PX-MiEV II concept, the hybrid is aimed at achieving a driving range of 800 km and a CO2 rating just under 50 g/km. Other new additions on the technology front include a Forward Collision Mitigation system that detects obstacles ahead of the car and automatically applies brakes, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, powered tail gate, a new dual-zone air-conditioner and xenon headlamps among others. On the inside, expect the new Outlander to maintain the current model's tradition of high quality gloss black interiors with soft-touch material for the dash and silver accents. The new Outlander will first go on sale in Russia and will be followed by a European debut. The Japanese and Asian markets will follow suit. Given how the current model is assembled in India, expect the same for the new one as well, importantly and most likely with a diesel motor option. Despite all of that, pricing will be key, given the pressures on the yen-rupee exchange, but we hope Mitsubishi will price it in the range of Rs 22-25 lakh, ex-showroom.