Mitsubishi Reveals Trio of Fuel-Saving Concepts

For at least the last decade Mitsubishi has been on the ropes in North America, but they’re still formidable in global markets. As a show of force the three-diamond brand revealed three concept vehicles at the Tokyo Motor Show.

These design studies hint at the direction Mitsubishi will head in the near future with some of its utilities. First up is the GC-PHEV concept; the latter-portion of its name is Mitsubishi shorthand for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. This is a full-size SUV with full-time four-wheel drive. It’s powered by a supercharged 3.0-liter MIVEC V6 engine that’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Next up is the XR-PHEV, a compact sport utility concept. According to Mitsubishi it’s been developed to take driving pleasure to new levels. The car is motivated by a tiny 1.1-liter direct-injection turbo MIVEC engine that’s assisted by a high-efficiency electric motor and a high-capacity battery pack.

Lastly we have the AR concept, that’s the letter “A” followed by the letter “R.” But no matter how it’s spelled this vehicle is a next-generation compact MPV. It features a lightweight mild-hybrid drivetrain centered on that 1.1-liter turbo engine mentioned above.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Tokyo Motor Show Coverage

All three of these concepts share fuel-saving features but that’s not all. They each benefit from Mitsubishi’s suite of advanced driver-assistance technology, which includes things like adaptive cruise control, forward collision management as well as lane-departure warning. The company may be struggling in North America but these vehicles prove they still have a pulse.