Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has announced that the new Colt Plus compact wagon went on sale at affiliated dealerships throughout Japan this week. The 1.5-litre Colt Plus series adds the luggage compartment utility of a station wagon to the everyday convenience and drivability of the Colt compact car from which it derives.

Features that give Colt Plus the enhanced level of utility sought in a station wagon include: a rear overhang¹ that is some 300mm longer than on the Colt, providing a more spacious luggage compartment; a power tailgate; one-step folding seats; and a Versatile Cargo Floor.

In the powertrain department, Colt Plus models are powered by two new engines that deliver high output while returning excellent fuel economy and low emissions. The Ralliart performance model uses a 1.5-litre intercooler-turbocharged MIVEC² engine. All other trim levels are powered by a new lightweight 1.5-litre MIVEC unit with aluminum cylinder block made in Europe by MDC Power GmbH. Both engines are mated to Mitsubishi's INVECS-III continuously variable transmission (CVT), realizing the zippy and stress-free performance that defines the company's sports-minded DNA.

Colt Plus boasts significant improvements in all areas of quality. As with the Colt and Grandis series, the implementation of Quality Gate principles provided stringent quality testing and verification at critical phases of the development process. The creation of a digital prototype³ early on in development resulted in a major reduction of problems that previously might only have become apparent in the test production stage. And the introduction of a new Unit Leader system⁴ helps prevent faulty workmanship on the assembly line.

I  Product features

   1. Design

• Exterior
  • Evidencing its Colt lineage in the flowing "one-motion" silhouette, Colt Plus clearly identifies itself by the rear overhang that has been stretched 300 mm.
  • The soft body curves that flow smoothly from nose to sloping tail project a sense of speeding motion while giving graceful expression to elegance.
  • The grille with its plated-finish top and bottom edges enhances the classy look of the front visage. The front and rear bumpers have been redesigned to project a sportier character.
  • Colt Plus is available in a range of eight body colours that includes three new colours: Pale Blue Metallic, Pale Green Mica and Medium Bluish Gray Mica.
• Interior
  • Sport and Sport-X trim levels feature the dark blue/black two-tone Sporty interior scheme. The Customer Free Choice (CFC) system introduced with Colt allows buyers to choose either sport-type front seats, which provide excellent location and hold, or a bench front seat.
  • Elegance-X uses the dark brown/beige two-tone Warm interior scheme and a front bench seat.
  • The Ralliart model sports its own black keynote interior that accentuates the car's performance bias. Front bucket seats bearing the Ralliart logo are standard.

   2. Engine / transmission / environmental performance

• Apart from Ralliart, all Colt Plus models are powered by a new 4A91-type 1.5-litre MIVEC aluminium cylinder block engine that generates 77kW (105PS)/6000rpm and 141N-m (14.4kg-m)/4000rpm (2WD models) and is manufactured at MDC Power GmbH in Germany. The Ralliart model uses a new 4G15-type 1.5-litre MIVEC intercooler-turbocharger unit that generates 108kW (147PS)/6000 rpm and 180N-m (18.3kg-m)/2500rpm. Mated to the INVECS-III CVT, the engines return mileage of 18.2 km/l (2WD, 4A91 models) and 15.6 km/l (4G15 turbo model) respectively in Japan's 10-15 mode driving cycle.
• For Colt Plus, the INVECS-III Sport Mode 6-CVT is now available with a floor shifter. Standard on Ralliart, the floor shifter is also selectable through the Customer Free Choice system on 2WD versions of Sport and Sport-X trim levels.
• The 4A91 engine is mounted with the exhaust manifold facing rearwards. This helps reduce emissions to earn 2WD Colt Plus models a 4-star rating for emission levels that are 75% lower than Japan's 2005 standards. The Ralliart model's 4G15 intercooler-turbocharger engine is mounted with the exhaust manifold facing forwards but the use of a stainless steel exhaust manifold, with its lower thermal capacity, and a front catalytic converter earns a 3-star rating for emission levels that are 50% lower than the 2005 standards.

   3. Body / crashworthiness

• A thorough review of all chassis members and body joins as well as of materials and sheet gauges has produced a light but stiff structure that provides the equivalent of JNCAP⁵ 5-star occupant protection during in-house testing.

   4. Suspension / brakes

• Colt Plus models use McPherson strut front and torsion beam (trailing axle on 4WD models) rear suspension to marry high levels of handling and stability with ride comfort.
• The 4G15 intercooler-turbocharger powered Ralliart model uses 15-inch ventilated disc front and 14-inch solid disc rear brakes to deliver stopping power that matches its more powerful engine.

   5. Utility

(1) Power tailgate

• All Colt Plus models are fitted as standard with a power tailgate that facilitates access to the luggage compartment. Operation is by means of a button on the ignition key. An active power-lock mechanism automatically engages the tailgate catch and pulls it firmly shut to prevent the vehicle being driven with the tailgate improperly closed.

(2) One-step folding seats

• The rear seatbacks fold down at the pull of a lever located inside the luggage compartment, creating a cavernous space with a flat floor.

(3) Versatile Cargo Floor (2WD models)

• The Versatile Cargo Floor feature enhances the utility of the compartment. The floorboard can be lifted open or left closed and has a height-adjust feature, enabling the luggage compartment to be tailored to meet different luggage carrying requirements.

   6. Barrier-free model

• Colt Plus models are available with a swivel & slide front passenger seat that turns through 90-degrees and then slides 230 mm outward in a simple and safe process to facilitate entry to and exit from the car.
• The swivel & slide seat maintains a minimum 315mm of foot space and 830mm of space between squab and rooflining during the swivel operation. The leading edge of the squab is 590mm above ground level.
• A Colt Plus with swivel & slide seat will be on display at the 38th Tokyo Motor Show to be held at the Makuhari Messe (Nippon Convention Centre) just outside Tokyo from 2nd - 7th November 2004.