TOKYO, Oct 19, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) today held the world premiere of the Mitsubishi XFC Concept, a compact SUV concept car, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The car will be on display at Vietnam Motor Show 2022 to be held from October 26 to 30.
 |
 |
With the concept of being the "best-suited buddy for an exciting life," the Mitsubishi XFC Concept is a next-generation compact SUV that offers the powerful and imposing design of an SUV, utility such as ease of handling and an ample cargo space, comfort including a class-leading interior space, and safe, secure road handling even on rough surfaces or roads flooded by heavy rains.
"We will launch the new compact SUV sequentially in the ASEAN markets including Vietnam in fiscal year 2023," said Takao Kato, president and chief executive officer, Mitsubishi Motors. "In the future, we plan to add an electrified variant to the lineup and to also roll it out in regions outside ASEAN. We hope to grow the model from a vehicle for the ASEAN market to a global strategic vehicle, making it a core model like the sales-leading Xpander crossover MPV."
The Mitsubishi XFC Concept is a compact SUV that is not part of the current ASEAN lineup. It complements Mitsubishi Motors' wide range of products tailored to the ASEAN market -- the Triton pickup truck and its derivative, the Pajero Sport midsize SUV; the Outlander and Outlander PHEV midsize SUVs; the Xpander and Xpander Cross crossover MPVs; and the Mirage compact hatchback and its variant, the Attrage sedan.
*Fiscal 2023 is from April 2023 to March 2024.
Powerful and imposing design
In line with Mitsubishi Motors' design philosophy of Robust & Ingenious, the Mitsubishi XFC Concept combines a compact yet powerful and imposing aura of an SUV with a sleek surface that forms one continuous flow, starting from the three-diamond emblem on the front and extending to the sides and rear. This gives it a stylish and sporty profile to match the cityscapes of the ASEAN region. In addition, with enhanced road handling on rough surfaces thanks to ample ground clearance and large-diameter wheels, the Mitsubishi XFC Concept expresses both toughness and agility while featuring an authentic SUV styling that stands out in outdoor scenes.
At the front, the Dynamic Shield concept, which expresses both performance and protection, has evolved in line with the concept. The L-shaped headlight in the headlight unit's upper portion combines with the louver-like daytime running lights (DRL) below to light up in an iconic T-shape, which shows a sense of broadness. The sides of the body are composed of rich, muscular surfaces, with sculpted front and rear fender flares and character lines expressing the power and dynamism of an SUV. Like the front, the rear also features T-shaped tail lights to create a rear styling that accentuates wideness and stability.
The interior offers ease of operation and comfortableness, which are essential for an SUV. For the instrument panel, a horizontally themed design is adopted, making it easier to sense changes in the vehicle's posture when driving on rough surfaces while also improving forward visibility. Meanwhile, the dynamic design extending from the instrument panel to the door trim, along with a series of soft padding, give a sense of enclosure and protection to create a secure and comfortable interior.
Utility provided by ease of handling and ample cargo space
The Mitsubishi XFC Concept is designed for ease of operation, providing good forward visibility, easy perception of the vehicle's dimensions, and smooth handling. The instrument panel features a large display panel integrating a full digital driver display and a center display that can show three separate information such as navigation, road surface conditions, and other information necessary for driving on one screen to provide a safe and comfortable driving environment while also expressing a sense of advanced design. Despite its compact body size, the Mitsubishi XFC Concept is also designed for utility with ample cargo space.
Comfort provided by class-leading interior space
Although it is a compact SUV, the Mitsubishi XFC Concept comes with spacious cabin area. In particular, with its generous legroom in the rear seats, it offers top-level comfort in its class. Moreover, everyone on board can feel safe and reassured, with vehicle stability control in slippery road conditions and high-quality ride comfort.
Safe and reliable driving on rough and flooded roads
With plenty of ground clearance and four drive modes -- Normal, Wet, Gravel and Mud -- the Mitsubishi XFC Concept offers a fun, safe and secure ride in various weather and road conditions. The Wet mode, introduced for the first time in a Mitsubishi vehicle, is designed with use in ASEAN countries in mind, such as enabling safe driving even on roads flooded by sudden showers.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) -- a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan --, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Russia. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification--launched the i-MiEV --the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV --the world's first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. The company announced a three-year business plan in July 2020 to introduce more competitive and cutting-edge models, including the Eclipse Cross (PHEV model), the all-new Outlander and the all-new Triton/L200.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company's website at www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/.
Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
