Mitsubishi
Launches Stylish New Colt
Loaded with
technology, style and flexible room
Mitsubishi Motors
has unveiled its new Colt, the Company’s entry into the increasingly
popular sub-compact 5-door hatch premium market segment.
When designing
Colt, Mitsubishi decided that the car needed to offer classy exterior
and interior designs and high safety performance at a reasonable
price. It also had to deliver outstanding dynamic performance while
also returning excellent fuel economy and clean emissions.
Silky lines
flow uninterrupted from the front fender to the trailing edge of
the roof, to give a silhouette that is clear-cut and dynamic, with
simple and clean surfaces. The road-hugging appearance that results
from placing the wheels at the four corners of the body, the smooth
and tautly flared wheel arches, the side surfaces that appear to
flow round and tuck naturally into the rear all combine to give
the car an exciting road presence.
Centred around
the three-diamond badge, the frontal design features the new global
Mitsubishi design identity. The location of the triangular base
for the badge in the centre of the grille, and the 3-D continuation
of the motif into the engine hood serve to draw the eye to the badge,
and to accent its presence.
The crystal-like
headlamps are given a 3-D styling treatment behind their clear lenses
to project a look of functional elegance and fine quality.
The rear combination
lamps are tall and highly visible, and the high mount stop lamp
is located at the top of the tailgate to also improve visibility.
There is a slight peak in the metalwork of the tailgate, just above
the Mitsubishi three diamond logo, that adds character to the rear
of the car.
The aerodynamic
exterior mirror design repels water droplets when driving in the
rain. Mounting the mirrors on the doors improves forward visibility,
and the mirrors can be retracted for parking in tight spaces.
Colt has body-coloured
front and rear bumpers, outer door and tailgate handles, and exterior
mirrors. LS has 14” steel rims with full wheel covers, while
XLS has 15” alloys as standard.
XLS also gets
metal look headlamp accents, mesh-type centre grille, colour coded
side and rear spoiler, and parabolic fog lamps in the lower front
bumper. Privacy glass is standard on XLS.
The radio antenna
is mounted in the centre of the front of the roof.
Features
Inside, Colt’s design is a clean, modern and elegant design.
The dash and
instrument panel is a sweeping wrap-around design that flows into
the centre panel. The interior feel is a bluish-grey based colour
scheme using a glossy dark grey with a hint of blue for the centre
panel, and a metallic look finish for the garnish panels (air outlet
rings, power window switch panels, and combination cluster outer)
that creates a casual and sporty mood inside the car. The seats
are upholstered in a light grey cloth with a sheen finish, and the
side trim panels uses a dark blue cloth to complement the sporty,
hi-tech look.
Colt tops its
class in terms of interior space roominess, and careful attention
to seat shape and seated height means occupants enjoy outstanding
comfort and forward visibility, with easy and natural entry and
exit. The car’s long – 2500mm – wheelbase accounts
for 65% of its overall length, and results in a generously roomy
interior cabin space.
The car comes
with two individual front seats that have a generous 250mm travel
(and 50mm height adjustment for the driver’s seat).
The rear bench
seat, with its 50:50 split seat back, has 150mm travel adjustment,
and the backrests recline through 20? from vertical. 50mm higher
than the front seats, the raised rear seats give the occupants excellent
visibility. Folding and tumbling the rear seat forward will create
a cavernous 594 litres of cargo space.
A lot of thought
has gone into the interior to ensure there are many storage areas
– the glove box, steering column under tray, front cup holders,
front door bottle holders, front door pockets, passenger seat back
pockets (on side of seat and on rear of seat), convenience hook
on passenger seat back, and under seat storage on passenger seat.
Colt comes with
air conditioning – with a pollen filter - fitted as standard,
while other standard features include a column- mounted gear shift,
power steering, power windows, power door mirrors with fold control,
two-speed windscreen wipers with intermittent control, rear wiper
and washer with intermittent control, tilt steering column, room
map and cargo room lamps, ignition key reminder, ignition key cylinder
illumination, AM/FM radio / single CD audio unit with four speakers,
two child safety seat anchorages and child-proof rear door locks.
Colt XLS gets
a leather-wrapped steering wheel, centre console systems tray and
tacho additional to the impressive list of standard features on
the LS model.
Colt is powered
by a new generation engine that achieves a balance between performance,
fuel economy and cleanliness. Integrated electronic management of
Mitsubishi’s own MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve lift and
timing Electronic Control) engine and the Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) powertrain is just one of the cutting-edge technologies
Colt employs. It delivers superior levels of dynamic performance,
fuel economy and clean emissions, thereby delivering premium class
levels of road and environmental performance.
Technical
Colt is powered by a 1.5 litre four-cylinder DOHC 16-valve engine
with MIVEC that strikes the optimum balance between generating gutsy
power and torque while returning easy-on-the-pocket fuel economy
and clean emissions.
With its short
stroke (75.5mm X 82.0mm) design, optimised intake port configuration
and intake valve timing for all engine speeds, the 1.5 engine delivers
stress-free performance across the whole rev range while still returning
outstanding fuel economy. The engine delivers 72kW at 6000rpm and
132Nm of torque at 4250 rpm, while returning a frugal 6.4 litres
/ 100 kms fuel economy.
INVECS III Continuously
Variable Transmission comes to the Australian market for the first
time in Colt.
Because the
transmission is the latest generation of Mitsubishi’s acclaimed
INVECS intelligent transmissions it is computer controlled to ‘learn’
individual driver’s driving style? With the infinitely variable
ratios – between 2.319 and 0.445 - offered by the CVT, this
ensures both performance and efficiency under all conditions.
The final drive
ratio is 5.219, and reverse is 2.588.
The gearshift lever is column-mounted.
Colt’s
ride and handling is superb.
Steering is
power-assisted rack and pinion, and the turning circle is a tight
9.4 metres.
When mated to
the suspension that has been developed and finely tuned to give
a good balance between handling stability and a flat comfortable
ride, Colt is a joy to drive.
It uses a new
design MacPherson strut arrangement at the front, while the rear
suspension is a new H-shaped torsion beam arrangement. This very
compact assembly locates the coil springs under the rear floor,
and the shock absorbers as far outboard as possible, to give roomy
cabin space.
Colt adopts
a new 3-point inertial-axis engine mount system that uses liquid-filled
insulators. Together with the location of the transmission inside
the side members to reduce offset, and the fitting of stabiliser
bars to the high-rigidity cross members to spread roll reaction
forces, this gives a significant reduction in noise, vibration and
harshness.
Braking for
Colt is done by ventilated disc brakes with one-pot calipers in
the front, and drum brakes in the rear. ABS and EBD (Electronic
Brakeforce Distribution) is fitted standard for quick, straight
and sure stops every time.
Fitted with
14” steel rims with full-size wheel covers Colt LS is shod
with 175/65R14 radial ply tyres as standard, while XLS wears 15”
alloy wheels fitted with 185/55R15 radial ply tyres as standard.
The spare tyre
is a T15/70D14 temporary use tyre fitted to a steel rim.
Safety
Safety has not been neglected, and Colt comes with an abundance
of safety features as standard.
Colt uses a
new design platform that is a ‘straight frame rail’
design that realises outstanding body stiffness, strength and crashworthiness.
The side chassis
member features an octagonal section at its leading end and a figure-of-eight
section at its trailing end, in a design that raises crash energy
absorption efficiency and optimises frame deformation mode. Large
area surfaces such as the doors are given a spherical section to
ensure a structure that offers significant benefits in terms of
stiffness and vibration control.
The new straight
frame rail platform makes a significant contribution to Colt’s
crashworthiness. And, with the use of stamped high-tensile strength
door panels and strategically located reinforcements, the body provides
excellent occupant protection and delivers outstanding crash energy
absorption performance.
However, it
is not only the body that helps Colt deliver a safe driving environment
for its occupants.
Both front seat
belts are lap-sash belts with pre-tensioners and force limiters,
to alleviate wearer injury by controlling belt force in an accident.
The two outer rear belts are also lap-sash, with a 2-point belt
in the centre position.
Driver and passenger
airbags are standard, and side and curtain airbags (available from
September ’04 production) are optional on both models.
Other safety
features include anti-trapping power windows, childproof rear doors
and anti-intrusion brake pedals. The anti- intrusion brake and foot-operated
parking brake pedals prevent ankle and leg injuries in a frontal
collision.
The seven fashionable
and distinctive colours that comprise the colour palette enhance
the stylish shape of the car, are sympathetic with its modern appearance,
and include:
White solid
Cool Silver Metallic
Pearl Yellow
Red Solid
Medium Orange Metallic
Black Mica (only available with XLS)
Pale Medium Bluish Grey (available from Sept ’04 production)
Although Colt
is comprehensively equipped with desirable features as standard,
the following options are available to allow customers to tailor
the car to their individual requirements:
LS
Side and curtain airbags $1,200
Metallic / pearlescent
paint $240
XLS
Side and curtain airbag $1,200
Metallic
/ pearlescent paint $240
Electric sunroof
$1,600
Side
and curtain airbag / electric sunroof $2,800
Colt will cost
$18,990 for the LS variant, and $20,990 for XLS when it goes on
sale in September.
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