Having previously shown concept versions, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will unveil the sporty Colt CZC coupé-cabriolet, developed together with legendary Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina, at the Geneva motor show next month.
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Designed and engineered by MMC, Mitsubishi Design Europe and Pininfarina, the 2006 Colt CZC echoes Mitsubishi Motors´ first ever show car, the Colt 600 Convertible, unveiled at the 1962 Tokyo motor show.
Initially unique to the European market (we reckon a clamour from Mitsubishi distributors elsewhere will soon change that), the CZC is built on the five-door Colt hatchback platform, rather than the shorter three-door Colt ‘coupé’ hatch – for packaging purposes – and shares its class-leading 2.5m wheelbase.
This allowed the adoption of a retractable hard-top – as dictated by the market – while offering the much appreciated extra space / storage / seating arrangement of a 2+2, as well as a capacious boot.
Body shell reinforcements compensate for the absence of a structural roof and the 150ps 1.5 litre Mivec turbo-charged engine shared with the Colt hatch CZT delivers a claimed 202 km/h (120mph) top speed and 8.4 seconds 0-100 km/h (62mph) acceleration.
This will be the most powerful engine offered in any hardtop B-segment coupé-cabriolet, MMC claimed.
A 109ps 1.5-litre normally aspirated petrol engine will also be offered.
Production is scheduled to start at Pininfarina´s Bairo plant, near Turin on 7 March.
Pininfarina will source the platform and common Colt family components from Mitsubishi Motors’ NedCar plant in Born, The Netherlands.
The coachbuilder will focus on providing the specific structural reinforcement for the coupe-cabriolet conversion and body-in-white assembly, painting the body and trimming and final assembly with unique parts and NedCar-sourced mechanical components.
The Colt CZC will reach its first buyers during second quarter 2006.
