The concept cX is fairly close to production sign-off as Mitsubishi looks to re-enter the compact SUV market it was last in with the Pinin [io].
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It’s expected to be on sale by 2010 with two new Euro V-compliant 1.8 and two-litre diesel engines. These Mitsubishi-developed engines, which will also be available with an automatic gearbox, will be available from 2009.
“We have 20,000 Pinin customers in the UK and I think we could have sold 50,000 if we had had a diesel engine,” said Jim Tyrell, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK.
Tyrell is also exploring the possibility of bringing the electric version of the tiny i city car to the UK. Mitsubishi is putting 1,000 electric i cars on lease in Tokyo from the middle of next year.
“I think we could sell them in London from mid to late ’09. For Mitsubishi, electric cars are the way to go rather than hybrid. We have charging time down to 20 minutes and a range of up to 150km so it really isn’t a compromise so long as the cost is right,” said Tyrell.
