Stylish saloon signals Mitsubishi's return to form

Date: 12 December 2006

Japanese brand Mitsubishi is hoping its striking new Lancer saloon will give it a platform to re-enter the business car arena.

Since the death of the unloved Charisma, Mitsubishi hasn't had a mainstream competitor for business sales, instead focusing mainly on the off-roader market.

This new Lancer will arrive in the UK around the end of next year, with a choice of engines that includes 1.5- and 2.4-litre petrols, as well as the 2.0-litre diesel powerplant. The latest incarnation of the legendary Evo version, the Evo X, will also appear in early 2008, although the five-door hatchback, the preferred bodystyle in the UK, won't be available until autumn 2008.

The Lancer shares basic underpinnings with the new Outlander off-roader, due in the UK next spring.

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