By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
In a time where most car manufactures have sales percentages falling at double-digit rates, the ability for any company to post positive sales makes it stick out from the rest.
Despite seeing a sales drop of 3 percent for 2006, Mitsubishi car sales have seen an increase of 14 percent already but for the start of 2007, sales have increased by 14 percent for its cars and a total sales increase of just under 22 percent. With the 2008 Lancer set for a spring debut, 2007 should be an incredibly strong sales year for Mitsubishi.
The all-new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer features a sleek and sporty design based off Mitsubishi’s 2005 Concept-X concept car. While the Lancer itself is new, its platform is proven and has been underpinning vehicles since 2005 on the Mitsubishi Outlander. Chassis components are also shared with a multitude of Chrysler vehicles including the Jeep Compass and Patriot, Dodge Caliber and Avenger and Chrysler Sebring.
A sharp contrast from its predecessor, the 2008 Lancer has stunning looks and the power to back it up. The aggressive and angular front end houses the 2.0-liter, 152-horsepower four cylinder available with a five-speed manual or an optional continually variable transmission (CVT). There are no straight body panels on the car at all. A body line seemingly cuts through the side of the car from behind the front fender and flows back into the taillights giving an illusion of motion even while at a rest. The high rear decklid finishes off the Lancer’s wedge-like profile.
The interior of the Lancer is well laid out without seeming too cluttered. Two large gauge pods read out speed and RPMs while a central digital readout handles all other instrumentation. The instrument panel is surprisingly barren compared to most modern cars with only the radio and climate controls not directly in front of the driver’s sight. The faux brushed aluminum or carbon fiber trim flows seamlessly through the dash. Thumbs and fingers should stay quite busy as there are 12 separate controls on the steering wheel (14 on the GTS model with the 6-Step Sportronic paddle shifters). The two-tone dash on the DE makes the interior look cheap, but the other models look good with a Rockford Fosgate stereo tucked neatly in the center.
The turbocharged, all-wheel drive Evolution X should debut by mid-year to welcoming anticipation. Active steering and active yaw control should both help to keep the 300+ horsepower under full control for the driver. Much to the delight of many Evo fans, the Concept X is said to be a close representation of the upcoming Evolution X.
Looks aside, one aspect that should lead to the Lancer’s success is its low price. The base model Lancer DE will have an MSRP of $14,615 which is $600 less than the current Lancer’s entry-level model. The top-of-the-line GTS model will have a starting MSRP of $19,115 when equipped with the CVT. Mitsubishi is offering a number of fun and useful packages on the new Lancer including the Navigation & Technology package. This package will cost an additional $2,000 a navigation system that features a seven-inch screen and a 30GB hard drive.
When the Lancer goes on sale this spring, expect Mitsubishi's already positive sales numbers to get even stronger.