Heto na! 2024 Mitsubishi XForce launching at 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show
VJ Bacungan · Jul 31, 2023 10:20 PM
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Mitsubishi's all-new crossover (above), which may be called the XForce, retains the styling of the Mitsubishi XFC Concept. PHOTO FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS.
The rather stunning-looking Mitsubishi XFC Concept crossover has been making the rounds locally.
It was last seen on June 2023 at the Newport Mall in Pasay City. The XFC Concept will also be a special guest at the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) 60th Anniversary Expo on Aug. 10 to 13, 2023, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Spot the differences with the Mitsubishi XFC Concept (above). PHOTO FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS.
But Mitsubishi Motors officially revealed the production version of the XFC Concept, which may be called the Mitsubishi XForce, on July 31, 2023. We have to wait for the official name in ten days. For brevity, let's just call it XForce for now.
The all-new compact crossover, which takes on the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Geely Coolray, and or the upcoming Yaris Cross, will make its global debut at the 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show on Aug. 10 to 20, 2023.
The company said the new crossover will feature a 1.5-liter engine mated to a continuously variable transmission. It will also have front-wheel drive and four driving models: Normal, Gravel, Mud, and Wet.
Mitsubishi Motors said the Wet Mode, introduced for the first time in the XFC Concept, was designed for ASEAN countries to enable safe driving on roads flooded by rain showers.
PHOTO FROM AUTOFUN INDONESIA
"In this all-new model, we have further evolved the design to meet the needs of the compact SUV market, which has been growing in recent years," said Mitsubishi Motors division general manager Seiji Watanabe.
“At the upcoming GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show, we hope that even more customers will discover what Mitsubishi Motors has to offer and empathize with our design through this all-new compact SUV," he added.
Concept car looks
PHOTO FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS.
Happily, the all-new crossover retains much of the eye-catching exterior styling of the XFC Concept.
This includes the boomerang-style LED headlights and large, trapezoidal front grill. Complementing these is the chunky lower bumper.
Down the side, the XForce carries over the character line on the bottom half of the door that kinks downward at the rear doors. Meanwhile, the beltline kinks upward at the rear door, leading the eye to the most apparent floating-roof effect at the D-pillar.
Mitsubishi executives in Indonesia aren't shy about showing the X, maybe they will end up calling XForce. PHOTO FROM AUTOFUN INDONESIA
Out back, the LED taillights mirror the boomerang shape of the headlights up front. The raked rear windscreen and chunky rear lower bumper add to the sporty, aggressive look.
Other notable features of the all-new crossover are the 222-mm ground clearance and the 18-inch, turbine-style, five-spoke alloy wheels.
Mitsubishi Motors has yet to reveal the interior of the XForce officially.
The Japanese carmaker partnered with the renowned Japanese musical instrument manufacturer for audio equipment specially made for the XForce.
The Mitsubishi Motors booth at the motor show will feature a special area where visitors can experience the new Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium sound system, which will be adopted for the first time in the all-new compact crossover.
“Inside the all-new model, visitors can enjoy the sound system's characteristic, clear mid and high tones as well as lively bass,” the company said.
MMPC said it would bring in the XForce locally sometime after its Indonesia debut.
EV display
PHOTO FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS.
Aside from the XForce, Mitsubishi will showcase two electric vehicles (EV) at the motor show.
One is the Mitsubishi ek X kei car, which will be exhibited for the first time outside Japan. This model, along with its Nissan Sakura sibling, won the prestigious 2022-2023 Japan Car of the Year award and the 2022-2023 Kei Car of the Year title.
A kei car (short for keijidosha or “light automobile”) follows the regulations of Japan's smallest highway-legal passenger cars. From 1998, a kei car may not be longer than 3,400 millimeters and no wider than 1,480 millimeters, with engines that have a maximum power output of 64 PS.
The Minicab-MiEV has been produced in Japan since 2011 and is primarily used in the delivery industry. It is a rebadged version of the Suzuki Carry kei van, which also has a gasoline-powered sibling called the Mitsubishi Minicab.
Mitsubishi had ended production of the Minicab-MiEV but resumed sales on November 2022 “in response to the growing demand for such commercial EVs, particularly from logistics companies and local governments engaged in sustainable business activities,” the company said.
Powering this commercial EV is either a 10.5-kWh or a 16-kWh battery pack, which is good for a claimed maximum range of 100 km or 150 km, respectively. This is connected to a rear-mounted electric motor producing 41 PS and a whopping 196 Nm of torque.
Mitsubishi said all EV components are mounted under the floor to maximize cargo space. The company said the van has a maximum payload of 350 kg.
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An award-winning multimedia journalist, editor, and host for online and TV who has written in-depth stories on road safety and the Philippine elections. Outside of the media, VJ is an accomplished motorsports champion, English teacher, and dancer.
