Mitsubishi releases jeans-themed "i" Kurashiki Edition
Click to enlarge
The Japanese automakers are the kings when it comes to putting together special limited-edition, limited-availability models for their home market. More often than not, these editions feature little more than a special interior color, accessory pack, and badging. The limited availability adds exclusivity, which begets desirability, and the editions sell.
Mitsubishi's latest is a 100-unit limited edition of its "i" kei car. Dubbed the "i Kurashiki," it will only be sold out of Okayama Mitsubishi in the Okayama prefecture. Okayama, you see, is home to the city of Kurashiki, which is responsible for the bulk of Japan's domestic blue jeans production.
What makes this version of the "i" special? The seat cloth is printed with a special jeans pattern (but not upholstered in actual denim), and it sports a model-specific badge on its rump (shown after the jump). Other than that, it's an "i" in S trim. Four exterior colors are available, and it costs ¥1,099,000.
This is the strangest JDM special we've seen in a while.
(Exterior, badge shots shown after the jump)
[Source: Mitsubishi]
MITSUBISHI i KURASHIKI EDITION
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
curtis 7:06PM (12/14/2006)
"(but not upholstered in actual denim)"
And a good thing too, because denim bleeds into other material.
Reply
ron 7:19PM (12/14/2006)
What goes around come around. Does anyone remember the "Levi Edition" of the AMC Gremlin from the early '70s?
Reply
big jimmy 9:35PM (12/14/2006)
Think AMC
Reply
Blooooooooooooood 8:04PM (12/14/2006)
WHY WHY OHHH WHY can't i buy this car in USA. When i saw this car i fell i love with it. Who needs Galant, just another poor attempt to make some money in family sedan segment. I say bring this "I" to USA, it would sell like hot cakes. Out of all small cars in USA this looks the best by far, Yaris is OK, Fit is great but other than these two and maybe Smart there's no competition.
If one can make money in SUV segment where every company offers many many different engines, trims, sizes...everything....i am sure one can make money in this KEI segment. I bet it gets 70+ MPG as well.
Reply
the friendly grizzly 8:15PM (12/14/2006)
Mitz needs to do something to attract customers. Just heard an ad on the radio this evening: the Mitsubishi dealer in the north end of Nashville is getting rid of every last car, closing up, then reopening as a Nissan dealer.
Amazing.
Reply
tbyron 1:12AM (12/15/2006)
Levi edition CJ5 too
Reply
EquinsuOcha 12:53AM (12/15/2006)
Mitsubishi's biggest problem is their dealer network has to survive on it's own. They don't throw a lot of cash incentives to them, advertising money, or even residual stair-step money for units sold like most automakers do. I think it's a war of attrition that only the strongest survive. You don't last long if you're a slash and burn rip off dealership, so I think Mitsubishi is doing a little house cleaning with all the shady dealerships out there ruining their reputation. When the company gets back into the black I would not be suprised to see a lot more marketing money being spent and a bigger presence felt in the entire industry.
Reply
Dustin 1:16AM (12/15/2006)
Actually, they do have limited sales of this car in the US. Here's a woman I know with hers:
http://www.robotfactory.com/custom/pages/RollerSkate_tif.htm
Reply
iQuack 1:23AM (12/15/2006)
Classless and ugly.
After a few weeks, anyone buying that will be sick of looking at it.
And yes, Mitsubishi will wither in the U.S. unless the company improves it's very weak dealer organization.
Reply
Bell bottoms 5:48PM (12/15/2006)
Cool car but the blue jean interior is not as well carried out as AMC did with their Levis interiors which were stitched just like the blue jeans...I remember when they came out in like 1973. It was really cool back then.
Reply
Richard Warren 8:35AM (12/15/2006)
#3 As my Drill Sergeant once told us one day as we stood out in the rain after being asked why we couldn't put our hoods up.
"They are there just to piss you off"
And that's the way it is with cars, that's why.
Reply