Autoblog

Click the above image for more of the i MIEV Sport

Mitsubishi's has given its cute and funky 'i' minicar a sporty makeover with a coupe-like shape and vents on the side to create the i MIEV Sport. Despite being the sports version, it uses the same electric plug-in technology found in the i MIEV, which means two in-wheel motors driving the front wheels, and one motor for the rear. The cab-forward design does make it look like a bubble car, but having navigated Tokyo's streets for the last few days we can totally see it fitting right in.

What you're looking at is a right-hand-drive Mitsubishi i spotted in Toronto, as in Toronto, Canada... as in on the North American continent. Mitsubishi's initial line was that the i would be for the Japan Domestic Market only. Then they exported it to Hong Kong, Singapore and Brunei. Then New Zealand. Then Britain. And Australian cities are next in the crosshairs. Wherever it has shown up, it's been a sales sensation, which is handy for Mitsubishi as sales in Japan have slumped to 1,200 cars per month from almost 8,000 per month in March 2006.

So will North America be getting its first 660cc kei car? Not a chance say sources within Mitsubishi's Tokyo HQ. Then the i spied in Toronto is almost certainly a plug-in electric i MiEV undergoing testing. Everyone will have to wait until 2009 or even 2010 to get their hands on one of those, but when they hit markets worldwide they'll have sticker prices under 2million Yen - that's about $17,500 today.

Well spotted Allan!

click above image to view high-resolution gallery of the Mitsubishi i

Beginning on July 1st, Brits will be able to purchase the iconic i kei car from Mitsubishi. The i is a big hit in Japan, having won numerous awards for its futuristic styling and clever engineering while racking up big sales in the home market. Mitsubishi has spent the last year shopping the i around Great Britain at the Badminton Horse Trials, the British Motor Show and some select Mitsubishi dealerships, and the response from the public was positive enough to convince management to sell the car on the Queen's isle. It will be available only in one configuration powered by the JDM spec 660cc turbo three-cylinder engine producing an economical though not entirely thrilling 64bhp. Initially, however, only 300 units will be made available for sale at the price of £8,999 ($17,577 USD).

With the success of the MINI Cooper and the impending arrival of the smart fortwo in the U.S., we wonder if there are talks within Mitsubishi to bring the i to the U.S. They'll no doubt be watching sales of the fortwo closely. Check out the official press release after the jump and a high-resolution gallery of the Mitsubishi i.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

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]

The Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan (RJC) has named the loveable little Mitsubishi "i" its 2007 Car of the Year. The quirky and compelling "i" kei car has been quite a sensation, with its unique appearance and rear-midship engine layout, garnering plenty of attention in Japan from journalists and the general public. Mitsubishi, obviously aware of the hit it has on its hands, has kept interest in the "i" at high levels through clever marketing stunts like the one-off Hello Kitty edition and by giving it a prominent role in the company's research on future electric vehicle technology.

The RJC Car of the Year award is not the first accolade the "i" has won this year. Last month, it was awarded the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization's Good Design Grand Prize -- a first for a kei car.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Mitsubishi]

DAMD, the tuners who have recently shown a penchant for Aston Martinizing Nissan products, have turned their attention to what is perhaps Japan's quirkiest kei car, the Mitsubishi i. The newest member of DAMD's enormous lineup, this particular i looks like it'd be right at home seeing duty as Darth Vader's runabout if he were forced to ditch his SS for more economical fare.

The diminutive Mitsubishi is drenched in black paint, and benefits from the installation of new side skirts and spoilers front and rear. The parts are available seperately or as a 3-piece set (the two side skirts count as one "piece"). A billet insert spruces up the car's grille opening, and an extra panel dresses up flat black plastic area immediately below the windshield where the wipers live. Finally, 15" black DAMD DS-6 wheels ( the "6" indicates the number of spokes) complete the visual refresh.

It looks great, and it gives us just another reason to be bummed at the fact that Mitsubishi's slick little kei is for Japanese fans only. If there's a market for the Smart here, there's got to be a way to make a business case for something like the i.

Related Items:

• Tuner Tuesdays: Japanese tuners craft baby Aston Martin
• DAMD if you do: Mitsubishi Outlander tuned by DAMD
• DAMD again: Japanese tuner gives G35 the Aston treatment
  

(Additional photos after the jump)

[Source: DAMD (translated) via Nihon Car]

Mitsubishi is going to take good look at the viability of all-electric motoring, this after announcing its plan to sell an all-electric vehicle in the Japan and U.S. in the near future. It has just introduced a new research platform, the i MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle), a four-passenger EV based on the company's podlike i kei car.

The i MieV will make its public debut later this month at a Japanese alternative vehicle conference. After that, two Japanese power companies will be provided with i MiEVs for internal research on how to integrate EVs into their business plans, including the development and deployment of a rapid-charge infrastructure. In January, Mitsubishi will bring in two additional power companies and commence fleet testing with all four to gauge whether or not an EV is a commercially viable proposition for all parties.

The i MiEV electric motor is mounted in the standard engine's rear-midship location and generates 47kW (63 hp) peak power. The car has an operating range of approximately 80 to 100 miles with a top speed of 80 mph and is actually much torquier than its conventionally-powered counterpart, generating 130 lb-ft to the standard i's 69.

(Press release, diagram, specs after the jump)

[Sources: Mitsubishi, LA Times]