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As Mitsubishi motor show stands so often are, this year's Frankfurt offering is an eclectic mix of city car, off-road vehicle, Paris-Dakar racer and World Rally Championship contender (plus, of course, the next generation Evo IX which is the WRC car's road-going cousin).
It's an increasingly strong range, but Mitsubishi, in the wake of their difficult DaimlerChrysler connections, have bigger ambitions yet. This especially extends to Europe, because no less than 80 percent of Mitsubishi sales are now outside of Japan.

So there's a raft of new models to come and the Concept Sportback unveiled in Frankfurt will be one of them, apparently with very few significant changes. According to Mitsubishi, the Concept Sportback gives "clear indications of the company's vision for its next generation C segment cars," and will be one of the first cars to be built on their new global platform.

If it reaches production looking like the concept car, we should be very grateful. The five-door sports hatch with a coupe-like roofline is one of this year's more attractive, understated renderings. In fact it looks almost as though you could drive it out of the doors now, and a lot of people would probably like to.

The Sportback is clearly aimed at the heart of the European market and its looks could really make it stand out. Mitsubishi says it's practical as well as emotional with deceptively roomy rear packaging. True to the marque's sporting heritage, it will have performance to match the looks. For now they're talking front- or four-wheel drive and a range of four-cylinder engines (plus diesel engines for Europe, of course) with options of 200 horsepower and more. If it goes as well as the concept looks, the production model should be another Mitsubishi hit.

Mitsubishi Motors UK has unveiled a new and more powerful version of the iconic Lancer Evolution IX performance car. A development of the FQ-340, the new FQ-360 features a 366 bhp version of Mitsubishi’s 2.0-liter turbo engine. Available only to British customers for now, it reaffirms the ‘Evo’s’ reputation as the everyday car, offering pace and practicality at an affordable price.

Making its debut at the British Motor Show, the new FQ-360 joins a three car Lancer Evolution line-up, consisting of the FQ-300, the FQ-320 and the FQ-340, all of which continue. Orders can be placed at any Mitsubishi Ralliart dealer with first deliveries expected in September.

Model range:

* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-300 - £28,039
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-320 - £30,039
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-340 - £33,039
* Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360 - £35,504

The FQ-360 has been developed by engineers from Mitsubishi UK’s motor sport and performance division, Ralliart, which was also responsible for the limited edition FQ-400. Launched in 2004, the FQ-400 was the fastest-ever production Mitsubishi and the new FQ-360 shares some of its key components.

Mitsubishi’s engineers sought to improve the performance of the 1997cc 4-cylinder 4G63 twin scroll turbo engine with the introduction of a high pressure fuel pump and a high-flow catalytic converter, both of which were employed in the FQ-400. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) has been fully reprogrammed to create a car that delivers 366 bhp at 6887 rpm and 363 lb-ft of torque at a lowly 3200 rpm.

The torque output is the key to this car’s character. The peak output of 363 lb-ft is 8 lb-ft more than the FQ-400 produced and is delivered 2200 rpm lower down the rev range. It’s also 18 lb-ft more than the FQ-340. “We’ve worked hard to optimize the FQ-360’s driveability,” says Paul Brigden, general manager, Ralliart. “We wanted to deliver the best possible driving experience, rather than concentrating on a headline-grabbing power output.”

The FQ-360 may have been tuned for driveability, but that doesn’t mean that its supercar-bashing performance has been compromised. This car will sprint from 0-60 mph in an estimated 4.1 sec and top 160 mph. These figures underline Lancer Evolution’s reputation as the supercar bargain. By comparison, the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, which costs almost twice as much, takes 0.7 sec longer to reach 60 mph from rest.

Subtle exterior enhancements differentiate the FQ-360 from the rest of the Lancer Evolution range and improve its aerodynamic efficiency at high speed. One of the most obvious changes is the introduction of a carbon-fiber front lip spoiler, which is attached to the front apron and provides additional downforce. At the rear, a carbon-fiber ‘sharks tooth’ rear vortex generator helps to reduce aerodynamic lift.

Keen ‘Evo spotters’ will also note the introduction of a bespoke set of alloy wheels. Developed by Speedline, they mimic the five-spoke design of Mitsubishi’s tarmac-spec rally car and are not available as an aftermarket option. The new alloys are shod with Yokohama ADVAN AO46 235/45 ZR17 tires, which are shared with the rest of the Lancer Evolution range.

The interior of the FQ-360 builds on that of the FQ-340 with one notable addition, the space below the stereo – which is used for oddments storage in the FQ-340 – is now occupied by a Ralliart Sports Meter Kit. Three dials display the battery voltage, oil temperature and boost pressure, providing extra, useful information to the enthusiastic driver.

Fears that the FQ-360 would be a stripped-out road racer can also be allayed. Its comprehensive specification includes climate control, all-round electric windows and electrically adjustable mirrors, a category 1 alarm and four airbags, proving that performance and comfort can go hand-in-hand.

The FQ-360’s suspension steering is unchanged from the standard Evolution IX. The Evolution IX’s Brembo brakes are also more than capable of coping with the increase in performance. The 17in ventilated discs with four piston calipers at the front and 16in ventilated discs with two-piston calipers at the rear are supplemented by Sports ABS and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD). EBD automatically regulates the front and rear braking force to match the vehicle load and driving conditions.

While every publication and website this side of Tokyo has this car pegged as the next-generation Mitsubishi Evolution X, our inside sources say what you’re looking at is merely the base 2008 Lancer.

We’re told we can expect a “strong family resemblance” between the base car and the Evo X. If the base Lancer picks up this many design cues from the highly acclaimed Concept-X introduced at the 2005 Tokyo motor show—the pronounced front end, the massive hood scoops and the overall sleek styling—we can only surmise that the high-performance Evo X will be stunning.

Sharing a platform with the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass, the Lancer lineup will start with the base model due next spring as an ’08. The Ralliart package will follow—this time as more than a tuck and trim job. Our sources tell us the Ralliart menu will include options like all-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine.

At the top of the heap comes the all-wheel-drive Evo X, with a 2.0-liter, 300-hp turbocharged four-cylinder mated to a six-speed clutchless transmission. Look for Evo in late 2007 or early in 2008 as a possible 2009 model.

Sharing a platform with the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass

Three new Mitsubishi vehicles will make their public debuts at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, January 7th-9th. The next-generation Lancer sedan — based on the Mitsubishi Concept X (pictured) — is already widely expected to break cover at the show. In fact, the car will debut and go on sale in America first — even before sales begin in the automaker's homeland of Japan.

As for the other product launches, it's unclear exactly what Mitsubishi has planned. A launch of the U.S. version of the 2007 Mitsubishi Pajero — called Montero in U.S. markets — is possible. A new Outlander will be launched before the Detroit show. Let the speculation begin…