Mitsubishi GC-PHEV Concept Hints At Next Montero

For all five of you out there wondering what the next Mitsubishi Montero will look like, well…this is it. Sort of. Not really. See, the Mitsubishi GC-PHEV Concept, which bowed at the Chicago Auto Show, is more design study than anything else, and the SUV it will “inspire” is unlikely to look anything like the concept. But at least the drivetrain is neat.

By pairing a 335 horsepower supercharged MIVEC V6 with an electric motor and all-wheel drive system, the Mitsubishi GC-PHEV concept is supposed to offer SUV versatility and sedan fuel economy. It’s not unlike the smaller Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which uses a four-cylinder engine rather than a V6 and amazingly delivers the fuel economy it advertises. The Outlander PHEV has been a hit over in Europe, but the American version has been delayed for at least another year.

Which brings us back to the GC-PHEV Concept. If you’ve been keeping count, Mitsubishi has rolled out at least a half-dozen hybrid concept cars in the past two years. Unfortunately, the number of actual new products they’ve brought to the American market can be summed up in one word; Mirage. Mitsu’s lineup is desperately stale in America, and while concepts are nice, we can’t buy or drive them, y’know?

I love concept cars, but I think Mitsubishi needs to get back down to brass tacks and start making at least one of these concepts a reality. If I had my choice, the hybrid pickup would be at the top of my list. As it turns out, that might actually be happening, so kudos to Mitsubishi for that one. But hey, if anybody out there is eagerly awaiting the next Mitsubishi Montero, you might be able to find a few hints of it in the GC-PHEV Concept.