The relationship between videogames and automakers has never been closer. The Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Evolution is the latest digital concept car to debut in Gran Turismo 6, and could hint at the proposed hybrid successor to the aging Lancer Evolution.
Actually, its an “evolution” of the XR-PHEV crossover concept that debuted last fall at the Tokyo Auto Show, but radically redesigned for racing in the world of Gran Turismo 6. A three-cylinder 1.1 liter engine feeds a plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive system, similar to the plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
The XR-PHEV Evolution is sort of a digital stopgap, what with all the rumors of the Lancer Evolution’s impending demise. While there has been talk of the next Lancer Evo embracing a hybrid drivetrain (and this video only adds fuel to the fire), Mitsubishi’s poor fortunes in North America mean that it should probably focus on building and marketing a mainstream hit, like the new Mitsubishi Mirage.
Concepts like the XR-PHEV Evolution are nice to look at, but until business improves, it’s likely to remain as a digital reminder of what Mitsubishi could do. Fair warning; the video is in Japanese, so you have to turn on the subtitles if you want any idea of what’s going on.
Source: Gas 2.
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