Hopefully this will be our Caliber:

Sportback Concept

 

^ hope not the front is awsome, but i hate hatchbacks/sportbacks stay with the sedan.

this is what i found on the net so far

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
Redesign. Platform will underpin new Chrysler PT Cruiser and Dodge Neon (aka Caliber). The more modern sedan, with a sweeping arc roofline, will boast an Evolution X flagship next year.

http://www.intellichoice.com/future/future/year/2008

 

The X concept looks pretty sharp, but it resembles a Galant IMO. The Sportback concept looks hideous from the side.

 

lets just say that there is a possibilty that there will be a awd ralliart at about 250 hp, oz rally goes to a 185 hp, and the es and ls go to 145hp. dont ask me how i know but remember this post when it happens. some hp ratings are subject to change. look for them mid 07 as my08 lancer's.

 

Dude, I wish my friend was a member here, because he can vouch for me, but I told him the exact thing earlier. He call me BS, but it just works out well if mitsu did it like that.

 

wow....might have to trade early for a 250 hp RA! Hopefully it looks good, and not a hatch only.

 

Why the hell would mitsu make a 250hp awd RA? At that point it's competing with the oh-so-glorious EVO and well think about it, they aren't do that, or it's going to cost almost as much as an evo, leaving most people going "might as just get the evo..." Doesn't make a lot of sense to me that a dealer would try to undercut it's own product...

A 200-200hp fwd RA fro the factory, that could would make more sense...

But who knows, I'm not an exec at ...

 

you guys do know that the new lancer is a 2008 model. I'll try to find the source of that, but it's true

 

Per 's FY 2005 Annual Report, the next gen Lancer (GS platform) will be released in the US in March of 2007. http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/N...0060427sef.pdf (see slide 13)
The new Lancer will use the GEMA engines as used in the Dodge Caliber, though there is the possibility that they may be tuned differently. With the DCx alliance virtually dead, it is unclear if the the new car will be manufactured in the U.S. or in Japan.
As such, here's what I project (pure speculation):

ES 2.0l 158hp - 141ft/lbs CVT
LS 2.0l 158hp - 141ft/lbs CVT
RalliArt 2.4l 172hp - 165 ft/lbs 6-Speed Manual or CVT

 

I think you're probably right on the money there. Although I'd love to dream about a t/c RA here in the states, I really doubt we will see it any time soon.

 

Now, why couldn't they do it? Subaru did it and has been doing it with the WRX for over 5 years. Why didn't this just discontinue the wrx when the STi came out in 04? Now, reason why mitsu can do it is simple. First off...

The ES needs to be bump up in HP/TRQ. Currently it is in last against it's rival. It needs to be bump because people now want more from there car like HP/TRQ while still getting great fuel economy. The ES is only making 120hp/130trq, which was good 3years ago, but now it's a whole new ball game...

The civic is making 140hp/128trq
The corolla is making 126hp/122trq (New 07 corolla to make 148hp from a 2.2L)
The sentra is making 126/129trq (New 07 sentra to make 135hp/140trq from a high-output 2.0L)
The mazda3 is making 150hp/135trq

The main japanese rivals are stepping there game up, mitsu needs to do the same, or they will just keeping digging there own grave. A good amout of HP/TRQ from the ES should be between 140-145hp and 145-150trq, that way they still stay withen there rivals or up them a few ponies.

Now on to the OZ rally, mitsu should put this car right around 170hp -180hp and it can become with the ralliart is, a subcompact sporty sedan. It can go against rivals that the ralliart goes up to IE; si, specV, tC, celica, rsx and the likes.

Now on to the ralliart, ok, let just go out on a limb here and say mitsu did create a 250hp awd ralliart. It can be done if they are going for a higher target market. They are now not making it an Si killer, they are now going head to head with the WRX. You say, it will effect the evo market, how? If you want an evo, will you settle for a 250hp ralliart? NO. Everybody know and has heard of the evo, so settling for a 250hp ralliart will not do. Put it like this, ask an evo owner, would he rather buy his evo all over again or settle for a 250hp ralliart? Chances are, he would buy his evo in a heartbeat. The evo X has been rumor to be over 300hp, so with that bump it put the evo futher in HP and futher in market presence. A 250hp ralliart is in no way gonna hurt evo sales... NO WAY. Evo sales are very small at that, evo is a enthusiast / niche market. These type of cars will never sale in swarms.

Yes, the ralliart will increase in price, but that's something we have to pay for more goodies. Here is just a pricing point I came up with. Allthough 250hp is alot, I would be happy with 235hp or 240hp.

ES - 145hp/150trq - 15k
OZ - 170hp/180trq - 19k
Ralliart - 235hp/245trq - 24k
Lancer Evolution X - 300hp/??? - 35-40k

In the end, from ES, OZ, Ralliart, RS, GSR, MR mitsubishi is lucky to have a damaging lancer lineup. If they play there cards right and follow there theme driven to thrill, they could take the market back much much faster.

Now, some of the japanese auto makers are making there lower class cars higher value in feature, options and look. At once you could buy the lowest model civic, sentra or corolla for 12 or 13k, but not anymore. Now the automakers are bringing over there small cars and selling them cheap aswell. Example, honda has brought over the honda fit (sits under the civic) and toyota has brought over the toyota yaris (sits under the corolla). I predict these car will blow up. I have already seen quite a few yaris around my area and ive seen plenty of commerical for both cars. Since the market for these cars are going to be huge, mitsu should bring over the popluar european / japanese colt. The colt could sale here for around 12 - 13k aswell and possibly steal some market from the fit and yaris.

Anyways, that's how I see it... hope mitsu does something... SOON.