This, is the 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer. Details of it has just been released for all to see. 

It is basically the same car we first saw in 2007. It is a facelift. In fact it is the first real facelift since the car first came out in 2007. The one they had a few years ago was some bits here and there with the same bumpers and stuff. This one you get a new front bumper with integrated DRLs (more than previously) on the outside and inside you get a very, very, very, very, oh you get my point slightly redesigned center console with an upgraded infotainment system. The rear of the car seems to have remained the same...bumper and all.




The changes inside are so miniscule that I had to stare at the pics of the dashboard before and after the change. It is only underneath that all new Lancer models get the full chassis safety package - Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), Active Stability Control (ASC) with Traction Control Logic (TCL), Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), a seven air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS),



Anyway, this car is soldiering on to at least 2018 with high performance Lancer Evolution X and the Ralliart versions dropped by 2016 (the Evo X is on its swan song wherever its sold). So what you see may be what we will get in the very near future if and when Mitsubishi Malaysia brings it in. I suppose you already know that Mitsubishi has changed its focus to its pickups, SUVs and electric vehicles instead of normal passenger cars. This is why the Lancer has stayed in production for a period longer than most Japanese manufacturers usually keep their models in production.

I'm sorry folks, you basically get a new front bumper, a new radio, some painted trim in the middle of the front dashboard and tons of safety features as standard but its basically the same car. This is the best Mitsu can do for now. Not that its a bad thing. It is a nice looking car in the first place and its styling does not seem that dated even today. Don't know about 2018 though.

This piece of news from caradvice.com.au about the Mitsubishi Lancer interests me. It seems Mitsubishi is not planning a replacement model for the Lancer sedan at this moment and may not do so for the next few years. The decision was made after the deal with Renault to source C and D segment sedans fell through and that Mitsubishi does not have the financial will to do it on their own. The company will focus on building and designing SUVs, hybrids, city cars and electric cars for the moment and replacement for larger sedan models such as the Lancer are shelved.



According to Mitsubishi, the Lancer will soldier on, with upgrades and facelifts to keep the car relevant. The current Lancer has been around since 2007 and going by Japanese industry standards, eight years on the same platform is about three years too long. Even European manufacturers usually update their cars after seven years. There have been rumours that a replacement should come on line by 2018, but after this announcement, I suppose we have to wait and see whether that happens. Oh, what this also would mean is that the replacement for the current Lancer Evolution is not going to happen too. How sad.

In the meantime, if you are the proud owner of a Mitsubishi Lancer or even the Proton Inspira you should be pleased to hear that your car may still be a current model for years and years to come. Your friends or relatives who are into having the latest Honda, Toyota and other would have had to change their Civics or their Corollas at least twice whilst you can just change the lights or grille to the latest variation of the car you bought in 2007. Imagine how much money you can save. Imagine driving a current model for over ten years!!!

Sigh.

" Imagine that, a Mitsubishi Evolution like the Evolution X pictured above may not emit a single exhaust drone at the traffic lights as the stop-start function has kicked in and when it accelerates, would sound like a Toyota Prius, i.e no sound at all, or like a Volkswagen TDI diesel accelerating or worse still, like a old Mercedes 240d taxi that is still in use somewhere in Africa."

Sigh, another petrol icon may bite the dust.

Read HERE to read what my opinion is on the matter over at CarThrottle.com.

And Proton Creates A Whole New Generation of Wiralutions......with the new Inspira. Just imagine, a whole new bunch of Mitsubishi Lancer aping Inspiras out there. It isn't that hard. The lights look the same. Just bumpers, wider side fenders front and rear, rear valance and a tall spoiler isn't hard for local fiber-glass companies to get it looking very much like an EVO X (Like this RS pictured below)

Let's call this new Evo clones the INSPIRALUTION. Totally inspired badge engineering from Proton. I hope it does sell. The Lancer GT and GLS (of which the Inspira seems to be more based on) is indeed a half decent car with with very good handling, high cornering grip (in  GT form), a fidgety ride (more so in the GT form), rubber band CVT gearbox (not as bad as some earlier CVT boxes) and an actually terrible plasticky interior (which explains why all Protons have terrible interiors as Mitsubishi can't seem to make a decent interior to this day).

 I may write about an end of term report about the Lancer GT as a friend of mine used it for a good two years and then sold it off once he caught a glimpse of spy shots of the Inspira. He managed to get RM100,000 for it and now he heard its going for around RM80,000 after a period of about 6 months.

Anyway, expect an ATTACK OF THE CLONES over a a local teh tarik stall nearby soon.