3 December 1998, Tokyo: The new SUW (Smart Utility Wagon) exemplifies the spirit of the new Innovation in Motion corporate slogan that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announced in May this year, and is set to be a major driving force in the company's lineup. A new model due to be announced this month and to go on sale in January next year will be the first in the SUW series. Mitsubishi Motors is committed to embodying two key phrases in all its car development and building activities for the foreseeable future, in order to realize the ideals embodied in the Innovation in Motion slogan.

Smart design
Making ease-of-use the number one goal, the company will give special attention to developing and building "smart" vehicles that offer simple and strain-free operation to all who use them. At the same time, the company will incorporate in those vehicles features that provide an unprece-dented level of car-life enjoyment to driver and occupants. This initiative will encourage customers to cherish their vehicles over many years.

Ecology conscious
The company is committed to achieving a higher level of coexistence with the global environment, both through the vehicles it makes and the manufacturing process. Major thrusts in this area include reducing fuel consumption, making vehicles and manufacturing processes environmentally cleaner, as well as the recycling of materials and other means of conserving resources.

The Mitsubishi Motors' SUW concept

1. The automobiles that Mitsubishi Motors will develop and build in line with the company's new Smart Design and Ecology Conscious philosophy will slot into neither the sedan, one-box wagon nor cross-country runner categories. They will, instead, belong to the totally new SUW (Smart Utility Wagon) category that the company will be working to ensure becomes a major driving force in its lineup.

2. The models that the company plans to introduce in the new SUW category will take their place in the zone that covers everything from the one-liter car up to the large-size car (Japanese classification), which has been created by sedan-type cars over the years. In other words, SUW models will realize the kind of generous interior space normally associated with a larger size category but within more compact body dimensions, and will meet the needs and preferences of a wider spectrum of, as well as a longer age span, of customer.

3. SUW is a totally new category of vehicle: A wagon that lends itself to a very wide range of applications and offers strain-free and simple operation to all who use it. Features that characterize the SUW series include: the company's revolutionary GDI ecology engine; natural-height packaging to facilitate entry and egress; a "stress-free design" that enhances ease-of-use; and an interior space that encourages occupants to relax and enjoy their journey. SUW models also incorporate special features designed to make them friendly to all who use them, from the very young to the elderly, as well as to the environment.