Mitsubishi Motors is set to launch the eK-WAGON at nation-wide Galant and Car Plaza dealers on Thursday, October 11. (Suggested retail price: 910,000yen-1,108,000yen) Featuring "Semi-tall Packaging," the brand new car redefines the standard for next-generation mini-cars.

"Just Right Value Wagon" as its product concept, eK-WAGON's notable features include : the right height enabling the car to park into virtually any vertical parking facility ; the simple and modern interior with the newly developed Center-Meter ; abundant storage room ; and nimble yet stable "Fun-to-Drive" handling with the top level collision safety in its class. In addition, its pricing starts from reasonable 910,000yen.

The development effort for this car was given the name "eK Project" as a reminder to everyone involved that our goal was to create a truly "excellent K-car" from the customer's point-of-view that is not just trendy but one that would be loved for a long time to come. (e = excellent, K = the initial letter of "Keijidousha" which means Mini-Car in Japanese) The model name, "eK-WAGON" grew out of that project name.

On the development:

• From the initial concept sketching stage, the developing team conducted a research on tastes in styling design of mini-car users in many cities in Japan to reflect its results in our final design.
• Developing 3D digital data models for the entire parts improved the design quality dramatically. The digital models also make it possible to find and solve many problems before a prototype was made.
• The full collaborative development system, in which every department and section, such as production and sales, participated from the initial development stage, was taken.
• The "Quality Gate System," in which experts and supervisors of the next step perform product-acceptance reviews stringently, had been applied.

The points described above all contribute to the successful development of a high-quality and attractive car within 21-month of super-short development period from its initial planning to launch.

eK-WAGON M 2WD 3A/T

1. Product Overview:

"Semi-tall Packaging" as the next-generation standard

1. Full-length roof height of 1550mm enables use of low-clearance vertical parking facilities, and hip-points of 630mm/655mm for the front and rear seats provide good visibility and easy ingress/egress with a natural posture.
2. The total interior length is 1,830mm, as long as a 1-liter car. The effective interior length, which measures the distance from the pedals to the rear hip-point, is a generous 1,630mm. The interior's abundant roominess, thanks to the cabin's long roof and a liberating instrument panel with minimal protrusion, lets up to four adults stretch out in comfort.

"Simple, Clean, Basic" design

1. The clean and simple surface finish creates a basic design suitable to anyone regardless of age and gender.
2. The front view presents a simple and striking front mask with large, square headlamps and wide and shallow grille accentuated by chrome bars.
3. The side view reveals an unprecedented, extended semi-tall styling enabled by a long-roof silhouette and window graphics in which the B and C pillars were blacked out.
4. The top view shows a barrel-shaped structure, in which the body's front and rear were truncated. Although simple in design, the body still depicts taut panel design.
5. Truncating the front and rear to archive the barrel-shaped design also enabled greater emphasis on the wheel arch extensions. The result is a powerful design with a look of stability.
6. The rear section leaves a lasting impression of stability due to square proportioning and wide rear reflectors placed low in the rear bumper.
7. The area around the tailgate reveals an uncluttered look, and the tailgate opening is large due to use of the simple rear combination lamps.

"Simple and Modern Interior"filled with well thought-out amenities

1. The liberating nature of the instrument panel and its simple finish creates a modern design with reserved trim colored in beige and accented with translucent blue materials.
2. The Center-Meter is used to minimize the driver's eye movement when driving. The space once taken up by the meters now is available for a display of the navigation system or a photo frame. (Both are dealer options.) This area achieved both playfulness and practicality.
3. The front bench seat provides a feeling of superior fit and support. Combined with the column shift and foot-operated parking brake, it enables a side-walk through in the front seat.
4. Numerous storage devices are located around the instrument panel and the front doors. For the driver's seat, there is the "Petit-Trashcan" that can also be attached underneath the instrument panel; and there is a magnetic partition panel for the door pocket which becomes "Shimotori-kun" [a frost scraper], convenient in winter. For the passenger seat, one of the many convenient ideas is the secret compartment box with a lid for storing vehicle inspection certificates.

The top level collision safety and emergency avoidance in its class

1. We used a new collision-safety-enhanced RISE body, created by combining "high-energy absorbing front structure" and "extra rigid cabin structure." Not only does the body easily comply with a "50-km/h frontal collision occupant injury index," it also clears Mitsubishi's in-house 64-km/h collision test which is equivalent with the standards of Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP).
2. To ensure the best collision safety in its class, numerous passive safety features were incorporated, including the head-impact protective trim, the anti-retreating pedal structure, the breakaway steering column, and the high-powered, pre-tensioned front seat belts.
3. The eK-WAGON provides excellent emergency avoidance, readily clearing the double-lane change test conducted in the U.S.A. and Europe.
4. The eK-WAGON is equipped with one-touch, anti-trapping power windows which automatically stop and reverse the direction of the windows if an obstacle is detected when closing.
5. The rear three-point seatbelts are equipped with ALR locking features to firmly hold a child seat. The child seat holding bar, complied with ISO-FIX, is available as a dealer option.

Clean and superior fuel-efficiency engine

1. A 3G83 type 12-Valve SOHC 3-cylinder engine is combined with a 3-speed automatic transmission to provide superior fuel-efficiency and acceleration in the normal city driving of low-to-mid speed.
2. By meticulous tuning, the engine not only meets 2000 exhaust and transpiration gas emission standards, it produces over 50% less hydrocarbons and NOx, and has been certified as "Superior Low-Emission Standard" compliant.
3. The engine's fuel-efficiency and acceleration performance for overtaking in city driving are the top level in its class, pursuing fuel economy and ease of handling.

Nimble yet stable, "fun handling"

1. McPherson struts are used for the front and torque arm-type, three-link suspensions are specially tuned for the eK-WAGON to achieve the total balance of responsive handling, stability with minimal roll, and smooth ride.
2. The braking system offers excellent control and delivers sure stopping power with light pedal pressure by optimizing the setting of the brake booster and the diameter of the brake cylinders. In addition, ABS with a brake assistance system that enhances braking power for emergency is available as a option.

One grade, multiple colors

1. The eK-WAGON simply offers one-grade trim level of "M" (2WD/4WD) which includes all the necessary features; and aluminum wheels, a roof spoiler, remote-controlled folding door mirrors, and rear intermittent wiper & washer are added as "X" package option.
2. On the other hand, there are 9 different body colors to choose from, including the new Aqua Silver which changes from silver to pale aqua depending on the angles of light and observer's view.

"Upgradable" Audio System

This system enables customers to upgrade their audio system without wasting the standard AM/FM radio/cassette player. The customer can obtain a new audio system simply by paying the difference between the trade-in price and the price of the new one from the dealer options, such as a 1DIN CD player/tuner/amp, 1DIN MD player/tuner/amp, or 2DIN CD/Cassette/tuner/amp, or 2DIN MD/ CD/tuner/amp.

Other variations

To highlight eK-WAGON's variable possibilities for customers to coordinate its exterior and interior, "M2" (2WD/4WD) version that can be customized by the maker and "ROAR" (2WD/4WD) version by the brand which specializes in car customizing are offered as dealer options.

2. Sales Strategy:

(1) The Monthly Sales Target

10,000 units / month

(2) Dealers

Nation wide Mitsubishi Garant and Car Plaza dealers

3. Suggested Retail Prices

(unit: thousand yen)

*Engine and transmission for all the trim levels are 660cc SOHC 12-Valve 3-Cylinder and 3-Speed A/T.