Press Release

Mitsubishi Motors North America will debut the new five-door Lancer Sportback in U.S. dealerships this summer for the 2010 model year. The Sportback will meld high performance and progressive design with an extra dose of utility to feed the most active lifestyles. The newest member of the multiple award-winning Lancer family is part of Mitsubishi's refocused efforts to introduce new models designed to meet evolving consumer demands. MSRP will be announced nearer to its summer on-sale date.

Mitsubishi designers created a dynamic new shape for the Sportback instantly recognizable as a Lancer from the front, with its signature "jet fighter" grille, while being completely fresh from the C-pillar rearward.

The key element is a sleekly sloping rear door with integrated "roof wing" that creates a visually distinctive shape while making the Lancer significantly more versatile. The door extends down to the rear bumper to make loading cumbersome objects like surfboards, camping gear and bicycles as easy as possible.

The Sportback's overall length is just slightly longer than the Lancer four-door sedan, yet it gains substantial cargo-carrying flexibility-especially when the 60:40-split rear seats are folded flat. One-touch
auto-folding rear seats make the newfound space almost effortless to configure. To add still more volume, the rear cargo-area floor of the GTS version can be cleverly lowered three inches, yielding 52.7 cubic ft. maximum cargo space. The roof will also conveniently accommodate a plug-in Thule® Sport Rack for additional flexibility.

The Sportback's basic architecture, technical features and most optional equipment is shared with the Lancer sedan, a winner of several awards, including:

Sportback GTS models feature Mitsubishi's efficient 2.4-liter engine with 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed CVT automatic transmission.

The Sportback Ralliart is powered by a 2.0-liter MIVEC turbocharged engine that pumps out 237 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft. of torque. All-Wheel Control (AWC) with Active Center Differential (ACD) is standard, as is the quick-shifting six-speed Twin Clutch-Sportronic® Shift Transmission (TC-SST) that it shares with the Lancer Evolution. Both the CVT and Twin-Clutch transmissions include magnesium-alloy paddle shifters.

Premium interior features like those found on the Lancer sedans are also part of the Sportback's resume. Key components in the Ralliart version include a standard 140-watt CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers or an available 710-watt Rockford-Fosgate Premium Sound System, in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability, plus Sirius Satellite Radio. A hard disc-drive navigation system with Mitsubishi's exclusive Diamond Lane Guidance to provide route guidance is optional, as are Recaro sport seats that provide optimal support for the driver and front passenger.