Remember the Mitsubishi Mirage? Well, the slow-selling A-segment hatchback is actually no longer on the Japanese automaker’s official price-list here in South Africa. But a fresh report out of the United Kingdom suggests that the brand is preparing to replace it with a larger hatch … with a little help from Renault.
Yes, Auto Express reports that Mitsubishi Motors will leverage its position as part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance to offer a new light hatchback that shares its underpinnings and engines with the next-generation Renault Clio and Nissan Micra.
“Designing and building a bespoke platform is expensive, and the margins in the small car sector are smaller. So are we looking to use Renault and Nissan platforms in that segment? The answer is yes,” Vincent Cobee, corporate vice-president and product planning head at Mitsubishi, told the British publication.
Nissan, of course, completed its acquisition of a 34% equity stake in Mitsubishi to become its largest shareholder more than a year ago. And while the Japanese brand is keen to focus on the SUV segment, it is also apparently looking to offer a light hatchback.
So, will the proposed B-segment hatch use the Mirage name? Well, it certainly seems possible, although Auto Express speculates that the revival of the Colt badge could also be on the cards…
