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Global Concepts (Part 2)
Mitsubishi SUW family
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Mitsubishi's family of cross-over vehicle concepts goes by the name SUW (sport-utility wagon). The SUW Advance conforms to Japanese small-car standards and has four doors that open 90° for easy entry and exit. The vehicle's whole tailgate may be opened, or just the lower half like an ordinary trunk lid. Its low, flat floor is only 270 mm (10.6 in) from the ground, though the fuel tank and battery pack of this hybrid-electric vehicle are under the floor. Mitsubishi's hybrid system employs a 1.5-L 77-kW (103-hp) GDI engine combined with a small 12-kW (16-hp) motor/generator. The GDI's quick startability enables smooth switching between the engine and motor. The engine, which operates in the ultra-lean environment, can be used to recharge the battery on terrain where little regenerative braking is possible.
The SUW Compact is a straightforward GDI-engine-driven mini with two doors and a hatch. The engine is the newest, smallest-displacement addition to the GDI family, displacing 1.1 L and putting out 57 kW (76 hp) at 6000 rpm and 103 Nom (76 lboft) at 4000 rpm. It gets its 26 km/L (62 mpg) fuel economy on the Japanese urban 10/15-cycle mode with a manual five-speed transmission and an automatic stop-and-go system. Here again, the GDI's startability works in its favor, ensuring instant restarting of the engine after an automatic stop.
The SUW Active is more of a SUV/minivan hybrid than a wagon, and employs four conventional doors. The 4240 mm (167 in) long vehicle is powered by a turbocharged GDI engine displacing 2.0 L and rated at 184 kW (247 hp) at 5500 rpm and 343 Nom (253 lboft) at 2500 rpm. Mitsubishi's INVECS-II four-speed automatic provides fully automatic or manual shifting.
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