First teased at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, the Mitsubishi Concept GC-PHEV has made its debut at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. Based on the GC-PHEV (Concept Grand Cruiser), the new utility will fuse rugged utilitarianism with cutting-edge technology—a unibody frame and electronic terrain assist should both make it onto the production car, making the vehicle incredibly versatile while saving weight along the way.
Watch the LIVE-STREAM debut of the Mitsubishi Concept GC-PHEV at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show (CAS2015), courtesy of the TFLnow live-stream channel.
Power will come from a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 which will work in tandem with an electric motor and plug-in hybrid system. Horsepower will be a healthy 335 routed through an 8-speed automatic transmission.
On the interior, expect many of the same innovations debuted with the GC-PHEV in 2013—a large, Tesla Model S-like interior multimedia display will likely grace the cabin, while a dynamic heads-up display integrated with safety information should make for a modern interface.
In addition, though the GC-PHEV only debuted with two rows of seating, expect the full production version to offer three full rows. When launched, the GC-PHEV will compete with the likes of Land Rover’s Range Rover and Toyota’s Land Cruiser, storied names in the rugged SUV segment—the GC-PHEV’s value proposition, however, should make it very attractive in the eyes of utility-minded buyers.
“We brought the Concept GC-PHEV to Chicago because it showcases into our future technology and design themes,” said MMNA Executive Vice President, Don Swearingen. “The Concept showcases aggressive styling and a level of refinement that will be coming to Mitsubishi vehicles. All of our 2016 model year vehicles will be refreshed with our new brand identity, starting with the 2016 Outlander, which will make its world premiere at the New York International Auto Show in April. The Concept GC-PHEV continues to tell the story we started telling at the LA Auto Show, and we think you’re going to like what is to come.”
