Mitsubishi Says This Is its All-New Study for Geneva, but Haven’t We Seen it Before?

Mitsubishi says it will bring an all-new concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March, a vehicle which represents a “declaration of intent” for the company’s future directions.

That’s all good, but the vehicle shown in the teaser photos released by the automaker looks strikingly similar to the XR-PHEV concept unveiled in November 2013 at the Tokyo Motor Show.

At least as far as the design is concerned, I can’t spot anything different on this purportedly “all-new” study. So could it be fitted with a new powertrain? Mitsubishi says the concept features its next generation 2WD plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) technology. That sounds very similar to the XR-PHEV’s FWD hybrid powertrain consisting of a 1.1-liter direct-injection turbocharged MIVEC engine, a compact electric motor and a high-capacity battery.

Mitsubishi also says the study is a “smart combination of engineering, fluency with a high-output electric motor, low environmental impact, dynamic agility and athletic design.” Let’s just hope it features significant powertrain upgrades, otherwise it would be rather embarrassing for Mitsubishi to present this year-old concept as a world premiere, as it actually does. I hope I’m wrong, but the only “all-new” thing about it may be the change of position of the steering wheel from the right to the left.