Mitsubishi launches frisky new Colt supermini

There is no shortage of new small and fuel efficient models sitting in showrooms but there is a shortage of customers willing to part with any money to buy a new car.

Financial and job uncertainties continue to create havoc with new car sales, down again by 30% in January following the 21% fall in December 2008. Not what the industry needed.

However life must go on and the new and improved Mitsubishi Colt range of three and five -door supermini sized hatchbacks has joined the UK line-up with mainstream model prices starting from £7,799 and rising to £9,299.

Additional small volume versions such as the Colt ClearTec lower emission models will become available in both body styles from £9,299 and there will also be sporty three and five-door 1.5-litre turbocharged Colt Ralliart variants priced from £12,049.

Mainstream models are the Colt 1.1 CZ1 and the Colt 1.3 CZ2 petrol versions in three and five-door forms. A 6-speed Allshift automated manual transmission option is available for 1.3-litre models for an extra cost of £500.

Mitsubishi Motors, thinking of customer’s concerns regarding running costs, offer their 3-years / 37,500 miles Service Plan from £225, depending on the model. All versions are covered by their usual 3-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Also core to today’s customer requirements is information regarding their investment in the new Colt. Figures from industry future values specialists, CAP Monitor, show that the CZ1 and CZ2 3-door variants have a predicted residual value of 75% of their new price after 12-months / 10,000 miles and 41% after 3-years / 60,000 miles. The 5-door has proven it’s no slouch either with 74% and 40% residual values predicted over the same 1-year and 3-year periods.

The new European designed and built Colt arrives right on cue for today’s market requirements. It has grown in length by 70mm and only 35% of the body parts are carry-over from the previous generation Colt. The newcomer looks better balanced, more user friendly in size with more load space and it is well priced.

Gone is the bland and rounded front end and in has come Mitsubishi’s new styling face taken from the Lancer Evolution, which they say links the impression of a jet fighter air intake and the look of a shark. All I know is that it looks good and at last gives the Colt some character.

The Colt Cabriolet with the ugly old styling remains in the range with a 1.5-litre petrol engine option and prices ranging from £10,299 to £11,999.

The diesel engine has now been dropped from the line-up because it gave no real cost effective advantage for retail users over 1.1-litre, 74bhp three-cylinder and 1.3-litre 94bhp four-cylinder units. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine for Ralliart versions will have 147bhp.

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