THE CAR OF MITSUBISHI MOTORS MALAYSIA SEPTEMBER 2013 * 12 PAGES * FREE ISSUE

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has an-nounced that the all-new Mitsubi-shi Attrage will be coming soon to Malaysia, and the new sedan is

now open for booking. Launched in Thailand in July this year, the Attrage has received overwhelming response from the market. The sedan is produced at Mit-subishi’s factory in Laem Chabang, Thailand. The name ‘Attrage’ is derived from the word ‘attractive’. Powered by a modern 1.2-litre three-cylinder MIVEC engine with 80 PS of power and 106 Nm of torque, the Attrage is engineered for exceptional efficiency. Coupled with a low kerb weight of just 915 kg, the sedan is capable of class leading fuel economy of 21 km/l measured on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The Attrage is an easy handling sedan that fits perfectly in the city with excellent manoeu-vrability and a class leading turning radius of 4.8 metres.

Four variants will be available in Malaysia. The range starts off with the five-speed manual transmission GL. Those opting for the smooth INVECS-III CVT automatic transmission can choose between GL, GS and the range topping SE specs. All variants come with safety features such as dual airbags and ABS with EBD. GS spec adds on equipment such as leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, keyless entry with push start button and digital automatic air conditioning.The SE stands out further with a sporty body kit, LED daytime running lights, window tint, leather seats and a 2-DIN touch screen audio unit with USB and AUX-in. Ahead of the Mitsubishi Attrage’s introduc-tion in Malaysia later this year, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia invited selected journalists to sample the sedan at the Bonanza Interna-tional Speedway in Khao Yai, Thailand. Read what the experts have to say about the car in Attrage Times.

Published by : Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (680028-M)Level 6, Building A, Peremba Square, Saujana Resort Seksyen U2, 40150 Shah Alam, SelangorTel: +60(3) 7680 6688 Fax: +60(3) 7622 2239 www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my

Eco friendly, family friendlyJournalists review the soon-to-be-launched Mitsubishi Attrage

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OVER three hours away from Thailand’s capital of Bangkok, members of the media were ferried by bus to our intended destina-tion one morning in late June - the Bonanza International Speedway in Khoa Yai.

Our purpose: to test drive Mitsubishi’s new kid on the block, the Attrage, which comes with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder DOHC MIVEC engine.

It’s basically the same engine used to power the Mirage but the Attrage is longer (mainly it’s got a boot) and the front-end has a distinc-tive grille compared to the five-door Mirage.

So why turn a compact into a sedan? The simple answer is space.

Extra space means practicality - now you can fit a whole family and their luggage too.

But the Attrage doesn’t only come with extra space. It carries over one very impor-tant feature from the Mirage - excellent fuel consumption.

In fact, the Attrage boasts a better fuel con-sumption figure than the Mirage at 22km per litre (the Mirage clocks in at 21km per litre).

So let’s take a closer look at the Attrage.Mitsubishi did not simply elongate the Mirage and tout it as its new B-segment sedan, exterior-wise.

As mentioned earlier, the presence of a large grille (in chrome) and sharp-edged headlamps gives the Attrage it’s own identity.

Spaciousness in the cabin is evident as the wheelbase touches 2,550mm (a 100mm more than the Mirage) and the boot space, at 450 litres, is almost double the amount to the Mirage’s 235mm.

Of course, the added length to the Attrage makes it heavier than the compact but at 930kg, it’s still one of the lightest in its class.

Though the car is supposed to be a “com-pact” model, it still feels spacious inside with enough leg and head room to seat four adults comfortably and five with a bit of squeeze.

The minimal design of the cockpit mirrors the Mirage directly and its utilitarian approach is beneficial as all the controls are easily iden-tified and laid out.

Finally, the 1.2-litre three cylinder DOHC MIVEC engine is another Mirage feature fit-ted to either a five-speed manual or INVECS III CVT (Continuously Variable Transmis-sion) along with electric power steering and MacPherson struts.

It produces 78PS at 6,000rpm and 100Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

There were four variants present for the test drive - the GLS Ltd CVT, GLS CVT, GLX CVT, and GLX M/T - all aimed for Thailand’s local market.

The race track had been fitted to accom-modate various tests, namely the slalom and handling tests.

First off was the slalom and following the speed limit set by the organisers, the Attrage immediately communicated its accurate and easy steering capabilities.

Body roll was evident when we charged into corners but there was a sufficient amount of grip to ensure the Attrage stays within the driving line.

Besides offering nippy performance, the car has good handling balance to it and makes for

a very comfortable ride.Another plus was the

brakes which was pro-gressive and effective.

The CVT transmission is very smooth and might not offer the kind of “upshifting” feedback some drivers crave for.

And the lightweight feel of the steering wheel at higher speeds can be disconcerting and we wished for a heavier steering feel at this juncture.

However, there will be a difference driving it in the city, which is what this car is made for.

You can also opt for the manual transmis-sion found in the GLX M/T which offered more feedback to the driver and a throaty rasp to the engine.

As for the bells and whistles, the top-of-the-range GLS Ltd CVT, is the variant with the most, offering a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, leather seats, reverse camera, a 6.5-inch touch-screen, Blue-tooth and USB.

All variants come with keyless entry, electric folding door mirrors, and multi-info display.

Only time will tell whether the Attrage tested in Thailand will be the exact ones avail-able for the Malaysian market due before the end of this year.

If it’s any indication though, a sedan like the Attrage is an attractive package for family-oriented Malaysians especially if it’s competitively priced.

DESIGNING the right car to suit its segment is a hard mix to concoct, what more with the demands of the buyers rising in tandem with the price tag. However, just because a car is positioned at the economical and not exorbi-tant end of the price range does not translate into an easier job for the manufacturer.

Mitsubishi is beginning to perfect its mix of affordable and economical cars cocktail. Fur-thermore, the wise adage will testify to not fix something that is not broken. Thus, Mitsubishi was wise not to mess too much with the win-ning formula of its Mirage hatch in stretching it a pinch into a sedan, which is expected to make its way here early next year bearing the Attrage nameplate.

The Attrage will spearhead its twin-pronged attack on the entry-level segment in Malaysia aside the Mirage.

While the Attrage will carry a slightly higher price tag, the extra money is offset by the larger interior and boot space as well as a longer wheelbase while keeping all the ac-claimed highlights of the Mirage, such as low fuel consumption and easy manoeuvrability.

While it shares the same platform with the Mirage, the front fascia is completely rede-signed with a new grille, bumper and head-lights that distinctively set apart the two. The reshaped front end also gives the car a drag coefficient of 0.29 that will go a long way in improving its fuel efficiency.

The Attrage has been positioned firmly in the crosshairs of consumers that want a size-able interior sans the large exterior. Mitsubishi utilised its “Optimised Space” interior design feature and a new frame construction to maxi-mise the interior room.

Although it will find the Toyota Vios, Nis-san Almera and Mazda2 amongst its peers, the Attrage is a small compact and will lose out in

terms of size to its sub-compact competitors. It measures in with a length of 4,245mm with a width of 1.670mm and a height of 1,515mm. In comparison, the Vios figures are 4,410mm (L), 1,700mm (W) and 1,475mm (H) while the Almera lines up with 4,425mm (L), 1,695mm (W) and 1,500mm (H).

Though it loses out significantly in terms of length, the Attrage shares the same wheelbase as the Vios at 2,550mm, losing out by just 50mm to the Almera, which gives it the large interior room. Rather interestingly too, the combined length of front and rear legroom sees the Attrage way ahead of the Vios and second only to the Almera. Trunk room was not com-promised as well, with 450 litres available.

During the brief media test drive conducted in Thailand, the Attrage expectedly displayed similar driving dynamics to the Mirage. Motivation comes from the ultra-economical 1.2-litre three-banger MIVEC mill that is found in the Mirage.

Just to recap, it produces a paltry 77hp and 100Nm of torque that is mated to the front wheels by an INVECS III CVT or five-speed manual transmission. The low power count is countered by its extraordinary fuel-sipping qualities that stand at a claimed 22km/L.

Nonetheless, the Attrage still comes across

as punchy and nimble. This is primarily due to girth not being a burden. The use of high ten-sile steel has kept weight down to 930kg, 40kg more than the hatch, making it the lightest amongst the trio. Coupled with the 4.8-metre turning radius, the Attrage is well adept in tiny confines as well.

Even if the Attrage is a sedan take on the Mirage, it was not just a case of adding in a boot and calling it a day. There are a number of minute but major improvements all over that sums up to a more refined car. This includes a new steel crankshaft and reinforced chain case for the engine, a larger muffler chamber, thicker windshields and more sound deaden-

ing materials to reduce the noise levels in the cabin over the Mirage.

Amenities such as leather seats, power fold-ing mirrors, push-start button, electronic boot unlock, double-DIN touch screen multimedia head unit and reverse camera will separate the various variants.

More for less, it’s punchy and nimbleMaking A B-Line for the MASSES WINNING FORMULA: Light

on fuel and the wallet, does Mitsubishi have a winner with its economical Attrage sedan?

Mitsubishi turns its compact hatch, the Mirage, into a b-segment sedan called the attrage and it’s ready to take on the competition.

02 NEW STRAITS TIMESTHE STAR

The Attrage has been positioned firmly in the crosshairs of consumers that want a sizeable interior sans the large exterior. Mitsubishi utilised its “Optimised Space”

interior design feature and a new frame construction to maximise the interior room.

Besides offering nippy performance, the car has good handling balance to it and makes for a very

comfortable ride.

03

HARIAN METRO

KOSMO

KALI pertama melihat kereta Mitsubishi Attrage, pasti ramai tidak menduga enjinnya 1.2 liter kerana penampilannya tampak sep-erti jentera memiliki kuasa enjin melebihi 1.5 liter.

Penulis kali pertama memandu uji kend-eraan ini di Litar Perlumbaan Antarabangsa Bonanza di Bangkok, Thailand, baru-baru ini.

Ternyata, prestasinya hebat dan sangkaan penulis Attrage memiliki kuasa rendah jauh meleset.

Prestasi Attrage menyamai kenderaan yang mempunyai enjin 1.5 liter, membukti-kan jentera ini mampu bersaing di pasaran kereta sedan di negara ini.

Hadir dengan transmisi manual dan automatik 1.2-liter, enjin 3-silinder selain automatik transmisi CVT mampu memberi kuasa maksimum ketika pemanduan di jalan raya.

Selain kekuatan enjin MIVEC, kend-

eraan ini sesuai di bandar yang sering mengalami kesesakan lalu lintas kerana penggunaan petrolnya menjimatkan.

Bahagian badannya direka dengan gaya muda, selain gril depan dimodenkan serta bahagian lampu belakang seperti sebuah kenderaan mewah.

Melihat bahagian dalamnya, kecanggihan teknologi Mitsubishi nyata berbaloi dan tidak rugi memiliki kenderaan ini.

Teknologi terbaru itu menggunakan butang tekan untuk menghidupkan enjin, membuktikan ciri kemewahan dan teknologi terkini, selain rekaan ruang kabin aerodin-amik untuk keselesaan penumpang dan pemandu.

Attrage turut dilengkapi ciri keselamatan apabila menggunakan dua beg udara kesela-matan dan tali pinggang keselamatan untuk pemandu dan penumpang kenderaan.

(Penulis mengikuti pandu uji Mitsubishi Attrage di Bangkok, baru-baru ini)

Mitsubishi Attrage hebat Prestasinya menyamai kenderaan yang mempunyai enjin 1.5 liter

NISSAN Almera merupakan salah satu contoh terbaik bagaimana pengguna di Malaysia sememangnya mempunyai minat mendalam terhadap kereta jenama Jepun, tetapi ditawarkan pada harga boleh dikategorikan sebagai mampu milik. Dalam kes di Malaysia, harga itu berkisar di antara RM60,000 hingga RM70,000 seunit.

Formula itu nyata berjaya apabila ia mendapat sambutan hangat daripada pembeli. Hasilnya, kelibat Almera memang mudah dilihat di atas jalan raya.

Satu lagi jenama Jepun, Mitsubishi dilihat mahu berkongsi kek pasaran tersebut. Sebelum ini, ia tampil dengan model kompak Mirage. Sedia maklum bahawa kekuatan Mirage terletak pada enjin 1.2 liter yang menjimatkan minyak, reka bentuk kompak dan kualiti pengendalian bagus.

Namun, kereta kompak mungkin bukan untuk semua orang. Pengguna Malaysia sebenarnya lebih gemar kepada sedan. Alasannya, ada tambahan ruang kargo untuk meletak barang jika pulang ke kampung atau pergi bercuti. Sedan juga dianggap lebih sesuai terutama bagi mereka yang sudah berkeluarga.

Sedar tentang keperluan itu, Mitsubishi membangunkan Attrage yang dibina berasaskan kepada model Mirage. Harus tahu bahawa Attrage bukan sekadar sebuah Mirage yang dipanjangkan dan ditambah dengan but, ia sebenarnya lebih daripada itu.

Attrage membuat debut sewaktu Bangkok Motor Show pada Mac lalu dalam bentuk sedan Concept G4. Rakyat Malaysia juga berpeluang melihatnya secara dekat apabila pengedar kend-eraan Misubishi di Malaysia, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) mengambil inisiatif untuk mempamerkannya di sebuah pusat beli-belah terkemuka di Kuala Lumpur pada Julai lalu.

Boleh dikatakan bahawa luaran penampilan Attrage tidak banyak berbeza dengan Concept

G4. Sedan itu nampak moden dengan gril radiator krom bersama logo tiga bentuk berlian di atasnya.

Bagi mengetahui sendiri kualiti pemanduan Attrage, sekumpulan wartawan dibawa oleh pihak MMM ke Thailand. Lebih tepat lagi ke Litar Bonanza International Speedway yang terletak di Khao Yai, Thailand.

Biarpun tempoh ujian dan jarak litarnya singkat, pandu uji tersebut sedikit sebanyak dapat memberikan impresi pertama bagaimana Attrage beraksi ketika memecut dan mengambil selekoh di atas litar terbabit.

Lebih menarik lagi, Mitsubishi turut me-nyediakan beberapa buah model pesaingnya yang dijual di pasaran Thailand seperti Honda Brio Amaze, Nissan Almera dan Toyota Vios untuk dipandu uji. Jadi, dapatlah kami merasai perbezaan karekter pemanduan setiap kereta tersebut.

Saya mulakan sesi pandu uji dengan Attrage bertransmisi automatik (CVT). Sebagai mana yang dinyatakan tadi, jarak litar itu agak pendek, tetapi penganjur cuba untuk memanfaatkan se-tiap incinya dengan membuat beberapa seksyen melibatkan ujian slalom, menukar laluan, mem-brek, mengambil selekoh dan mendaki bukit.

Ujian slalom dilepasi dengan cemerlang apabila Attrage mampu mengikut maklum balas stereng dengan baik. Memang betul, sterengnya terasa ringan. Tetapi tidaklah sampai anda hilang rasa yakin ketika mengendalikannya. Olengan tubuhnya juga minimum dan terkawal. Jadi, orang yang duduk di kerusi belakang tidak boleh merungut.

Jelas sekali gabungan suspensi topang MacPherson pada roda hadapan dan torsion beam di belakang yang dipasang pada kerangka tegar, dibina menggunakan besi regangan tinggi Attrage dapat berkolaborasi dengan cukup baik.

Sebagai sebuah kereta eco, Attrage hanya

m e m p u n y a i berat di antara 885 hingga 930 kilogram, paling ringan dalam kelasnya. Ia digerakkan oleh enjin tiga silinder yang sama seperti Mirage iaitu 1.2 liter MIVEC yang dipadankan sama ada dengan kotak gear manual lima kelajuan atau transmisi automatik CVT INVECS-III.

Kombinasi semua elemen itu membolehkan Attrage memperoleh bacaan penggunaan bahan api mencecah 22 kilometer untuk setiap liter berdasarkan kepada ujian Kitaran Pemanduan Eropah yang Baru (the New European Driving Cycle).

Dengan ouput kuasa 78PS dan tork puncak 100Nm, enjin itu masih boleh menggerakkan Attrage secara sewajarnya. Biarpun sesekali, apabila pedal minyak ditekan keras, bunyi enjin tiga silinder itu dapat didengar dengan jelas dari dalam kabin. Jadi, kalau memandu sedan ini, relaks sahaja. Tidak perlu terlalu gelojoh.

Anda akan menghargai kotak gear CVT den-gan membiarkan jentera memperoleh momen-tum kelajuannya sendiri, tidak perlu diperah berlebihan. Dengan cara itu, pemandu dapat merasai kelancarannya.

Lagipun, harus ingat bahawa ini ialah kereta bandar yang sifatnya lebih enak dipandu dalam setting urban dengan jarak yang tidak terlalu jauh. Bukannya memecut di atas litar dan ‘men-guji’ setiap selekoh yang ada.

Seperti diduga, ia memerlukan sedikit usaha untuk mendaki. Namun, tidak perlu bimbang, Attrage tidaklah semput walaupun ia men-gambil sedikit masa untuk melunaskan tugas tersebut.

Bertukar kepada varian manual, kuasa enjin-nya terasa lebih hidup. Penukaran gear dapat dibuat dengan lancar dan kuasa boleh diesktrak secara lebih pantas. Aspek lain, ia tidak jauh

Jelmaan model sedan Concept G4Sedan segmen B yang menekankan aspek penjimatan bahan api dan mesra alam.

berbeza dengan varian automatik. Selain dari-pada kekurangan jumlah aksesori yang boleh dilihat dengan ketara.

Menyentuh tentang aspek dalaman Attrage, ia berbeza berdasarkan variannya. Versi paling mewah hadir dengan tempat duduk bersalut kulit, pendingin hawa automatik, kemasan krom pada butang kawalan audio, kamera pandang belakang serta paparan skrin sentuh bersaiz 6.5 inci lengkap dengan navigasi, pemain DVD, MP3, Bluetooth dan USB.

Ia juga dilengkapi cermin sisi boleh lipat, kemasan dalaman berwarna hitam, paparan multi-info dan sistem kemasukan tanpa kunci untuk kebanyakan variannya. Dari segi sistem keselamatan pula, Attrage dipasang dengan beg udara, serta sistem brek ABS bersama EBD sebagai ciri standard.

Pendek kata, Attrage masih sebuah sedan segmen B yang seronok dan mudah dipandu. Cuma, mungkin ada yang skeptikal dengan en-jin 1.2 liter itu. Tetapi, saya cadangkan supaya pandu uji dahulu dan buatlah penilaian yang adil. Enjin tersebut tidak direka untuk mem-bolehkan anda meninggalkan semua orang di lampu isyarat.

Sebaliknya, enjin MIVEC yang di-padankan dengan kotak gear automatik CVT atau manual, ruang kabin luas dan kualiti pengendalian bagus sememangnya boleh menjadikan Attrage sebagai sebuah sedan bandar yang ideal untuk semua.

Saya membangkitkan isu kapasiti enjin kerana berbeza dengan pasaran Thailand, At-trage terpaksa bersaing secara berdepan den-gan Nissan Almera yang menggunakan enjin 1.5 liter. Secara tidak langsung, sedan itu juga perlu mengekang asakan daripada Toyota Vios dan Honda city yang dipasang dengan enjin berkapasiti sama.

Attrage dihasilkan di kilang Mitsubishi di Laem Chabang Industrial Estate di wilayah Chonburi, Thailand. Dari segi versi yang akan dibawa ke pasaran Malaysia, tidak mustahil MMM akan mengikut formula Mirage seperti varian GL M/T, GL CVT dan GS CVT. Varian-varian itu dibezakan oleh pilihan transmisi dan aksesori yang ada padanya.

Harus tahu bahawa Attrage bukan sekadar sebuah

Mirage yang dipanjangkan dan ditambah dengan

but, ia sebenarnya lebih daripada itu.

Bahagian badannya direka dengan gaya muda, selain gril depan dimodenkan serta bahagian lampu

belakang seperti sebuah kenderaan mewah.

04 05

PERKHABARAN mengenai kelahiran Mit-subishi Mirage versi sedan sudah pun mula bertebaran sejak awal tahun ini. Namun kesahi-hannya tidak dapat dipastikan memandangkan pihak Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) masih tidak membuka mulut mengenainya. Walau bagaimana pun, akhirnya pada Mei lalu, foto jentera terbaharu Mitsubishi ini mula dise-barkan di Internet. Ia disertakan sekali dengan sedikit informasi mengenainya.

Kemudian pada pertengahan Jun lalu, Mit-subishi Motors Malaysia Sdn.Bhd.(MMM) telah menerbangkan sekumpulan media permotoran tempatan termasuklah penulis ke Bangkok, Thailand untuk menghadiri sesi pandu uji jentera baru di bawah segmen B. Di Litar Antarabangsa Bonanza yang terletak di daerah Khao Yai, kami diperkenalkan dengan Mitsubishi Attrage dan ternyata ia boleh diang-gap sebagai Mirage versi sedan.

Dijanakan oleh enjin MIVEC 1.2 liter, namanya tercetus berdasarkan gabungan perkataan ‘attractive’ dan ‘mirage’. Mampu menghamburkan kuasa maksimum sehingga 78PS dan tork 100Nm dengan pilihan trans-misi pula sama ada manual lima kelajuan atau pun CVT.

Mungkin ada yang berpendapat, jentera se-dan ini kurang sesuai dipadankan dengan enjin berkapasiti kecil kerana ia memberi kesan terhadap penggunaan bahan api yang tinggi, tetapi perkara ini telah pun ‘disingkir’ sebaik mungkin oleh Mitsubishi.

Menurut jenama pembuat kenderaan ter-kenal Jepun ini, Attrage mampu memberikan penjimatan bahan api yang efisien iaitu 22 kilometer (km) untuk setiap liter. Ia dikatakan sebagai catatan terbaik bagi kenderaan di bawah segmen yang sama. Malah Attrage menawarkan 42 liter tangki penuh bagi bahan api. Mitsubishi turut mempertaruhkan teknolo-gi RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) di mana ia membuatkan kerangka jentera ini

lebih ringan. Namun ketika diberi kesempatan memandu

Attrage dan kemudian Mirage (untuk mem-bandingkan dua model ini) di litar yang sama, penulis mendapati kedua-duanya memiliki kelebihan yang tersendiri dan tidaklah begitu sama secara seratus peratus dari sudut prestasi. Semestinya berbeza daripada segi saiz kerang-ka, namun kedua-duanya memang seronok dikendalikan. Ia masih memiliki tujahan kuasa biarpun kapasiti enjin kecil.

Jika ditanya sama ada transmisi manual atau pun CVT yang memberikan kepuasan dalam pemanduan, jawapan penulis sudah tentu manual. Menurut pengalaman penulis mengujinya, transmisi CVT seakan lambat se-dikit memberikan impak semasa gear bertukar secara automatik berbanding dengan manual. Anjakannya sedikit lambat walau pun pedal minyak dipijak lebih tetapi apa yang bagusnya ia tidak memberikan kesan sentakan ketika gear bertukar.

Ketika melakukan ujian slalom, kawalan stereng, pedal minyak dan pedal brek cu-

kup responsif menambahkan lagi bonus buat Attrage. Apa yang membuatkan penulis turut tertarik dengan Attrage ialah bila mana ia seakan kalis bunyi apabila berada di dalam kabinnya. Kurang kedengaran ngauman enjin dan ini menimbulkan kes-eronokan ketika mengenda-likannya kerana lebih fokus tanpa gangguan bunyi bising. Namun disebabkan saiznya se-dan, maka jejari pusingannya kurang 0.4 meter berbanding Mirage (4.4 meter). Jadi apa-bila mahu melakukan pusingan U, anda perlu lebih berhati-hati.

Dengan saiz kerangka 4,245mm (panjang), 1,670mm (lebar) dan 1,515mm (tinggi), pastinya Attrage menawarkan ruang yang lebih luas dan selesa berbanding si comel Mirage. Memiliki ruang kaki pada bahagian tempat duduk penumpang di belakang yang lebih luas pasti menambahkan keselesaan.

Menjenguk reka bentuk dalaman dan luaran, penulis mendapati Attrage tampil dengan imej yang ringkas. Rekaan di dalam kabin mirip pada Mirage. Tetapi memiliki sentuhan sporty pada rekaan luaran terutama pada lampu utama dan lampu kabus.

Attrage dibangunkan di kilang Mitsubishi yang terletak di Laem Chabang Industrial Es-tate dan telah pun dipasarkan di Thailand pada Julai lalu. Dijangkakan MMM bakal membawa masuk Attrage ke pasaran Malaysia sebelum tirai 2013 berlabuh dengan pilihan varian GL M/T, GL CVT dan GS CVT (spesifikasi penuh). Mengenai soal harganya, masih belum dapat disahihkan tetapi terdapat ura-ura yang mengatakan ia mungkin berada dalam lingkun-gan antara RM68,000 ke RM70,000 seunit.

Bakal muncul di MalaysiaMitsubishi Attrage.. Mirage Versi Sedan

Mitsubishi turut mempertaruhkan teknologi RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) di mana ia membuatkan kerangka jentera ini lebih ringan.

SINAR HARIAN06

随著三菱（MITSUBISHI）Mirage去年尾推出

後广受人们喜爱，该公司锁定小家庭和年轻

顾客群为目标，特推出Attrage小型轿车。

三菱（MITSUBISHI）今年下半年於泰国

所生产的全新产品Attrage，装载了DOHC直

列三气缸1.2公升引擎，具备了更宽阔的空

间，和Mirage相比其车厢空间明显开阔了

许多；新车定位城市小型车，车身尺码为

4245×1670×1515mm，车内可容纳五名成

人，和Mirage出自相同底盘的Attrage是锁定

全球小型车市场的全新产品。

它的菱形大灯在粗旷的进气格栅的配搭

下，很容易让人存有好感之外更具备了能承

载一家人的质感。其宽大的车後行李箱可轻

易装载三至四个大型的行李，这是掀背式汽

车无法做到的。

它的车体采轻量化设计，结合RISE强化

侧撞进化设计 (Reinforced Impact Safety

Evolution) ，大量采用同等级车重量最轻的

高张力钢板，由於轻量化车重仅930公斤，创

造较佳的乘坐舒适性和操控精準度。

Attrage具有宽敞的车室，特别是有加长

的後座腿部空间，并提高臀部支点，加大车

门开口便於乘员前上下车。

简单的中控台与操控装置，让人一目了

然、非常便利。行针配合数码的仪表清楚地

让人们能在驾驶中掌控一切。它的司机座充

足的空间，即使是身高达170公分以上的大汉

也伸展自如。

外观造型部分，它的LED头尾灯组，并藉

由前低後高的楔型车体营造出动感线条的美

感；Attrage它具有短车头设计，造型与三

菱现役车款大异其趣，具有钻石造型的六边

形横栅水箱护罩配上内嵌雾灯，十分立体有

型。

其外形具备独特的风格，可说是集合了

日本和欧洲风格为一体，是以流线型风格为

主，这和目前欧美车厂推出的新车造型非常

贴近。若非进气格栅的三菱标誌乍看之下还

以为是欧美车厂推出的小型车。

车身强调左右对称，车身钣件具有流动而

锐利的弧线，车顶线向

车尾下抛，营造类似掀

背车的风貌，同时拥有

同级车最低的风阻係数0.29。它搭载轻量小

型的1.2公升DOHC直列三汽缸引擎，1193cc

排气量经调校後可获得82hp/6200rpm马力和

12.2kgm/4400rpm扭力。

它具有同级车中最小的迴转半径（4.8m）

可在任何狭小的道路潇灑的转弯，配上五速

手排或CVT无段自排变速箱搭配，平均油耗每

公升可行驶22公里，无论性能、油耗、安全

都堪称同级之最。

根据车厂提供的讯息指出，它是依欧盟标

準测试平均油耗为每公升22公里，并符合欧

盟EU4排放标準。预计量产进入第五年後，年

产达到10万台以上。

此外，在短车头的设计下更能创造良好

前方视野，2450mm的轴距更让车室宽敞度

达到同级之冠，对手锁定TOYOTA（丰田）

Vios、HONDA（本田）Brio Amaze和Nissan（

日产）Almera，属於新兴市场专属车款。

据了解，Attrage在我国的评估售价大约为

7万令吉以上，预料其价格与在大马销售的丰

田Vios和（日产）Almera差距不会太远。

厂方在为新车推展之前，邀请各国媒体与

代理商前往曼谷博纳查（Bonanza）赛车场，

试驾全新Attrage。

踩踏油门时、三菱Attrage 1.2公升引擎发

出的动力配搭无段变速（CVT）在加速时的顺

畅令人满意，以三气缸1.2公升的汽车表现而

言是不俗的了。

在快速蛇形转弯时、车子保持相当不错

的稳定，整体上来说其贴路性能还可让人满

意，蛇形驾驶越过障碍物前进时并没有出现

一些小型车的轻浮状况；踩油门加速时的表

现也为它加分，其表现和1.5公升的汽车不遑

多让。

但在高速转弯时、Attrage就出现了些微轻

浮的情况，必须减速。在衝刺时无段变速技

术在Attrage配戴的1.2公升引擎的催动下表

现令人满意。

不过，五速手排档在换挡时也存在了现今

一般手排档汽车的弊病，就是出现了稍微迟

钝的感觉，这让人感到美中不足；毕竟，人

们选购手排挡车辆的其中一个因素，是希望

能在换挡时发挥滑前衝刺的果效，增添驾驶

的乐趣。但在换挡後，其後劲与增速情况却

令人满意。

普通自排档版和手排挡版的三菱Attrage是

采用钥匙启动，唯独豪华版的Attrage是采用

智能锁匙，只要随身携带智能锁匙按了启动

按键就可以启动汽车。

以低耗油量的小型车而言，Attrage的整体

表现是可获得高评分的，相信厂方将推出至

少7个不同亮丽颜色的Attrage供人们挑选。

去年三月推出了五门掀背式环保小车《幻

影》(Mirage)，日本三菱汽车公司七月初在

泰国再推出新一代的全球代步小车Attrage，

加强车款阵容，提高销量。

Attrage的口号是“要超越”(Be Beyond)

，也就是除了保持环保小车轻松驾驶，省油

的特色外，无论在风格、性能、舒适、功能

和安全都要凌驾对手。

根据三菱汽车公司，Attrage是新一代的

全球紧凑型轿车，容易操控、车厢宽敞、经

济省油，为环保小车树立新标准。Attrage价

廉物美，配备丰富、安全，动力相当，是一

般人日常生活非常理想的代步小车。Attrage

是“attractive”，“mirage”的结合，“

美艳或动人”的“梦幻”。

G4的化身Attrage采用了《幻影》的底盘、引擎和变速

器，外形却是全新的设计，是G4概念车的化

身。

今年初，日本三菱汽车先后在曼谷，上海

车展展出了G4。这是Attrage的雏形。六月

间，大马三菱汽车公司也在谷中城展示了G4

，并且赢得公众的口碑。

Attrage采用全新的家族式外形设计，饱

满厚实，车身线条优雅流畅。车头大灯，车

尾灯，六角形镀铬散热器格栅的设计从切割

铁石处得到灵感，整体比一般小车潇洒俊

俏。圆形雾灯镶嵌在镀铬的“门字”形内，

有点气派。

弧形的车尾门末端，下方是三菱厂徽和镀

铬横条装饰。红白的尾灯组合，面积大且明

亮，夜间行车安全。加上动感氛围的前保险

杠、导流板、侧裙、附LED转向灯的望后镜，

风系阻数0.29的Attrage，显露运动风格。

宽敞车厢为了降低成本，Attrage也沿用了《幻影》的

仪表板和配备。

根据厂方的数据，除了日产A l m e r a

外，Attrage车厢前后的腿部空间比本田思

域，丰田威驰大。另外，乘客臀部坐点高，

车门宽大，上下或进出都很方便。

四种款式在泰国，Attrage有四个款式供选择，分为5速

手动变速或无级变速(CVT)的GLX标准款，售价

是44万3000铢，47万7000铢(约4万5000到4万

8000令吉)。只搭配无级变速器的GLS豪华款

(53万铢)，GLS豪华限量款(58万2000铢)。

安全配备，豪华款前座位有双防撞气囊，

标准款一个。防抱死制动系统、电子制动力

分配系统则是标准配备。

豪华款还有雾灯，附LED灯带望后镜、镀

铬车内门把手、无钥匙进入系统、恒温空

调。GLS限量款加皮质包覆转向盘、银色饰

条、多功能转向盘、皮质座椅、倒车摄像镜

头、6.5寸触屏、导航系统、DVD/MP3/USB/蓝

牙系统等。

标准款装的是14寸轮辋，豪华款15寸。

限量款则加装空力套件，日行灯、停车传感

器、三菱拉力世变速杆头等。

3缸引擎和《幻影》一样，Attrage装载了1.2升直列

3气缸三菱智能气门电子控制技术(MIVEC)引

擎，最大马力78匹，最大扭矩100牛顿米，搭

配无级变速器或5速手动变速器。根据厂方，

车子的平均耗油量为每升燃油行驶22公里(豪

华款15寸轮辋21公里)。

安全配备Attrage以三菱独家的强化碰撞安全变化

(RISE)技术设计车身，遇到事故，车身可

以从各方吸收或扩散冲击力，抗撞性能非常

高。车身大量采用高强度刚板，减轻重量兼

省油。

标准安全配备包括前座位双防撞气囊(视

款型而定)、防抱死制动系统，电子制动力分

配系统等。

试驾印象不久前，大马三菱汽车私人有限公司邀请

媒体到泰国试驾。试驾活动在大山国家公园

的《好运国际跑道》(Bonanza Speedway)举

行。跑道全程2.8公里，共有11个弯道，直程

最长720米。

泰国三菱安排了10辆Attrage供试驾。跑

道安置了锥子，制造穿桩、变换车道、操控

驾驶的测试，不能随意奔驰。

虽然比幻影稍重，但是车身仍轻，根据欧

洲新试验程序，Attrage每公升燃油可行驶22

公里。

我们试驾了无级变速和手动变速款，印象是

Attrage起步还算轻快，易于操控，转向盘

稍轻，行车稳定，只是不如《幻影》那么刁

钻。引擎反应灵敏，油门轻盈，1500转/分达

时速80公里，2000转时速90公里以上。3缸引

擎宁静，噪声小，车厢比《幻影》静些。手

动变速款因为能直接换档，操控快捷，多了

些乐趣。

Attrage很好开，易操控，是很不错的城

市用车，只是国内小车市场竞争激烈，这

部新世代小车要突破普腾赛佳，第二国产

车的缺口，绝非容易。大马三菱公司年底

推出Attrage，车价很难

定得低，要突围而出也

困难。

诗华资讯网中国报

放眼全球小型车市场MitsubshiI推出全新Attrage!

它具有同级车中最小的迴转半径（4.8m）可在任何狭小的道路潇灑的转弯，配上五速手排或CVT无段自排变速箱搭配，平均油耗每公升可行驶22公里，

无论性能、油耗、安全都堪称同级之最。

Attrage的口号是“要超越”(Be Beyond)，也就是除了保持环保小车轻松驾驶，省油的特色外，无论在风格、性能、舒适、功能和安全都要凌驾对手。

三菱Attrage全球入门车

08 09

WHEN we first learnt that the Mitsubishi Mi-rage‘s sedan-bodied counterpart was going to be called the Attrage, we were rather amused, to say the least. Knowing Japan’s unique way with English words, the reflex assumption was that the name was a portmanteau of the words ‘attractive’ and ‘Mirage.’

As it turned out, we were right – according to Mitsubishi, it was indeed contrived based on that complimentary adjective, and although no offi-cial mention was made of the other contributing word, I think we can safely rule out ‘rage’ and ‘age,’ don’t you?

The Concept G4 sedan, which the Tokyo-headquartered carmaker uncovered at the Bang-kok show in March, couldn’t have been a more accurate crystal ball to gaze into. Save for the futuristic internals of the head and tail lamps and all that blue sparkle, the road-going Mitsubishi Attrage has stayed pretty loyal to the concept.

Built alongside the Mirage at the Laem Cha-bang Industrial Estate in the Thai province of Chonburi, the B-segment sedan, like its five-door sibling, holds eco-car status in the Kingdom, which lends itself to benefits where taxes are concerned.

This isn’t all that easy to achieve – what’s needed is a fuel consumption figure of 20 km per litre or better, Euro 4 compliancy, a local production investment of over five billion baht and a manufacturing rate in excess of 100,000 units annually after the fifth year of production.

Study the vehicle in more depth and you’ll see why it hasn’t simply been called the ‘Mirage Se-dan’ – sure, more than a couple of the Attrage’s design elements are quintessentially Mirage, but it’s not until you line them both up that you realise just how much they differ.

For a start, the new car eschews the Mirage’s simpler and daintier face in favour of a little more presence and pizzazz. There’s a prominent triple-slatted chrome grille within which the Mitsubishi badge sits, more chiselled headlamps, bonnet creases, a wider and more angular lower intake as well as claw-shaped fog lamp housings.

A quick dimension comparison divulges more disparity than you’d expect – the Attrage measures 4,245 mm long, 1,670 mm wide and 1,515 mm tall (Mirage 3,710 x 1,665 x 1,500), and its wheelbase is actually a whole 100 mm longer than the hatch’s 2,450, bringing with it more legroom in the back.

Also upped are the front and rear track widths (both +15 mm) as well as ground clearance (+10 mm). There’s a 42-litre fuel tank (Mirage 35), and the turning circle is 0.4 metres poorer than the hatch’s 4.4. Obviously, boot space is up. There’s 450 litres of it – almost double the Mirage’s 235 litres.

Thanks to extensive use of high-tensile steel in its body, the Attrage weighs between 885 and 930 kg (Mirage 825-850), depending on the variant. The lightness contributes towards a claimed fuel consumption figure of 22 km per litre on the New European Driving Cycle.

Underneath, it’s all a mirage – 78 PS/100 Nm 1.2 litre 3A92 MIVEC twin-cam three-cylinder unit, five-speed manual or INVECS-III CVT, electric power steering, front discs/MacPherson struts and rear drums/torsion beam – you’ve heard it all before. Same cockpit too, although the rear bench gets a central armrest with two cupholders.

The Bonanza International Speedway in Khao Yai is quite a short track, with considerable elevation and potential for high speeds, but we didn’t get to blaze the whole length of it unin-hibited – cones were placed in certain sections of the circuit, creating stations for slalom, lane change and handling tests that we had to progress through.

So it was that I found myself in the CVT-equipped version, lining up for the first slalom. The Attrage leaps off the line eagerly and smoothly enough. The rapidly-rising engine note, although not harsh, does make its presence felt quite strongly in the cabin when you give it the beans. Snaking the car through those cones uncovered a considerable degree of body roll, albeit civilised and kept in check.

The steering, although above average in terms of response, is very light and could offer much more feel and feedback, but then again I was driving a B-segment runabout on a race track, which is like taking the tiger out of the (urban) jungle, so to speak.

Out of the slalom and we pick up speed. The rev-happy engine, coupled with the CVT, exhibit the characteristic ‘rubber-band’ trait to its full-est, so I push the gear lever down to S. Now the gearbox pretends it’s a stepped automatic, and I’m allowed into the further end of the rev range. Peak power resides at a heady 6,000 rpm; peak torque at 4,000 rpm, so you do have to find some

spin if you want some grin.The grin gradually comes, as you learn to carry

more speed into the corners in a bid to keep the motor on the boil and conserve whatever little momentum you have. This can be a strangely fun activity only afforded by little-engined cars like this, even though you know they were designed for the low-speed, stop-go motions of the urban environment.

I power through the lane change station and tackle the curves ahead with little drama. Be-cause there isn’t much weight in the nose (or indeed anywhere else), directional changes can be effected easily and quickly. I won’t pretend the Attrage packs much in the way of sporting intentions, but doesn’t it hang on determinedly to those corners!

The final hairpin before the main straight is a rather steep climb, and it was this that the Attrage found most challenging. The engine, as you’d expect in such a situation, provides more shout than shove – but it really isn’t bad for a little three-cylinder. You still get to the top of the hill – only not so quickly.

Generally the Attrage is smooth and easy to drive.

Contributing to this are the seamless op-eration of the CVT, the featherweight steer-ing that’s loath to communicate vibrations of any sort, and good all-round visibility – not to mention cabin airiness – afforded by a low window line and considerably thin pillars (by today’s standards).

Put simply, it’s a B-segment sedan with all the city driving qualities – nippiness, fuel ef-ficiency and ease of use – of an A-segmenter. In the Land of Smiles, the Mitsubishi Attrage has direct eco-car rivals. Unfortunately for it, the playing field at home won’t be so level, what with our Vios, Almera and City all wielding more powerful 1.5 litre four-cylinder engines. But if it could undercut the Almera in price, it could aim for a market half a segment lower, and while it won’t come anywhere near our national carmak-ers’ smaller offerings, the Attrage would then be the least expensive (and smallest) import sedan on sale in Malaysia when it arrives towards the end of this year.

What is it?Though it has a different name (which is a combination of ‘attractive’ and ‘mirage’), the Attrage is essentially a Mirage hatchback with a boot added at the back. Dimensionally, the Attrage is 535 mm longer than the Mirage, virtually the same width and its roofline is also roughly at the same height. The wheelbase of 2550 mm is 100 mm longer to give some extra space in the cabin. Comparing it to the Proton Saga, which many Malaysians would, it is marginally smaller but interestingly, the wheelbase is 85 mm longer than the Saga’s.

The design of the Attrage is significantly differentiated from the Mirage and most people would not associate one car with the other. The big difference in the looks is at the front end; where the Mirage has no grille, the Attrage has a distinctive one and the whole front panel is a totally different stamping. Where the Mirage could be said to have a sporty theme, the Attrage has a more elegant presentation at the front. It’s obvious that the front doors are shared with the Mirage but everything behind the centre pillar is unique.

The same 1.2-litre MIVEC powertrain is used for the Attrage with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The engine is a 3-cylinder unit and was specially developed for the Mirage and Attrage which also had their platforms optimized for a 3-cylinder engine. Unlike many other cars where the structure might be designed separately and then a suitable engine dropped in, the Mirage platform was engineered with a specific en-gine type in mind because weight-saving was a priority to achieve high fuel-efficiency.

The cabin is similar to that of the Mirage with the same complement of equipment and features. I won’t go into the versions avail-able since the ones we drove during the media preview in Thailand were for that market. Suffice to say, the equipment level would be commensurate with the pricetag bearing in mind that this is an entry-level model.What’s it like?

As with the Mirage media preview last year, Mitsubishi Motors malaysia took us to Thai-land to get first impressions of the Attrage. This time, however, we drove on the Bonanza International Speedway and not the BIRA track. Both are not very long tracks but have some tight turns and generally offered a good environment to experience the car. Some special

‘tests’ were set up to highlight the handling of the car but as the speeds were limited and cones made sure we didn’t try anything ‘extreme’, I can’t really say too much.

What I can say is that the Attrage does not handle exactly like a Mirage and that should not be surprising. The wheelbase is longer so the dynamics are different and while it is not as ‘chuckable’ around tight corners like the Mirage, it feels more stable as it tracks through the curves.

As would be expected, the manual version felt nippier than the CVT version and person-ally, I enjoyed driving the manual more. The CVT noise levels were higher when the car was pushed hard and this is something that MMC may need to look into. Not everyone likes a CVT because of its characteristics (like it has only a

single gear) but it is a good solution for compact cars and whenever I speak to engineers, I am told that it is supposed to be for economical urban motoring, not for hard driving. Overall, the power delivery is acceptable when you remember that it has a 1.2-litre engine.

Naturally I can’t comment on ride comfort since the track was flat and smooth but I can say that the rear space is fairly good and there’s also plenty of space in the boot, a great contrast to the Mirage. This is something that Malaysians will appreciate as, historically, they have always liked having the ‘third box’. Some say it gives a sense of security in case there is a rear-end col-lision while others think it could be that being able to have a sealed compartment is good when you carry durians!

Should you buy one?In other countries, the Attrage competes on a level playing field where everyone else in the same segment has roughly the same price range. In Malaysia, government policies have distorted the market for years and created a situation where a small car like the Attrage is made to cost more than a larger one (by Proton, of course). So buyers inevitably make comparisons on paper and conclude that other models are ‘poorer value for money’ because they can get more with a Proton or Perodua for less money.

But fortunately, there is also such a thing as brand strength and certainly, the Mitsubi-shi brand counts for something. Like other Japanese brands, it has a good reputation for quality and reliability as well as sound engineering – plus the fuel economy of the 1.2-litre engine is already proven (in the Mirage, I got better than the 21 kms/litre claimed). The Attrage has all these attributes and for those who didn’t buy the Mirage be-cause it’s a hatchback, now here’s a sedan in the same class for you by the same company.

First driving impressions of the Mitsubishi Attrage

the Attrage would then be the least expensive (and

smallest) import sedan on sale in Malaysia when it

arrives towards the end of this year.

The Mirage could be said to have a sporty theme, the Attrage has a more elegant presentation at

the front.

MOTOR TRADERPAULTAN.ORG

Mitsubishi Attrage tried out on a Thai track10 11

Open for bookings. First 1,000 will receive a Garmin GPS.