Press Release
Heritage for the Future
Two years after the launch of the Colt hatchback and a year after the introduction of the Colt CZ3 / Colt CZT 3-door variants, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) unveils today the third body-style in the European Colt family at the occasion of the 76th Geneva Motor Show: the sporty Colt CZC coupé-cabriolet, developed together with legendary Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina.
1962 to 2006
Developed specifically for Europe, Colt CZC echoes Mitsubishi Motors´ first ever show car, the Colt 600 Convertible, presented at the 1962 Tokyo Motor Show. A reference to MMC´s heritage, this coupé-cabriolet is also the direct successor of the acclaimed CZ2 Cabriolet concept, displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003, and one of the few concept cars invited at the Louis Vuitton Classic in Paris, in September 2003.
To be available across Europe during the Spring of 2006, Colt CZC will spice-up this growing market (143,000 units in 2002 when CZ2 Cabriolet concept was unveiled to 155,000 units Nov. 04–Oct. 05) with its fine Pininfarina signature, the most powerful engine (150 ps) of the segment and a most roomy cabin.
Space
More compact than the original CZ2 Cabriolet concept (depending on the variant 3,885 m / 3,875 m* vs. 3,95 m), Colt CZC is built off the Colt 5-door platform - rather than the shorter Colt 3-door - for packaging purposes. Here, the extra centimetres of the Colt hatchback rear floor allowed to store the retractable hard-top that market demand dictated.
Sharing the class leading 2,50 m long wheelbase common to all Colts, Colt CZC offers a comfortable interior length, 2 cm longer than its main competitor (1,334 m*), whilst offering the much appreciated extra space / storage / seating arrangement of a 2+2, as well as a capacious trunk.
Together with the generous 1,695 m* overall width, this packaging provides Colt CZC´s occupants with the most roomy cabin, in terms of legroom (+ 5 cm at the front over its main competitor*) and shoulder room.
Additionally, Colt CZC´s high (+ 10 cm higher roofline over its main competitor) and fast (24°) windshield was retained in order to offer a high level of comfort for the front passengers without any buffeting. This will be complemented by the availability of a removable rear wind deflector**.
Furthermore, the curvature of the upper part was carefully designed and wind tested to that purpose. Even if it is lower than a standard Colt CZT (1,457 m (Turbo) / 1,453 m (MPi) vs. 1,520 m for Colt CZT), Colt CZC provides enough headroom (+ 1,5 cm at the front with the roof up, over its main competitor*), good visibility for tall drivers, good ingress/egress with a higher and therefore less intrusive windshield rail, whilst blending nicely with the roofline of the retractable hard-top.
Suitably strengthened (A-pillar, sills, doors, rear bulkhead, in addition to the standard Colt CZT reinforcements applied here to both engine variants) to guarantee a high level of rigidity, passive safety and handling, Colt CZC adds a reasonable amount of weight over a similar Colt 3 door (about 130 kg* more than Colt CZT). Roll-over safety is ensured by the strong A-pillars and windshield frame.
Roof
Whereas the original (and bigger) CZ2 Cabriolet concept was fitted with a traditional canvas top, Mitsubishi Motors has decided to embrace the market trend in Europe with a retractable hard-top.
This roof is electro-hydraulically operated with the support of three electric motors and is fully retractable. Developed in parallel to the car itself, it retains manual latches to lock and unlock the roof to the windshield rail for the sake of simplicity.
Signature
Bulkier than soft-tops, but favoured by European customers, retractable hard-tops do influence the overall proportions of such a car. In the case of Colt CZC though, the additional challenge was to blend the required 3-box long rear deck with Colt´s tall “One-Motion” shape.
Taking its design themes from the original CZ2 Cabriolet concept (shouldered trunk lid, slim horizontal tail lamps, V-shaped character lines either side of the rear logo, etc,…), this new variant turns Colt´s signature triangular three quarter front glass into an arrow head, starting the dynamic upward move of the beltline.
At the back, the structure of the retractable hard-top is left deliberately visible aft of the rear seat to create drama to an otherwise clean shape, through a frame-like visual feature.
Along those lines, the high mounted stop lamp was turned into another design element, forming a wide strip-thin rear spoiler (for additional downforce), just as the discreet flying buttresses either side of the backlight add visual interest and character to the roof.
Most powerful engine
Well planted on its long wheelbase and wide tracks, Colt CZC delivers on the road the dynamics promised by its purposeful styling, thanks to a strong and reinforced bodyshell (to compensate the absence of a structural roof) but also to the 150 ps 1.5 liter MIVEC turbo-charged engine shared with the Colt CZT.
With its 205 km/h* top speed***, 8.4” 0-100 km/h* acceleration and specifically tuned chassis, it will be the most powerful engine offered by any such B-segment coupé-cabriolet (i.e.: with a retractable hard-top).
A 109ps 1.5 liter normally aspirated engine is also proposed. In line with the sporty nature of this coupé-cabriolet, it was decided early on during the development phase to only mate either of these two engines to a manual gearbox. Therefore, the AllShift? automated manual transmission will not be offered.
Pininfarina + NedCar
Production of the Colt CZC is scheduled to start at Pininfarina´s Bairo plant, near Turin (Italy), on March 7th.
Pininfarina will source the platform and the Colt family carry-over components from Mitsubishi Motors’ NedCar plant in Born (The Netherlands). Rich of a vast experience with similar projects, the Italian coachbuilder will focus on providing the specific structural reinforcements for the coupe-cabriolet conversion and the body-in-white assembly, painting the body and following trimming and final assembly with unique parts and NedCar-sourced components. All in all, 65 % of the Colt CZC parts are carried over from the rest of the Colt family.
Furthermore, Pininfarina will create a specific unit within the Bairo plant fully dedicated to the assembly of Colt CZC´s roof system.
