Another silly name from a Japanese manufacturer, with the Mirage eco-car getting a boot and a new name. Attrage!
Now “Attrage” does very little for me, but Mitsubishi say it is the amalgamation of “attractive” and “Mirage”.
However, the Mitsubishi assembly plant at Laem Chabang will see Attrage being built alongside the Mirage hatch, and due for public release June/July. This release date is a world first, with export markets looking at receiving Attrages at the end of the year or even Q1 2014.
Outtrage
The engine is the same 1.2 liter MIVEC engine as found in the Mirage with a choice of five-speed manual gearbox or CVT and fuel consumption in the range of 4.5 liters per 100 kilometers.
While obviously derived from the Mirage, the Attrage has a redesigned nose with a larger grille, bigger head-lights and restyled front bumper.
Mitsubishi said in a statement that the Attrage features a class-leading turning circle of 4.8 meters and “sleek aerodynamics, with a dynamic character line which kicks up towards the rear.” (Well, that is a matter of personal opinion!)
It won’t be the first time a car-maker changes the name of the sedan version of a popular hatch in the sub-compact class, with Honda naming its Jazz-based sedan the City and Nissan going with Almera for its Micra-based offering.
Projected price? Honda’s City VTi is priced above its Jazz donor car, and Nissan’s Almera ST is dearer than the Micra ST on which it is based. However, not all manufacturers charge more for a boot in this class with Ford’s Fiesta LX hatch and sedan costing exactly the same price in Australia.
