Test Drive Mitsubishi Space Star 2002 - 2006 Minivan

Twenty light steps to perfection

New engines, more modern appearance and quite competitive price - with such trumps goes to the Russian market of the Compact.
On the humpback bridge
Completely unexpectedly - I repel, he listened to the warning call - right in front of the hood of our car there was a red and white dotted of a barrier. And through the instant the unwinning strip of the paving slabs along with the pavement and railing fence rapped up. Well at least the speed was small (in this northwestern Venice they are not too angry!), And the ventilated front disk has enough easy touching to the pedal, to gently and accurately stop the space-star in the meter from the adjustable bridge.
It is difficult to come up with a better place to get acquainted with the new compactment from Mitsubishi than Amsterdam. The network of wide and narrow channels cuts the city so thick, and colorful houses with islander roofs are squeezed to each other as closely that cars remain quite a bit. No wonder the inhabitants of the capital of the Netherlands prefer two-wheeled two-wheeled transport - 14 million Dutch are 20 million bicycles. Therefore, the car must be combined in itself as much as possible mutually exclusive qualities in order to prove its need.
First of High
Four years ago, it was here, in Holland, Mitsubishi organized the production of a car, which the Japanese now is proudly called the High Hatchback tribe of the tribe. Not only residents of the Tulip countries, but the rest of Europeans quickly appreciated Space-Star, which combined the advantages of the compact and yard city car, comfort in relatively long journeys inherent in conventional sedans, and the functionality of cargo-passenger universal.
Since then, more than 160 thousand such cars have left the bourne factory conveyor in the city. Moreover, their annual release increases everything (by 12 percent last year), accounting for more than a quarter of all Mitsubishi sold in Europe.
However, the competitors are not dormant, coming on the position of Space-Stara immediately from two sides. Real minivans led by the scenic, Picasso and Tino offer more interior transformation options. And the newest high hatchbacks, like 307th or styles, can boast more impressive, passenger appearance.
Of course, in the design center of Mitsubishi, working on the machine of a new generation, in which, as noted by the President of the European Branch of the company Stefan Jacobi, a sports vendor and alive, energetic design inherent in Mitsubishi, would be combined with functionality. In the meantime, the designers updated the current model.
A little cosmetics
I will not say that Amsterdam cyclists opened in the amazement of the mouth at the sight of our Space-Stara. The stylists of the European Design Studio Studio Mitsubishi in German Require, refreshing the appearance of the machine, used the minimum of expressive means. In fact, only the face changed only - new headlights, grille and front spoiler. However, the desired effect managed to achieve: a banal family trailer (by the way, the basic level of space-old equipment is truly called family - Felmeli), who did not rush before in the eyes, began to look more aggressively, almost in a sports. Nevertheless modified bumper, radiator grille, headlights and turn signs, other than the rear lanterns, the external differences of the new machine are completed.
Inside the changes are also a bit, and they are also aimed at giving the standard, slightly boring Space Salon some characterity and even sportiness. In the upholstery and finishing used new materials and combinations of colors. The diameter of the steering wheel was smaller, the central console changed, the central armrests appeared in front and behind with built-in cup holders.
   
Sports steering wheel of smaller diameter, modified central console and central armrests distinguish the interior of the updated Space Stara
      

Ladies' man
Curious, by the way, the tendency is to give Space Star some sports kids. After all, the guys from Mitsubishi stubbornly do not want to call him a minivan. And refer to a wagon with a high roof. They provide sales data - more than half of the customers make up 30-year-olds, more than a quarter are women. So, Space Star will initially be a purely functional family car, in which practicality - capacity, high roof and driver landing - prevail over the style.
In Russia, by the way, women are even more like Space Star, reaching 40 percent of its buyers. Indeed, in a high universal it is more convenient to go shopping and dismiss children to school. It is interesting however, how buying statistics will change when from the end of October to Russia will begin to supply Space-Star with a new 1.8-liter engine model 4G93 with a capacity of 112 liters. with.
According to the first sensations, this engine is the design of it is identical to a 1600-cubic one: a row 16-valve four with one top camshaft - adds a machine significantly more than it is visible in numbers in a technical characteristic. We accelerated on the narrow streets of Amsterdam not as an example of beyree than by car with a 1.6-liter engine. On the wide and smooth highway in the vicinity of the Dutch capital, our purely practical and such a superfunctional wagon as if it wondered: a brake, the owner, well, what are you touching this Merc?
Let's wait for ...
Of course, it is not necessary to think that the 1.8-liter motor is designed for the driver with the sacks of an athlete. Not at all - he will only let you feel behind the wheel of a high wagon confident. And just a thousand dollars. This will be the difference in price between these machines in our market.
In total, the specialists from Mitsubishi scrupulously calculated, 20 changes were made to the Space-Stara design - from new colors and coloring technology to modified pretensioners and safety belt load limits. You can not doubt that another year, no less, they will allow Space Star to be one of the leaders of sales in its such a narrow market sector in Russia. But further without a new model - more spacious, comfortable and stylish - can not do. That she will be just such - no doubt causes. Let us recall the designers of Mitsubishi, now the talented Frenchman Olivier Boule is headed, and in the leadership, the pragmatic Germans are gaining increasing weight. Not in vain already mentioned Herr Jacobi remarked: from sports hatchbacks to minivans with a truly racing character, from stylish hybrid universal to the best in the Pickup market - all the current and future products of Mitsubishi will go their special way.
 
  Mitsubishi leadership will be young
After Diamler-Chrysler acquired more than a third of Mitsubishi Motors shares (the agreement provides for a further increase in the package in 2004), serious changes began to occur in the structure of the Japanese company. With the Germans, it is not more difficult to conduct business, "Russian dealers are respectfully swing. New people appear in the manual. Last October, Stefan Jacobi was appointed president and executive director of the European Commercial Department of Mitsubishi Motors. For several years, this 44-year-old German specialist held in Japan, where answered the sales of Volkswagen in the entire Asia-Pacific region.
- On the updated Space Star, the emblem of the company from the Red turned into a silver. What is the first step towards replacing three diamonds three-beam star?
- Of course not! Such a move, no doubt, would be a mistake. Mitsubishi will retain its independence, and the company's models will in no way turn into a lengthened Mercedes. As for the color of three diamonds, then once they were silver.
- How does the future of his Japanese brand sees the leadership of Daimler-Chrysler?
- Mitsubishi will produce and sell in Europe with relatively cheap machines of small size and all-wheel drive cars. In addition, for all models of the brand it will be characteristic of a pronounced sports style.
- What will happen in the near future?
- Be patient until September. I think in Paris we will be able to surprise you. In any case, I can say for sure that in 2003 in Europe, and soon a new parckarter will appear in Russia, in which there will be more from the passenger station wagon than from the jeep. And in general, in the next 5 years, Mitsubishi will offer 13 new models.
- Their style will remain the same or German specialists will take care of Japanese cars?
- We are pleased with the work of the current designer artists in the Mitsubishi design center. And in general, the personnel policy of Daimler-Chrysler consists by no means to change the Japanese on Americans or Germans. Of course, we update the staff and management of the company, because, in my deep conviction, in terms of approaching business, Japan needs change. But we try to put forward young people at the most productive age - 33-37 years. Earlier in Mitsubishi, and in any Japanese company, it was impossible to see such a young man in a senior position. But it must be local frames. Yes, you yourself know better - to whom, as not Russian, it is better to know all the current problems of Russia. In your country, it is local managers, and not foreigners have long-term reforms.
 
 
Mitsubishi Space Star 1.6 (1.8)
Total information
 
Body
5-seater wagon
 
Curb weight, kg
1165 (1205)
 
Full weight, kg
1690 (1730)
 
Length x Width x Height, mm
4050x1715x1515
 
Maximum speed, km / h
180 (185)
 
Acceleration time 0100 km / h, with
12 (10,6)
 
Fuel consumption, l / 100 km
5.9 / 9.2 (average- 7.7)
 
Engine
 
Location
Front cross
 
Design
4-cylinder in line
 
Number of valves on the cylinder
4
 
Cylinder diameter / piston stroke, mm
76/87.3 (81/89)
 
Working volume, SMZ
1584 (1834)
 
Compression ratio
10: 1 (9,5: 1)
 
Power, hp (kW) at rpm
98/5000 (112/5500)
 
Torque, kgcm (nm) at rpm
15.3 / 4000 (16/4000)
 
Prices in Russia
 
1, 6 Family
$ 15,900
 
1.6 Comfort.
$ 16 990.
 
1.6 Comfort automatic transmission
$ 18 250.
 
1.8 Comfort.
$ 17 990.
 
1.8 Comfort automatic transmission
$ 19 250.
 
Start Sales
 
Space Star 1,6
End of June
 
Space Star 1,8.
End of october
 
Alexander Melnik, Photo Sergey Voskresensky and Mitsubishi

 

A source: Limousine magazine [07-08 / 02]