09 November 2002: A car to be debuted on Monday is said to be a ‘make or break’ for Mitsubishi Motors, but it won’t be on sale in Europe until 2004.

The company’s new Colt is a test as to whether Mitsubishi can remain a key name in world car manufacturing, following two years of scandal about corruption and coverups of car faults that resulted in callbacks of millions of its products.

The new Colt is said to be simple in design compared to the ‘funkiness’ of many of its competitors in the segment, with a view to attracting the widest possible buyer interest. It will sell in Japan for the equivalent of E9,000-E11,500.

According to people who have seen the car in advance of its launch, it will also use the 120-year-old triangular diamonds logo more strongly in an attempt to capitalise on Japan’s most identifiable motif.

It shares a platform with the DaimlerChrysler Smart car, and company executives say they will be providing high quality interiors ahead of the segment norm.

Mitsubishi is Japan’s fourth biggest carmaker.