Skip to main content

Guess who Mitsubishi hired to turn its first production car into a plug-in hybrid

Mitsubishi celebrates 100 years in the car business this year, and instead of a cake, it’s cooked up a rather unusual custom car idea.

The Japanese automaker commissioned West Coast Customs — the shop made famous on Pimp My Ride — to customize its first production car, the 1917 Model A. While Xzibit probably won’t be involved with this one, the century-old ride will get some unusual modifications.

That’s because Mitsubishi plans to splice the Model A with the “platform” from a modern Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle. As the name states, the Outlander PHEV is a plug-in hybrid version of Mitsubishi’s Outlander crossover. The two vehicles span Mitsubishi’s entire history, but they have virtually nothing in common, which should make for a challenging build. Consequently, what Mitsubishi calls the “Re-Model A” looks a bit funky, with body proportions stretched and altered to fit the modern chassis.

The 1917 Model A was Mitsubishi’s first production car, although only 22 were produced. It was based on the Fiat Tipo 3 and was powered by a 2.8-liter, four-cylinder engine that produced just 35 horsepower. The Outlander PHEV powertrain West Coast Customs will install includes a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, and a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack. In the Outlander, the gasoline engine and one motor power the front wheels, while the second motor powers the rear wheels.

The Outlander PHEV has been available in Japan and Europe for several years, but its United State launch has been delayed multiple times. Mitsubishi originally said the plug-in hybrid would go on sale here in 2013, and it will finally arrive in U.S. showrooms next month. After driving it, we found a few things to like, including a $35,535 base price that drastically undercuts other plug-in hybrid SUVs.

As it approaches its centennial, Mitsubishi has a lot to celebrate. But most of the company’s achievements, like the cult-classic Montero and Eclipse, scores of rally victories, and the glorious Lancer Evolution, are in the past. In recent years, Mitsubishi has struggled with an increasingly irrelevant lineup of aging vehicles. Its biggest hit of the past few years has been the tiny Mirage, which is likely too much of a niche product to build the future of a brand on.

Updated: Added photos

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more
Audi Q6 e-tron ushers in the automaker’s next EV phase
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron front three quarter view.

Audi doesn’t get enough credit for getting luxury car buyers comfortable with EVs. While Tesla took care of the image-conscious types, the German brand unveiled its e-tron electric SUV in 2018 with the tagline “electric has gone Audi” in hopes of getting loyal customers excited about (or, at least, acclimated to) electric cars by pitching the e-tron as an Audi first and an EV second.

The e-tron wasn’t a one-off, either. It’s since evolved into the Q8 e-tron and has been joined by the sporty e-tron GT and entry-level Q4 e-tron. So, while some car brands are only just introducing their first electric models, Audi is ready for round two.

Read more