Photo: kolesaru / Instagram
Right now, if you look at Mitsubishi's lineup, depending on the region, you could say it's but a pale shadow of what it used to be, a 'Chinese-style' clone manufacturer or a brand that only cares about high-riders.
Taking these ideas one by one, the pale shadow of its former self is probably attributable to the model range in America, where you can have a couple of cheap Mirages that are more like chasms rather than proper cars, a trio of Outlander models (some unrelated), and the 2024 Eclipse Cross – which as the name implies is a quirky crossover instead of a proud sports car.
The Chinese copycat applies to Europe, where Renault Clio and Captur models were given diamond badges and called Mitsubishi Colt and ASX. As for the brand that only cares about its high-riders, that's mostly valid across the ASEAN markets where it recently introduced the all-new (cool-looking) Triton and the yet-unnamed all-new compact crossover SUV.
However, not long ago, the company sold like a gazillion Lancer sedans – including in sporty Evolution form. Hey, it once even flirted with the premium class and towered over the well-known Galant nameplate with a couple of other 'chivalrous' models – Proudia and Dignity. The latter's name is self-explanatory as it once served as the full-size luxury car flagship of the Mitsubishi range for a little while – from 1999 to 2001 and then again from 2012 to 2016 as a rebadged Nissan Cima (fifth-gen).
Meanwhile, Proudia was an executive sedan positioned immediately below the Dignity limousine with a shorter wheelbase and the name derived from the words 'proud' and 'diamond' (aka the company's logo). It had the exact same fate as the Dignity, with initial production between 1999 and 2001, then from 2012 to 2016 as a rebadged second-generation Nissan Fuga.
It's a small token of Mitsubishi's history, indeed, so probably only diehard fans of the Japanese automaker remember these two luxury models. They and the good folks over at Kolesa, as it turns out. They, along with their resident pixel master Nikita Chuicko, aka kelsonik on social media, have gone wild with the idea of a potential Mitsubishi Proudia revival.
Well, normally, this model would need to be less obscure to elicit our interest. However, I couldn't help but show it to the world because the renderings are even better than what Mitsubishi does these days. Frankly, it towers way above the European Colt-Clio and ASX-Captur clones and is up there alongside the new Triton (L200) and that jacked-up compact crossover SUV if you want our two cents on the CGI matter.
Unfortunately, this sedan with a long hood, great wheelbase to accommodate five adults inside the cabin, a short front overhang, and rear-wheel drive is merely wishful thinking. And, by how things are going with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, we can hardly place any wagers on Mitsu going back to good old four-door Lancer plus Galant days, let alone resurrect a forgotten nameplate like Proudia.
Still, I would have loved if this became real and went to Mitsubishi America's lineup as a contender for the few remaining sedans – Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Maxima, Hyundai Sonata, or the mighty best-selling Toyota Camry! So, I vote to give them our CGI hall pass for this stunning depiction of a Mitsubishi sedan that will never be! Come on. It's too cool not to appreciate it, right?
The Chinese copycat applies to Europe, where Renault Clio and Captur models were given diamond badges and called Mitsubishi Colt and ASX. As for the brand that only cares about its high-riders, that's mostly valid across the ASEAN markets where it recently introduced the all-new (cool-looking) Triton and the yet-unnamed all-new compact crossover SUV.
However, not long ago, the company sold like a gazillion Lancer sedans – including in sporty Evolution form. Hey, it once even flirted with the premium class and towered over the well-known Galant nameplate with a couple of other 'chivalrous' models – Proudia and Dignity. The latter's name is self-explanatory as it once served as the full-size luxury car flagship of the Mitsubishi range for a little while – from 1999 to 2001 and then again from 2012 to 2016 as a rebadged Nissan Cima (fifth-gen).
Meanwhile, Proudia was an executive sedan positioned immediately below the Dignity limousine with a shorter wheelbase and the name derived from the words 'proud' and 'diamond' (aka the company's logo). It had the exact same fate as the Dignity, with initial production between 1999 and 2001, then from 2012 to 2016 as a rebadged second-generation Nissan Fuga.
It's a small token of Mitsubishi's history, indeed, so probably only diehard fans of the Japanese automaker remember these two luxury models. They and the good folks over at Kolesa, as it turns out. They, along with their resident pixel master Nikita Chuicko, aka kelsonik on social media, have gone wild with the idea of a potential Mitsubishi Proudia revival.
Well, normally, this model would need to be less obscure to elicit our interest. However, I couldn't help but show it to the world because the renderings are even better than what Mitsubishi does these days. Frankly, it towers way above the European Colt-Clio and ASX-Captur clones and is up there alongside the new Triton (L200) and that jacked-up compact crossover SUV if you want our two cents on the CGI matter.
Unfortunately, this sedan with a long hood, great wheelbase to accommodate five adults inside the cabin, a short front overhang, and rear-wheel drive is merely wishful thinking. And, by how things are going with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, we can hardly place any wagers on Mitsu going back to good old four-door Lancer plus Galant days, let alone resurrect a forgotten nameplate like Proudia.
Still, I would have loved if this became real and went to Mitsubishi America's lineup as a contender for the few remaining sedans – Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Maxima, Hyundai Sonata, or the mighty best-selling Toyota Camry! So, I vote to give them our CGI hall pass for this stunning depiction of a Mitsubishi sedan that will never be! Come on. It's too cool not to appreciate it, right?
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