Mitsubishi VP Don Swearingen sat us down to say Mitsubishi is here to stay [proud and confident! read his teleprompter]. Then a couple dancing robots pulled the cover off the GC-PHEV: an insanely cool high-tech off-roader that just might make their brand cool again if they'd get the gall to make it happen.
It's definitely weird looking, but it's got some cool elements that would actually water down nicely to a production version... especially inside.
That flat panel in the center is called a "Tactical Table;" running controls and communication between the front and rear (sweet)... and check out that roof!
The GC-PHEV ("Grand Cruiser") is not a new Montero as we previously thought. It's an outrageous partial-electric glass-roofed spacetruck with swivel seats and touch-screen everything. There's no chance anything like this is going to make it to showrooms, and that's a shame because with a set of meaty tires this thing could do Mitsubishi's off-road heritage proud and be a serious budget Range Rover alternative.
In theory, the Montero GC-PHEV would be powered by a "highly advanced and powerful plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain featuring Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV) technology."
Mitsubishi has promised another "amazing something" at the New York Auto Show in a couple months... so. We'll see!
Images by Tavarish
Andrew P. Collins is Jalopnik's off-road and adventure guy. Shoot him an email or hit him up on Twitter to talk trucks.