Recent Mitsubishi Motors Nameplate Registration Sparks a Deeper Look into Momentum 2030

After the news about Mitsubishi Motors registering two old nameplates with the USPTO, we thought the internet would know better than to start speculating. Sarcasm included, of course anyone with a keyboard was going to start taking guesses – and that reminds us – did we ever hear anything about that C-D segment car Mitsubishi Motors was supposed to release? Which of these Mitsubishi concepts are going to come to fruition in the U.S?

So, the internet is abuzz about the two old nameplates that Mitsubishi Motors registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The “Montero” and the “Lancer Sportback” call back to older models known for their defining characteristics. Back in the day, the Mitsubishi Montero was a well-built vehicle with off-road abilities. Anyone who knows of Mitsubishi Motors’ rally days knows of the Mitsubishi Lancer and Lancer Evolution. Ralliart has been revived as an aftermarket parts brand, but there is also a Mitsubishi Vision Ralliart concept that supposedly got the green light for the 2024 model year. We’re still waiting, so maybe it will be a 2025 model year.

According to the “Momentum 2030” business strategy, Mitsubishi Motors is going to turn its attention to the West and start putting more focus on its North American lineup. Talk of this new development has led to many old concept names popping up, along with new vehicles yet to be confirmed. During the Momentum 2030 announcement, the  Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer, Mitsubishi e-Evolution, and the Mitsubishi eX were all mentioned. With all the talk about Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan collaborating on a new pickup truck and possibly a new battery-electric vehicle (BEV), this mystery vehicle could be one of the new nameplates to enter the Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) lineup. Or is it the Mitsubishi D:X Concept?

There are a lot of choices out there, but we think the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is sharing more resources with the latest news. If we take a look at how well Mitsubishi Motors is doing in Europe, the automaker was about to pull out of the market before introducing the return of the Mitsubishi Colt. Like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, the Colt would be a bigger version of the original, and this would come with a hybrid option model. This could be one of the models to make it to America, already having been released in Europe for over a year now, and who wouldn’t want to see the Mitsubishi Colt return?

That’s like asking who wouldn’t want to see the Mitsubishi Lancer return. That brings us to the latest speculation we’ve run into. Some think it could be a small plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) crossover, a rebadge of the new Nissan Leaf. Like the Colt rebadge of the Renault Clio, the new electrified vehicle for Mitsubishi Motors could be a rebadged Nissan Leaf, an all-electric car, with a new design inspired by the Nissan Ariya. The Mitsubishi Momentum 2030 had a vehicle with a similar front fascia setup. We’re still wondering about the Lancer Sportback. Unless the Colt was it, Mitsubishi Motors still needs to come up with a C-D vehicle segment vehicle, and it could be the return of its rally car days with a Mitsubishi sports car.

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Photo Source/Copyright: Mitsubishi Media