Rubbing salt in the wounds of U.S. customers as-yet denied access to the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid, Mitsubishi will show a concept car based on the model at the upcoming Paris Auto Show.
The production Outlander PHEV made its debut at Paris two years ago and has since gone on sale in Japan and Europe.
There, it's making waves as the only plug-in SUV on sale, and priced little different to that of its diesel equivalents.
Its early popularity in Europe could be why Paris has once again been chosen for the Outlander Concept-S, which Mitsubishi says "magnifies the Outlander PHEV's unique driving experience."
According to Autocar, the concept is likely to keep the production model's 2.0-liter gasoline and plug-in hybrid drivetrain. In Europe, its 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is good for 32.5 miles of all-electric range.
MORE: Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid: Quick Drive
In production form, the Outlander PHEV is good for 62 mph in 11 seconds and a top speed of 106 mph. Details of the concept's performance haven't been revealed.
It's clear from the teaser sketches that the concept's design is much more aggressive than that of the understated production model, though.
Mitsubishi Outlander Concept-S plug-in hybrid sketch
Mitsubishi says it's "sporty and sophisticated", with large LED daytime running lights that cut deep into the front bumper and at the rear, a wide light bar spanning the width of the tailgate.
Some elements of the design echo those of recent Mitsubishi concepts, including the XR-PHEV and GC-PHEV, plug-in hybrid concepts that debuted at last November's Tokyo Auto Show.
No other production Mitsubishi plug-ins have yet been announced, so for now just the i-MiEV, Outlander PHEV and a van version of the Outlander are available to customers.
However, it's clear that Mitsubishi isn't resting on its laurels, and it's plug-in models could get a lot more exciting in the future.
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