A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words...

Or so the popular expression suggests. The important question is: what do the recently released images of Mitsubishi's latest concept vehicles say to you?

Concept vehicles are usually just that, created to showcase the latest designs or technology but very unlikely to ever become a reality. However, the latest incarnations could, if Deputy Editor of What Car?- Ed Callow- is to be believed, break this mould. Here is a brief rundown of the three latest releases from Mitsubishi:

Concept XR-PHEV

Short for 'Crossover Runner'- the XR-PHEV is our favourite: designed to replace the ASX and compete with popular SUVs such as the Hyundai IX35 and Kia Sportage, it features a coupe-like roofline, slim-line headlights and is longer, wider and lower than the current ASX. 

What Car? have quoted Mitsubishi Motors in the UK MD- Lance Bradley- as saying that a very similar vehicle, with as many design cues as possible taken from this concept vehicle, should well be hitting British shores in a little under 2 years. All we have been advised so far is to expect a vastly expanding range over the next few years but we really hope this rumour is true! And it's not just us! Motoring publications and print press such as Telegraph and BBC News have also been raving about it. 


Concept GC-PHEV

The 'Grand Cruiser' as it is known, is designed to be a full sized SUV (not dissimilar in size to the current Shogun) and would, apparently, feature the same plug-in hybrid technology as the Outlander PHEV which is arriving in the showroom early next year. 

It would, however, be unlikely to include the 7 seat set-up that is offered currently as there would need to be some compromise with the additional weight of the battery system so as not to negatively compromise load capacity (an essential in an authentic off-roader such as the Shogun). 

We won't get too excited just yet though, press articles suggest this won't be coming for several years. 

Concept AR-PHEV

If this one was made a reality it would be somewhat of a reappearance of a mid-sized people carrier to the current range. The Grandis was the last- in production from 2004-2010- but this is a far more futuristic version! BBC News reported it as featuring manoeuvrable seating, allowing passengers to move to face each other if they so wish, as well as- what can only be described as- a giant touch screen 'tablet' table. 

Word has also reached us that a smaller SUV (to rival the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke) is currently in discussion over the table with Mitsubishi in Japan and would possibly be based on the Mirage. 

Whatever happens, these are very exciting times for both Mitsubishi and us as a dealership. Having sold Mitsubishi vehicles for more than 25 years, we've seen more changes than most people have had hot dinners, and have never been so proud to be a part of it all. Watch this space!
 

 

A Live Chicken, Mice and Some Unmentionables: The Strangest Things We've Found in Cars

We had a lot of fun writing this blog post and you'll soon see why. Nearly every single member of staff had a story to tell, a few are either very observant or just incredibly unlucky and had many! Here is our selection of the most bizarre items discovered in vehicles:

Bizarrely (and perhaps this is because of our North Devon location), many of the stories related to live- or otherwise- animals. 

We felt images unnecessary for this one...

In recent months one of our technicians discovered an entire family of mice nestled in the spare wheel well of a Mitsubishi Colt Cabriolet. And mice seem to be a popular one- a regular customer of ours once narrowly avoided an accident on the motorway after his wife happened across one of the rodents perched in the travel sweets in the glove box of their Shogun. We imagine her shock must have been quite vocal!

Spiders pop up fairly often too! Thankfully, the exotic-looking bright orange spider lurking on the rear seat of a Honda CR-V turned out, following a quick Google, to be a harmless Orange Orb Spider and was caught and released by a brave member of our Valeting team.

One of our technicians was less lucky- discovering an enormous Tarantula-sized spider in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, just arrived in the UK from Japan. It did not hang around to be caught and (as I'm sure you can imagine) no-one volunteered to chase it!

Vets and Farmers are often the owners of the strangest items- syringes and animal artificial insemination kits are often found in the vehicles of both and the most unusual item? A live chicken discovered hiding in a Mitsubishi L200 two days after it was brought in for part-exchange. 

The Service department were party to the most stories- birds are frequently found in air filters (not live, unfortunately) and among the items discovered in car boots have been dead fish, dog mess- not always in bags- and fleas. A 'couples toy' (we'll leave it to your imagination) was discovered as it rolled out from under the passengers seat of a Honda on a road test. 


 And people, apparently, don't always check their vehicles before they come in for part-exchange as the Sales Team had a few to add too- everything from underwear to a Rambo-style serrated hunting knife have been found in glove boxes of vehicles. 

Have any to add? We've had customers and fellow car dealers alike get in touch on Facebook and Twitter to share their stories. Join in! www.facebook.com/devonshiremotor or @devonshiremotor on Twitter.

Top of the Tweeters

We are very proud to announce that we have been named among the 'most influential' users of Twitter in the UK Motor Trade by leading automotive title Car Dealer Magazine. 

We love to publicise our offers and chat with our customers about everything from industry news, information on what our dealership staff and customers are up to, vehicle launches and images, even the weather! Quite frankly we're shocked every time we log on and see our 3,200 followers but are delighted we've built up such a fantastic community of customers. 

 
To be placed anywhere in the list would have been an achievement in itself but we were delighted to have been listed a very respectable 42nd (especially considering the size of many of the dealer groups beneath us and the fact we are a locally owned and run business!)

To compile the list, which has become a major talking point in the motor trade, the Car Dealer team spent weeks analysing Twitter users via Klout- a website which scores social media users on their influence. 

The magazine then researched each company or individual with businesses of all sizes being considered, from independent traders to multi-franchise dealer groups. 

By no means do we rely on Twitter exclusively- it's just part of what we do to communicate to our family of customers to let them know what's going on. To check out the list in full go to bit.ly/Top100dealers and, to join our ever-expanding social media community, follow us on @DevonshireMotor and send us a tweet or join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/devonshiremotor.