"The Mitsubishi Lancer 1.6 GLX represents the Mitsubishi Motors commitment to the South African market and our entry into this very competitive segment," said Sascha Gaede, divisional manager of DaimlerChrysler SA's Mitsubishi Motors Division.
"In its new form Lancer offers exceptional performance, efficiency and value for money, and initial customer interest and sales successes indicate that Lancer is set to become an increasingly popular choice in the mid-sized sedan market."
The new-design headlamps, front grille-integral bumper and bonnet are among the elements that contribute to a new-look nose.
The restyled rear end features a new-look oversized boot lid accented by a centrally located license plate. The rear end is further distinguished by the distinctive light pattern that results from the use of curved tail and stop lamp reflectors in the combination lamp units.
The instrument panel is also fresh and has sharper angles and bigger switches and controls for the climate control and radio/CD systems.
The door trim smoothly continues the design of the instrument panel, and has a two-tone design. The armrest trim cloth has been enlarged to cover the armrests, and extra padding in the front armrest gives it a softer touch.
The car is fitted with an anti-theft alarm system as standard. Other items in the uprated equipment specification include:
Under the bonnet is Mitsubishi's 1.6-litre fuel-injected four-cylinder engine. It develops a maximum of 77 kW at 6 000 r/min and maximum torque of 136 Nm at 4 500 r/min.