It’s been over a year since the PSA Peugeot-Citroën group announced an agreement with Mitsubishi to develop and adapt the Japanese company’s ASX small crossover for its two brands in Europe and possibly other markets down the road.
Now, our spy photographers have captured the Peugeot-branded version of the Mitsubishi ASX, which is also called the Outlander Sport in the USA, and RVR in Japan and Canada, while testing in Europe. From what we understand and judging by the firm’s current naming literature, the Peugeot model will carry the 2008 moniker.
In addition, in one of the pictures we also get a glimpse of Citroen’s version following the Peugeot model (notice the different alloy wheel and tail lamp designs).
As with the French group’s previous collaboration with Mitsubishi, the Peugeot 4007 and Citroën C-Crosser SUVs that are both based on the Outlander, the chief styling changes between the Peugeot model, the Citroën variant, and the ASX, are expected to be concentrated in the front and rear ends, and body trim options.
The French automaker has said that under the agreement with Mitsubishi, the Peugeot and Citroën models will use its 1.6-liter HDi diesel engine, and be offered in both four- and two-wheel drive formats.
According to PSA, the front-wheel drive diesel model will return a fuel economy of less than 4.7lt/100km (50.4mpg US or 60.1mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 123g/km.
Both the Peugeot and Citroen models are scheduled to go on sale in the first half of 2012, which means we’ll see them either in Frankfurt in September, or at next year’s Geneva Salon in March.
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