PSA and Mitsubishi seal deal for turbo-diesels

IT was expected but Mitsubishi Motors Corp and PSA Peugeot Citroen have signed a deal under which PSA will supply turbo-diesel engines to Mitsubishi.

Under the new collaborative agreement PSA Peugeot Citroen will start supplying Mitsubishi Motors with its state-of-the-art 2.2-litre common-rail, direct-injection diesel engine from mid-2007.

These engines will be used in the Mitsubishi Outlander when it is launched in Europe late this year, as well as other markets, including possibly Australia.

The 2.2-litre engine already appears in Peugeot 407 and Citroen C5 vehicles and is fitted with a patented particulate filter to deliver outstanding environmental performance.

The Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser will benefit from this 2.2-litre engine upon their commercial launch in June. Both cars are essentially rebadged versions of the Outlander, with the specific design cues of each French brand.

In July 2005, the two companies decided to join forces and work on an SUV-type 4WD vehicle for PSA Peugeot Citroen based on a new platform already under development at MMC.

Left: Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007 (below).

This new agreement, which was not in the original scheme of the partnership, means that the two companies extend their operational ties into the field of component supply.

Executives from Mitsubishi Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen have said they will pursue their co-operation strategy in "win-win" areas.

Some of the smaller turbo-diesels offered in the PSA range could also find their way into Mitsubishi’s small cars.