Minicars are popular in places like Tokyo, where a condition of the sale of any new car is that the buyer proves he or she has a place to park it. The goal for the designers of the i show car was to create an "innovative new-age minicar" with a premium-quality feel and benchmark performance, a roomy interior, omni-directional crashworthiness, and a smooth ride. That's a tall order in a car that's almost 10 inches shorter and 8.4 inches wider than a Mini Cooper. To maximize space, Mitsubishi found packaging inspiration from one-time DaimlerChrysler cousin Smart, and stashed the 63-hp turbocharged and intercooled three-cylinder engine under the rear seat driving the rear axle. All four wheels are pushed right to the corners (the wheelbase is longer than a Mini's), and the windshield slopes well forward to provide an airy, roomy feeling inside. And Mitsubishi promises smart-like levels of crashworthiness, afforded by astutely managed crumple zones.
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