Mitsubishi hearts hybrids

Mitsubishi is going hybrid concept crazy for the Tokyo show later this month.

The Japanese manufacturer will show three concepts at its home show, all offering different takes on the combustion-engine-plus-electric theme debuted in its Outlander PHEV.

Are you sitting comfortably? The green and red concepts - dubbed AR and XR-PHEV respectively - both use a 1.1-litre turbo petrol three-cylinder alongside an electric module.

The AR shows Mitsu is keen to get back into the MPV game, one it has been out of since killing off the Grandis in 2011, while the XR-PHEV - a dinky crossover - previews a future ASX with more than a hint of Nissan Juke-esque coupe styling.

But it looks veritably understated alongside the GC-PHEV, a full-size SUV showing how the next-gen Shogun might look. It gets a 3.0-litre V6 feeding the rear wheels, beside a high-power electric motor and mains-rechargable battery. It makes that bizarre Lexus LF-NX concept from a couple of months back look almost sensible. Square arches are the new round, it seems.

But here's the interesting bit. Mitsubishi has hinted that the next Lancer Evo - if and when it arrives - could be a plug-in hybrid. Though power figures for the GC-PHEV haven't been released, we'd imagine it should be good for, ooh, 500bhp or so. Which could make the Evo XI a very tasty proposition indeed...