Mitsubishi 2006 Annual Report Download - page 17

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15
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2006
Engine compartment Crushable zone
Passenger
cabin
i
Minicars must reconcile trade-offs that arise from their size constraints such as “Design
and Comfortable Interior Space” and “Comfortable Interior Space and Impact Safety.”
i
employs a new platform based on a rear midship layout, where the engine is mounted in
front of the rear axel. This platform helps to realize
i
’s defining features—a futuristic one-
motion form, agile handling, and excellent impact safety. It was extremely challenging to
commercialize this model without compromising design quality. For instance, MMC had to
conduct repeated trials of
i
’s single front wiper to ensure full coverage of the large, curved
front windshield. Innovations were also required to ensure driving stability with
i
’s rear
midship layout, such as employing front and rear tires with different
widths. As a result, MMC was able to refine
i
into a premium minicar
with intelligent features and an attractive design worthy of artistic merit.
The launch of
i
was originally planned for summer 2006. However,
as a symbol of MMC’s revitalization plan, management was determined
to roll out
i
in the plan’s first fiscal year. Incredible efforts by the devel-
opment team brought forward the launch to January 2006. The entire
company banded together across organizational lines to ship exhibition
models to dealerships in time for the start of sales during the New Year holidays. Stringent
quality verification activities were also conducted before shipment using volume produc-
tion models. In short,
i
is the embodiment of MMC’s enthusiasm and commitment to
design and engineering.
A Passion for Developing New Vehicles