An overview of Endeavor

The evolution of Mitsubishi Motors' latest mid-sized crossover S.U.V., the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor, began several years ago as detailed market analysis and focus group research helped craft a design weighing the strengths and shortcomings of the then-current S.U.V. and crossover market. Such market study helped define a goal to build a superior car-based S.U.V. that would be optimally tuned for the U.S. market and emphasize off-road manners. Furthermore, the Endeavor would strive to appeal to consumers with a very modern, high-tech interpretation of traditional exterior and interior S.U.V. design themes. The resulting 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor was conceived as a no compromise crossover S.U.V. that offered a complete combination of safe, dynamic performance, smart design, a bold, intimidating, yet sophisticated exterior, modern interior interpretations with high-grade materials, superior versatility, sporty driving manners, and all at an exceptional value.

"The 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor is an all-new vehicle that makes a very Mitsubishi statement with its very stylish design, and bold character. We hope that this crossover injects some excitement about our brand in the mid-sized S.U.V. category which has, lately, become crowded with "me-too products," said Pierre Gagnon, chairman and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

Beginning in 2003, Mitsubishi dealerships will showcase the 2004 Endeavor. This five-passenger, mid-sized crossover S.U.V. is powered by a responsive 3.8-liter, 60-degree, V6 engine that is designed to produce the majority of its torque at lower rpm. The Endeavor's drivetrain can be configured as either a front-wheel-drive or full-time all-wheel-drive S.U.V. that offers improved wet weather handling and mild off-road capability. All Endeavors will be equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic(TM) mode that will allow drivers to manually engage their desired gear.

Mitsubishi S.U.V. Family

The new Endeavor will be the fourth S.U.V. Mitsubishi will offer in North America. It enters a product line-up that includes the entry-level, crossover Outlander, the reliable, rugged, truck-based Montero Sport, and the supremely capable, technological flagship Montero. Given its size, sophistication, appointments, configurations and pricing structure, the Endeavor is positioned to attract S.U.V. consumers between the Montero Sport and the Montero in the Mitsubishi S.U.V. family.

With its body-on-frame construction and available A4WD system (All-four-wheel-drive), truck-based Montero Sport competes effectively in the segment of off-road, purposeful S.U.V.'s that are equipped to tackle all-terrain, outdoor adventures. Endeavor offers drivers a refined car-based chassis that exhibits stable, predictable road manners when navigating through the urban environments where S.U.V.s spend the majority of their time. Endeavor and Outlander, which are mechanically related to passenger cars, are also the only Mitsubishi S.U.V.s that are also available in front-wheel-drive. The Outlander is a entry-level, S.U.V. that is ideally priced to appeal to consumers searching for a more capable alternative to similarly priced five-passenger sedans.

With it Dakar Rally winning design, the Mitsubishi Montero continues as the company's technological, luxury-minded, all-terrain-capable S.U.V. that is built using a Montero-specific unibody structure and a long-travel suspension design that is not shared by another North American product.

The Endeavor Buyer

The Endeavor is an S.U.V whose unique design strengthens the Mitsubishi brand's image by offering a bold, expressive vehicle that exudes the intimidating attitude and presence that attract and define Mitsubishi customers. The forecasted Endeavor buyer pool, at the vehicle's launch, will be split 60/40 male to female, with 70 percent of these individuals being married. The typical buyer will have a median age of 37 and earn a median household income of $80,000. Because of its utility, 35 percent of Endeavor buyers are expected to be families with children. The traditional psychographic for Mitsubishi brand consumers are typically success-oriented, confident, independently-minded, experimental individuals who are more likely to engage in urban activities rather than outdoor adventure.

Function and Utility

A successful crossover S.U.V. needs to be able to offer its owner a level of function and capability that far exceeds that of a five-passenger car, and Endeavor excels in this capacity with smarter execution. Endeavor's ideal ride height facilitates the easy entry and exit of five adult passengers, and provides sufficient rear legroom to transport these occupants in comfort. The driver and passenger view the road from an elevated "command position" sitting upon comfortable front seats that are among the widest in the class. The comfort of the seats is enhanced by a thoughtfully designed car chassis tuned for a ride quality that makes Endeavor ideal for long drives.

An intelligently-designed rear suspension incorporates strut mounting points low enough to provide a large, broad, and flat cargo floor that facilitates the loading and unloading of goods. The easy-to-operate rear tailgate swings upward high enough to clear taller heads and reveals a cargo area that can accommodate a four-foot-wide sheet of plywood. In addition, the curved rear hatch glass can be opened independently of the rear tailgate to load smaller items. Functional roof rails are included on all six Endeavor models; the XLS and Limited trim levels include roof rack crossmembers that facilitate the mounting of accessories such as a ski rack.

"High-Style" Exterior

Endeavor's exterior design makes a bold, emotional visual statement about the product and the person who owns it, distinguishing itself from the "me-too" crossover S.U.V.'s that now seem to crowd the roads. Endeavor's athletic fender arches, aggressive front fascia treatment, and rounded rear glass help give Endeavor a design signature unlike any other S.U.V. on the road.

Endeavor's bold, purposeful front and rear bumpers help communicate an image of strength and safety. The side of the vehicle offers a strong visual silhouette with distinctive fender arches that stretch into a character line that wraps around the vehicle's waistline. Viewed from the front, the larger fenders help accommodate the wide 63-inch (1,600 mm) track and reinforce a sense of stability and strength that can also be felt behind the wheel. Large, lower air intakes in the front fascia also help convey an image of aggressiveness and purpose. Meanwhile, the roof racks are a perfect match for Endeavor's body contours, providing a tight-fitting, tailor-made appearance that complements the vehicle's rugged statement. Endeavor offers attractive exterior paint finishes with high lights that add depth and appeal to the sheetmetal. The Endeavor's sleek exterior styling results in a low .46 coefficient of drag that helps the vehicle slice through wind resistance and improve gas mileage.

Interior

Endeavor's interior exemplifies the Mitsubishi brand's spirited product virtues by offering a stylish, upscale, and exciting cabin that is uncommon for the class. The Endeavor's dashboard is dominated by sculpted, modern, architectural forms housing controls that invite interaction with the driver and passenger. The center of the Endeavor dash panel features a prominent, metallic-finished waterfall of climate and audio controls suggesting a modern, high-tech, home-audio look that includes large knurled control knobs and fin-shut vents. Atop this center panel is an available 4.9-inch color, LCD display that provides climate and directional information, and even functions as a computer interface that can allow owners to customize many of the vehicle's interior functions. At night, the gauges, interior control knobs, and switches are illuminated with striking ice-blue LED lamps that help create a sophisticated interior mood.

Storage capacity was also an interior design priority on Endeavor as evidenced by the large capacity glove box included in the dash. The smartly designed Endeavor center console, which includes a pair of dishwasher-safe cup-holders, features a folding, double-decker storage compartment with space enough to accommodate a purse or laptop computer beneath an armrest lid that contains a pen holder. Other spaces hold cell phones, and sunglasses. The Endeavor Limited's center console also includes climate controls that can be operated by the rear seat passengers. The Endeavor's door panels are covered in modern, padded and textured materials that match the seat covering and instrument panel. The front door panels include large door pockets that are ideally sized for large map books or magazines.

Endeavor's seats are very plush, and offer a generous shoulder and hip width for superior comfort. The seats, depending on the trim level, are covered in either cloth, premium fabric, or leather, and they feature deep accent lines to help emphasize the seat width. Leather seat coverings are standard equipment on Endeavor Limited but they are available as part of an option package on the Endeavor XLS. In the interest of reducing fatigue and increasing comfort during drives, Endeavor is equipped with ideally positioned door panel armrests, a center console armrest pad, and a rear folding armrest complete with cupholders. The Endeavor's front seats include seatback pockets that are handy for magazines or coloring books, and the rear seats include an easy, one-touch, 60/40 fold-down function adding rear cargo flexibility. Overhead assist grips throughout the vehicle are intended to help passenger entry and exit in addition to providing a location to hang the dry cleaning.

Endeavor's smart, helpful design is also apparent in the execution of the wide, rear cargo area that includes a D-pillar equipped with handy upper and lower hooks to hang bags and help clear the cargo floor. The rear interior cargo panels also incorporate bumpers to protect from the inevitable scratching of loading and unloading goods. Rear hatch and overhead lighting help brightly illuminate the rear cargo area at night.

Drivetrain and Chassis

All Endeavor models are powered by a responsive 3.8-liter, 60-degree, SOHC V6 engine that is ideally suited to provide brisk acceleration for spirited driving while maintaining efficient fuel economy. The engine is designed to provide ample torque and superior performance across the rev-range. Rated at 215 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, with peak torque of 250 lbs.-ft occurring at 3,750 rpm, the Endeavor's V6 is capable of propelling the front-drive S.U.V. to 60 mph in under 9.5 seconds (est. for 2WD LS). The engine's intake and exhaust events are tuned to achieve maximum torque early in the rev-range where the engine will spend most of its time.

Revised ignition timing, and an improved EGR (Exhaust Gas Recovery) rate provide improved fuel economy over the previous 3.5-liter engines. The new 3.8-liter achieves these goals while meeting stiffer emission regulations for passenger cars as opposed to truck classes. Additional rigidity incorporated into the 3.8-liter block and the engine mounting areas has also brought a reduction in NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness). The Endeavor's refined 3.8-liter engine also incorporates the cutting-edge throttle-by-wire controls that enable the Mitsubishi-Active Skid and Traction Control system, (available in Fall on Limited model) to enhance vehicle control on wet, or slick, skid prone roads.

The Endeavor's 3.8-liter V6 engine is mated to a sophisticated four-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic(TM) shifting. The transmission features fully adaptive shift control that "learns" driver inputs and tailors transmission operation to their habits. All-wheel-drive Endeavor models rely on a transfer case that combines a bevel gear center differential with a viscous coupling to achieve a 50/50 torque split between the front and rear wheels. The transfer case includes a fine pitch hypoid gear that helps reduce noise and a differential oil cooler that improves the unit's reliability. Both 2WD and AWD Endeavors are equipped with final drive ratios that are optimized to improve the vehicles off-the-line acceleration, and transmission gear ratios that are also well suited for highway performance.

Suspension

The Endeavor's four-wheel independent suspension was designed to provide superior stability, ride-quality and nimble, car-like handling. Endeavor utilizes a proven, Macpherson strut design up front that helps reduce the weight of the suspension design compared to a truck-based suspension. In addition, a large, rigid cross-member helps control the torsional flexing forces of the front sub-frame, improving suspension performance while also reducing NVH.

The Endeavor's rear suspension utilizes a low-mounted, multi-link configuration with trailing arms. The low-mounted position of the rear suspension, with its reduced protrusion into the rear cargo bay, helps increase the rear cargo carrying capacity. Stiff, hydro-formed cross-members also help reduce road noise and improve suspension performance by reinforcing the rear suspension mounting points to reduce flex. All-wheel-drive Endeavor models utilize a thick rear cross member that also supports the rear differential and half shafts. The Endeavor's wide, 63-inch (1,600 mm) front and rear track endow this broad vehicle with superior stability, and control. Also, in the interest of handling, ride quality, and style, all Endeavor models are equipped with attractive five- or seven-spoke, cast aluminum 17-inch wheels wrapped in wide 235/65-17 mud and snow-rated rubber.

The Endeavor utilizes a proven power rack and pinion steering system that is designed to provide the same direct feeling and response found in a passenger car, while the system's effort multiplication provides the low speed steering control that makes parking and low-speed maneuvering so easy.

Brakes and Safety

The Endeavor unibody structure features extensive reinforcement for additional passenger protection in the event of a collision. Robust front subframe members are connected with a dash panel crossmember and strong, front steel crossmember to help create a rigid boxed section, front subframe area. Reinforced side sill members also help disperse energy in the event of a collision. High-strength steel cross members across the floor also help absorb side impact energy and help protect occupants. In the interest of front passenger safety, Endeavor is equipped with front airbags, with side impact airbags available on some trim levels (XLS and Limited).

Pretensioning seat belts with force limiters are standard equipment on all Endeavor models. Extensive use of energy absorbing materials appear on the interior and headliner and are used to cover the inside of the front center and rear pillars and help reduce the possibility of injury during a collision.

All Endeavor models utilize a four-wheel disc brake arrangement. The front ventilated disc measures 11.4-inches and rear 11.9-inch solid disc, and coupled with available ABS (which is standard on AWD models) and EBD systems helps provide excellent braking control in panic stop, and on rain-soaked roads.

Trim Levels

A total of six models of the 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor will be available in showrooms in February 2003. Each of the three trim levels (LS, XLS, and Limited) will be available in either front-wheel or full-time, all-wheel-drive versions. The three trim levels cover a wide range of standard features and also offer the most popular optional equipment.

The nicely-equipped base model Endeavor LS will include roof rails and a color keyed stone guard, as well as the 60/40 rear folding seat, driver's side vanity mirror and a total of four accessory sockets. The LS model is visually distinguished by its sporty black bumper garnish. The rugged and sporty Endeavor LS represents a tremendous mid-size S.U.V. value. The Endeavor LS is a nicely equipped S.U.V. that provides drivers with superior cargo flexibility and desirable S.U.V. image at an attractive price. Optional equipment for the LS model includes a towing package with a full-size spare tire, and also adds a higher capacity radiator on AWD models and the necessary wiring to accompany a tow hook.

The Endeavor XLS adds standard equipment such as premium fabric seat covering material, a driver's power seat, an improved seven-speaker, 315-watt, AM/FM/CD premium audio system with steering wheel mounted controls and a six-CD changer, the center console's 4.9-inch color display with ambient temperature and compass, roof rack crossbeams, and cargo area tonneau cover. The XLS model is distinct among Endeavor models with its chrome bumper caps. The Endeavor XLS offers a long list of optional equipment packages that offer consumers leather seat covering, shift knob and steering wheel, a large, power sunroof, ABS on 2WD models, side airbags and anti-theft alarm system.

At the top of the model ladder is the fully-equipped Endeavor Limited which includes standard ABS on 2WD models, rich, leather seat covering and door trim, as well as leather covered steering wheel and shift knob, sunroof, side-impact air bags, tire pressure monitoring system, rear passenger A/C controller and blower, and fog lamps among a long list of standard equipment. The Endeavor Limited is equipped with color-keyed bumper garnish at the front and rear of the vehicle, that creating a refined visual statement about the most upscale member of the Endeavor family.

Manufacturing

As part of Mitsubishi's Project America initiative, all Endeavor models will be built by the manufacturer ranked third in assembly productivity among North American manufacturers (The Harbour Report North America, 2002). The Mitsubishi manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, is one of the most complex car-building facilities on the planet with Endeavor, the facility will be producing a total of six different cars and trucks; more than any other U.S. plant.

With this all-new platform, the highly rated Normal facility has implemented several additional quality-control strategies to help deliver the best quality product. The Endeavor is an American project in a variety of ways from its manufacture to exterior design and detail-oriented interior specification. But the overriding goal has been to produce a vehicle that meets the needs of the U.S. market head on, without the repackaging of a Japanese domestic market product for U.S. tastes.

Based on an all-new platform and designed by Americans to meet the needs of the North American market, the Endeavor's mechanical design employs cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing technologies that result in a superior vehicle. Above all, the Endeavor makes a resounding statement about its driver by combining bold, modern, distinctive and uniquely Mitsubishi interpretations of authentic S.U.V themes with new levels of sophisticated and rugged design cues.

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all of the North American operations of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. As a single company consolidated on January 1, 2003, MMNA and its subsidiaries manufacture, distribute, finance and market Mitsubishi brand coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of nearly 700 dealers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Mitsubishi Motors sold its first vehicle in the U.S. in 1981, and began building cars here in 1988 at its manufacturing facility in Normal, Ill.

# # #