2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor - Exterior Design Concept

The 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor's bold, athletic exterior appearance is inspired by the strong visual character of the Mitsubishi SSU concept vehicle that appeared on the auto show circuit in 1999. Sporting a pronounced geomechanical design theme that fuses elements of art and architecture, and emboldened with a wide, intimidating, yet sporty stance, this concept vehicle challenged preconceptions of what an S.U.V. could be and signaled an exciting direction for future products.

The 2004 Endeavor incorporates the dynamic appeal of a sharply chiseled exterior, with an imposing, split front grille, and a broad, intimidating stance that helps endow this new mid-sized S.U.V. with an undeniable presence.

Endeavor's sculpted, well-defined sheetmetal forms exude elements of urban-chic that combine with the primary S.U.V design and aesthetic cues sought by consumers looking for a broad-shouldered vehicle with ample command-style seating. From a distance, Endeavor presents a modern take on the archetypal S.U.V. silhouette, and while it meets the expectations of a traditional S.U.V. "form" sought by consumers, goes beyond the traditional shape with the inclusion of progressive, modern styling details to create a much more expressive, exciting, and uniquely Mitsubishi rendering of the mid-size, crossover S.U.V. The Endeavor's broader styling is influenced more by refined, sophisticated. European crossover S.U.V's such as the X5 than by traditional truck-based models such as Montero Sport.

Upon initial glance at the vehicle, one will notice that the bumpers, though large and aggressive, are designed to flow smoothly into the Endeavor's fender metal. Beyond adding safety, the Endeavor's bumpers elaborate on the bold, aggressive S.U.V. theme by including an attractive garnish, in the form of black, chrome or color-keyed bumper caps that help add sophistication to the exterior. The Endeavor is dominated by the aggressively styled, split-front grille with a wide, expressive center pillar that prominently wears the Mitsubishi badge. The Endeavor's frontal view which is dominated by a sporty split-grille and lower front valance which sports several imposing intake cavities, simultaneously suggest a rugged, purposeful yet sporty and sophisticated nature of this vehicle.

The Endeavor's large wheel arches add to the aggressive stance of the vehicle and blend into a character line that spans across the doors to help add sophistication and a sense of strength to this mid-sized S.U.V. Also adding bold, big S.U.V. stance to Endeavor's presence are large wheels and tires that include 17-inch cast aluminum five or seven-spoke models wheels and 235/65-17 tires.

With dark-tinted privacy glass over the rear doors, rear quarter panel, and rear hatch, Endeavor presents examples of cool urban styling that help make the vehicle ideal for a night on the town or just to help reduce interior temperatures in the super market parking lot. In the interest of S.U.V. styling and additional function, all Endeavor models are equipped with roof rails that are designed to integrate nicely, and enhance the vehicle's styling theme. In Endeavor, Mitsubishi has succeeded in creating one of the most sophisticated and emotionally compelling interpretations of the traditional S.U.V. that is anything but traditional.

Aerodynamics

With a modern, uncluttered design, the Endeavor's exterior sheetmetal helps the vehicle achieve a .46 drag coefficient. This number compares favorably with other examples from the mid-sized, crossover S.U.V. segment. A lower drag coefficient helps improve fuel economy and performance by reducing the wind resistance that the engine must rev to overcome at higher highway speeds. In addition, the Endeavor's windshield molding and side mirrors are designed to reduce turbulence, realize less wind noise and offer superior management of water flow which improves visibility in wet conditions. The design also helps improve visibility through the windshield when driving through rain.

Exterior Dimensions

Endeavor's key exterior dimensions compare favorably with those of competitors in the segment. The vehicle's width and length are maximized by a spacious, capable interior. In addition, the vehicle's approach and departure angles offer sufficient clearance for use on mild off-road terrain while providing the image of purpose, capability and readiness that consumers seek in the S.U.V. class.

Exterior Colors

Endeavor's exterior hues intend to maintain a mechanical, metallic tinted effect. The chromatic hue of these exterior colors helps accentuate the chiseled forms and rugged appeal of Endeavor's sheetmetal. The eight exterior colors are Sterling Silver, Titanium, Dover White, Kalapana Black, Torched Blue Steel, Machine Green, Mineral Beige, and Ultra Red.

Sunroof

Endeavor's sunroof is designed to reveal a larger roof opening than the sunroofs found on most competitors in the mid-sized S.U.V. segment. The increased size of Endeavor's sunroof helps introduce more sunlight into the passenger compartment, creating the sense of livelier and more spacious interior room. As an additional safety precaution, the Endeavor's sunroof is designed to retract if an object is caught within its panel upon closing. Front and side wind deflectors help reduce wind turbulence and lower interior noise levels. The power sunroof is available as an option on Endeavor XLS and is standard on Limited models.

Sunroof Aperture Dimensions

Tailgate

The Endeavor's rear tailgate is designed to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods from the cargo bay. The tailgate aperture measures 48.8 inches (1,240 mm) across at the tail lights which is wider than most of the vehicles in the class. The rear hatch is a two-piece design which swings upward high enough to clear tall heads. The tailgate's rear glass can be opened independently to load smaller items or in situations where there is not enough room to swing open the whole tailgate.

Exterior Equipment

Each Endeavor model wears unique visual details that helps identify each of Endeavor's three trim levels upon first impression. The front and rear bumper garnish on the LS models is black, while the same garnish on the XLS model is chrome-plated. The Endeavor Limited bumper trim is color-keyed to match the vehicle's exterior hue, and it also is the only model that includes a pair of fog lamps mounted in the lower front fascia.

All Endeavors are equipped with color-keyed front grilles to match the exterior paint as well. All Endeavors also are equipped with a rear bumper step cover that helps protect the bumper during the loading and unloading of the vehicle.

Privacy Glass

All Endeavor models are equipped with privacy glass on the rear doors, quarter panels, and tailgate. These glass panels wear a darker tint that not only improves privacy of the interior, but also helps lower rising cabin temperatures that result from penetrating sunlight.

Door Mirror

All Endeavor models are equipped with sporty side mirrors whose reflection angle is controlled by an electric switch on the driver's door panel armrest. Both the driver and passenger side mirrors conveniently fold toward the vehicle to protect themselves from drive-by collision damage. The Endeavor LS is equipped with black side mirrors while the XLS and Limited trim levels wear color-keyed side mirrors.

Mud and Stone Guard

All Endeavor models are equipped with a large front mudguard that helps protect the vehicle's finish and sheetmetal from damage caused by stones being kicked up by the tires. A stone guard is also fitted to the front of the rear wheel-well to help protect the rear quarter panel area from debris.

Roof Rack

All 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavors are equipped with functional roof rails that are designed to enhance this S.U.V's rugged image. The Endeavor's roof rails are designed to help secure cargo or larger parcels to the roof of the vehicle. These roof rails are designed to handle 150 lbs. of loading capacity. The roof rails on the Endeavor XLS and Limited are equipped with cross bars that enable the mounting of specialty apparatus designed to carry bulk items like bicycles or skis.

Front Lamps

The Endeavor's front headlights utilize an efficient double-filament lamp with a vertical diffuser and a multi-reflector lens. By optimizing the shape of the multi-reflector lens to maximize the bulb's projection, the beam pattern has been enhanced to provide superior nighttime visibility. The front turn signal indicator, front side marker and front side reflex reflector have also

been integrated into the front lamp assembly to create a very effective, yet compact composite light unit. Endeavor Limited includes the fog lamp kit as standard equipment while the LS and XLS trim levels are pre-wired for fog lamps.

Rear Lamps

Despite its compact size, the rear combination lamp also includes the rear turn signal, rear tail and brake lamp, reverse lamp and reflex reflector. The combination of a striped lens cut and a multi-reflector give this tail light assembly more depth, and a greater sense of quality to the unit. An aluminized reflector adds brightness to the lamps beam and improves visibility. The taillight's red housing uses an aluminized interior to help enhance the strength of illumination.

Wiper System

Endeavor utilizes a multi-link-mechanism windshield wiper design that offers a broader sweep area. The increased windshield area covered by these wipers helps improve the driver's field of vision in poor weather. The rear wiper system utilizes a newly designed rear wiper arm that is more compact, protrudes less from the rear tailgate, yet is extremely effective at removing moisture and snow from the driver's sightline through the rear tailgate. The rear glass panel's wiper nozzle is mounted high and hidden within the Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) for a cleaner appearance.

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