Mitsubishi SE-RO concept
The SE-RO concept replaces the usual boxy shape of a Japanese minicar with a tall, rounded body that suggests an airship. Wraparound front and rear glass, center-opening doors, and unpainted aluminum body panels hark back to the streamlined era.
Mitsubishi SE-RO concept
The name SE-RO is derived from "secret room." Inside, the driver's seat can be turned around to face the rear. The rear seat can be stowed away to create extra cargo space. The interior design is supposed to suggest a "living room-with-sofa" look.
Mitsubishi SE-RO concept
Like the "i" minicar concept shown at Frankfurt, the SE-RO uses a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The engine is a turbocharged, 12-valve, 0.6-liter, aluminum-block three-cylinder mated to a CVT. At 3395mm long with a 2560mm wheelbase, front and rear overhangs are virtually nonextistent.
Mitsubishi SE-RO concept
The SE-RO comes with a portable digital storage device, Mitsubishi's Portable Information Carrier (M-PIC). The M-PIC, which is shaped like a miniature SE-RO, contains two 30-gigabite hard drives, which can store vehicle data (such as fuel consumption and service information) as well as the owner's personal data (music files, phone numbers, et cetera).