It"s often thought that...
It"s often thought that the term "station wagon" originated in the US to name the large, boxy cars used to ferry guests from railroad stations to hotels. They were usually home-made affairs, but in 1928, Ford was the first firm to offer a "station wagon" as part of its Model A line-up. However, similar passenger-carrying vehicles had been in use in the early 20th century on Australian farms, which were often called "sheep stations", hence the name station wagon.
Caught cold weather...
Caught cold weather testing, the undisguised prototype displays all the styling cues that set its racy three-door brother apart: sporty side skirts, roof-mounted boot spoiler and 16-inch alloys. Finishing off the look is a ground-hugging spoiler at the front.
Sharing its basic underpinnings with the Smart ForFour - production of which is expected to end in the near future as the brand concentrates on its core model, the ForTwo - the five-door CZT is proof that Mitsubishi is forging ahead with development of the key platform.
Set to rival the likes of Toyota"s forth-coming Yaris T Sport, the CZT gets the same 147bhp 1.5-litre turbo engine as the three-door. The extra doors give only a minimal weight increase, so it should still do 0-60mph in around 7.5 seconds and a 130mph top speed. Engineers will retune the suspension to ensure the new car handles as well as the three-door.
From the five-door"s launch, xenon headlights will be offered as an option on both models, while the cabin gets the same sports seats and upgraded trim. After its Paris Motor Show debut in September, the five-door CZT should arrive early in 2007, priced around ÷£13,750 - that"s ÷£750 more than the three-door.