Mitsubishi’s Lancer reborn as . . . a hybrid crossover?

What’s in a name? Oh, plenty if you’re Mitsubishi . . . plenty of ever-so-slight variations on the same thing, anyway.

The Lancer nameplate has been doing service for the Japanese brand for decades. From the highs of rally-bred Lancer Evolution sports glory to the lows of your average base-spec “see me out” car — as seen badly parked in shopping mall car parks at 10am — the perennial Lancer has been hatchback, sedan and wagon for its parent company. And now, perhaps, a compact crossover SUV.

The carmaker’s commander-inchief, Trevor Mann, says the Lancer nameplate has life left in it yet. Which feels slightly ironic given most of the buyers of the current car. Every car brand wants to appeal to younger buyers though, so the idea of Mitsubishi wishing to add some “yoof” appeal to its oldest nameplate is hardly surprising.

Anyone with an enthusiastic attitude to performance cars would suggest an update to the now-dead Lancer Evolution lineage would be the answer.

Sorry, that isn’t to be. For now, mainstream success looks likely to continue to be measured by how many daring and trendy creases and slashes can be incorporated into a hatchback-on-stilts silhouette. And that’s what the next “evolution” of the Lancer looks set to appear as.

Whatever will they make of it down at the bowling club?