As the general public gained a fascination with aviation in the 1960s, several car companies came up with wacky concept cars powered by a gas turbine engine. Well, it seems automotive engineering is just like fashion because Mitsubishi is going all turbine with the MI-TECH Concept which they will unveil at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Mitsubishi MI-TECH Concept is a wacky electric SUV that looks like an open-top buggy. The carmaker says that it delivers “unparalleled driving pleasure and confidence over all terrain.” It has a downsized and lighter plug-in hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain, a four-motor electric 4WD system and advanced driver assistance with active safety systems.

The MI-TECH name is constructed using the “M” from Mitsubishi and the “I” from Intelligent, Ingenious and Inspired, while the TECH is an abbreviation of Technology.

Interestingly, the concept is using a gas turbine engine generator instead of a petrol engine generator, allowing the driver to use pure-electric driving mode and series hybrid modes, delivering the smooth and powerful performance characteristics inherent to electrified vehicles.

The MI-TECH Concept is driven by a four-motor 4WD system called Quad Motor with Dual Motor Active Yaw Control (AYC) with two motors for both the front and rear axles. This allows optimum torque to be delivered to all four wheels, bringing confidence to the driver with precise handling for the daily use and also enhanced performance for adventuring off-road.

Inside, the MI-TECH Concept adopts a human machine interface (HMI) that projects a variety of information, detected by using advanced optical sensing technology, onto the windscreen of the vehicle, while the MI-PILOT driver assistance system not only alerts the driver in potential collision situations, it also supports the operation of the steering wheel and brakes. In addition, active safety systems support the driver in avoiding collisions and mitigating any collision damage. All these systems work together to deliver a reassuring, safe and enjoyable driving experience.

Guess all that is left is to see this rather interesting concept car (minus the shadows) at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show this month.