EXTRA-high fuel economy will carry a relatively low premium when it is introduced by Mitsubishi in the Carisma GDI later this month. Officials at the car's UK importer, the Colt Car Company, have tacked on a charge of just £200 for GDI - the pace-setting direct injection petrol technology to be offered on the Carisma range - and at £14,510 on the road, the 1.8GLX manual GDI will be £240 cheaper than the equivalent diesel-powered Carisma.

'We are charging the extra cost of the new engine and nothing more,' said a Mitsubishi spokesman. 'Motorists should get the full benefit of equipment that maximises economy.'

Initially, 500 manual transmission versions are expected to be available in the UK this year, with supply increased to 5,000 units next year.