A SIGNIFICANT number of European motorists who drive multi-purpose vehicles plan to switch back to traditional family transport, it was claimed at the Paris Motor Show. Independent research carried out for Mitsubishi in EU countries has revealed that 23% of MPV users are considering returning to the five-door hatchback models they owned previously.

'We could hardly have asked for more favourable findings,' said a spokesman at the world debut of Space Star, the second Mitsubishi to be built in Holland, and the European premieres of the next-generation Space Wagon to be launched next month and Challenger, an all-drive urban tourer, expected to go on sale in December.

The result of the study has helped the company decide to bring forward the on-sale date of the third rendition of the Space Wagon, which is credited as paving the way for extending the versatility of the high-roof family car when it was introduced in 1983.

Introduction of the smaller Space Star, a new five-door hatchback alongside the Carisma saloon and hatchback range early in 1999 will boost Mitsubishi output at NedCar - jointly operated with Volvo and the Dutch government - to 140,000 units next year. In Britain, the range is expected to cost from £12,000 to £16,000, and Colt is planning annual sales of 3,000.