Is the engine of Southeast Motors a Mitsubishi engine?
3 Answers
The engine of Southeast Motors is a Mitsubishi engine. Introduction to Mitsubishi engine: The Mitsubishi 4G engine is an engine developed by Mitsubishi with a displacement of 1834cm3. It adopts the GDI (gasoline-direct-injection) technology, which means direct gasoline injection into the cylinder. By injecting gasoline directly into the cylinder, it achieves high-response and high-precision fuel control. Advantages of Mitsubishi engine: Main advantages: Compact structural design, smaller external dimensions and lighter weight compared to engines of the same displacement. The main components of the engine have high rigidity, and the main moving parts are designed with lightweight materials to reduce friction loss of moving parts.
I remember Soueast Motors had a deep cooperative history with Mitsubishi, and early Soueast models indeed extensively used Mitsubishi engines. In the 1990s, Soueast introduced technology and production lines from Mitsubishi, with older models like the Delica and Freeca directly equipped with Mitsubishi engines. Later, the V3 Lingyue used the 4G1 series engines, another classic Mitsubishi powerplant. After Mitsubishi took a stake in 2006, this became even more evident—back then, opening the hood of a Soueast car would reveal the Mitsubishi logo. However, things have changed in recent years. While newer models like the DX7 are marketed as continuing Mitsubishi technology, their engine models now carry Soueast's independently developed numbering, and production lines have been localized in Fuzhou. So, it's not entirely accurate to say all Soueast cars use Mitsubishi engines—it depends on the specific model and era. Older models are highly likely to have Mitsubishi engines, while newer ones mostly feature improved versions developed independently by Soueast.
The relationship between Soueast and Mitsubishi is quite complex. In the early days of car manufacturing, due to weak technical foundations, Soueast directly imported Mitsubishi's entire production line, even stamping Mitsubishi logos on engines. For example, the early 2000s LingShi model was equipped with Mitsubishi's 4G18 engine, known for its stable power and low fuel consumption, which remains recognized in the used car market today. As cooperation deepened, Soueast also manufactured Mitsubishi Lancer EX under contract. However, after 2015, Soueast began transitioning. The new DX5 model uses a 1.5T engine codenamed GEL4G15, which, while referencing Mitsubishi technology, now features localized production lines and domestic supply chain components. A factory tour video showed Mitsubishi machine tools in Soueast workshops bearing Soueast asset tags. So for new car buyers today, it's more accurate to say these vehicles carry Mitsubishi's technical DNA rather than pure Mitsubishi engines.
