Mitsubishi teases new Ralliart and electric kei car concepts

released a pair of teaser images this week, previewing two cars that will debut at next month's Tokyo Auto Salon. One resurrects a familiar name while the other is a teeny-tiny EV.

First up is a Ralliart concept car. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Mitsubishi offered a Ralliart performance trim level on many of its US-spec cars, most recently the departed Lancer. This time, however, Mitsubishi will likely give this sporty treatment to one of its SUVs . Outlander Ralliart? Yeah, probably.

Mitsubishi's other Tokyo Auto Salon concept is an electric kei car. We absolutely won't see this one in the US, since keis are a special class of microcars sold in Japan. Mitsubishi says this concept "combines the easy handling and practical size of a kei car with smooth yet powerful road performance of an EV, while offering advanced driver assistance systems and connectivity." Sounds neat.

We'll know more when the pair of concepts are unveiled next month. The 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon kicks off in Japan on Jan. 14.