Mitsubishi blog
Redesigned Mitsubishi Pajero Sport coming to MoscowFiled under: SUVs, Euro, Mitsubishi, Misc. Auto Shows 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
Like every other automaker under the sun, Mitsubishi is in the process of expanding its reach into Russia. In 2007, the automaker offloaded over 100,000 vehicles in the world's largest country (size, not population) and is looking to sell approximately 140,000 units this year.
Not surprisingly, it's chosen the Moscow Auto Show in August to unveil the next generation Pajero Sport SUV, before sales begin in South-East Asia, South America, Australia and the Middle East later this year.
The new Pajero Sport (or Challenger, depending on the market) is packing all the "active lifestyle" accoutrements you'd expect, including water-repellent seats, 2- or 3-row seating that can accommodate between five and seven passengers, and a waterproof luggage compartment that will come in handy after you've hiked through the volcanoes of Kamchatka.
Power will be provided by either a 2.5- or 3.2-liter common rail diesel, or if oilburners aren't your taste, a 3.5-liter V6 can send power to all four wheels through Mitsubishi's Super Select 4WD system. However, don't expect to see the Pajero in the U.S. or Europe anytime soon.
The press release is available after the jump.
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Mitsubishi MRX09 "Racing Lancer" to tackle Dakar in '09Filed under: Motorsports, SUVs, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi 
Click above image to enlarge
The purpose-built rally car that Mitsubishi fields in the no-longer-aptly-named 2009 Dakar (the venue for the race is now South America, remember) will shed its Pajero moniker as well as the nominal styling elements that tied it to the Mitsu SUV. Instead, the new MRX09 is the "Racing Lancer". As such, the front end gets the Lancer's "Run for your lives!" gaping maw grille and squinty headlamps. In its press release announcing the updated vehicle, Mitsubishi also reaches for another Lancer tie-in when it points out the happy coincidence that the MRX09's bodywork "is redolent of the Lancer Sportback", which is another way of saying, "it slopes down in the rear." In any case, the Lancerized bodywork is more appealing than the squareback rump the Pajero racer wore. The new race buggy's drivetrain consists of the erstwhile Pajero Evolution's competition-prepped e4WD system and 3.0L turbodiesel producing over 260 horses and 480 lb-ft of torque. Air will be caught, sand will be kicked, and if history is any indication, a trophy will be hoisted when all's said and done.
[Source: Mitsubishi via Paul Tan]Continue reading Mitsubishi MRX09 "Racing Lancer" to tackle Dakar in '09 Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi will build Concept-cX SUVFiled under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, Mitsubishi 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Concept-cX
It comes as no surprise that Mitsubishi will be making a production version of the Concept-cX SUV first shown at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show. The design was well received and will slot right beneath the Outlander in size and price. Equipped with a new 1.8-liter, Euro 5-compliant Clean Diesel four-cylinder turbo engine, the cute 'ute will be the new flag-bearer for Mitsu's green efforts. Borrowing the twin-clutch SST transmission and all-wheel-drive platform from the latest Evo aims to put the 'sport' back in the Sport Utility Vehicle.
While the new SUV and Mitsubishi's line of Clean Diesel engines is a lock for the European market, we are still waiting for an announcement regarding what other markets the cX will be headed to and what other engine options will be available.
[Source: Car Central] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (supposedly) to start under $27kFiled under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
According to Greb Migliore, an Autoweek scribe attending the Ralliart's press launch, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart will arrive in showrooms this September with a price tag under $27,000. The turbocharged middleweight sedan - aimed squarely at the Subaru WRX - is a clear choice for those that don't want to shill out $40k for its big brother the Evolution X.
Instead, you can get the same 4B11T/C engine (equipped with a smaller turbo) sending 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque to Mitsubishi's dual-clutch SST gearbox and on down to a modified version of the Evo IX's all-wheel-drive setup. Go crazy with the options, including Recaros, Sirius radio, sat nav and HID headlamps, and you'll be knocking on the $30k ceiling.
However, don't hold Migliore (or Mitsubishi) to that price just yet. The final cost hasn't been determined and will be dependent on currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen.
[Source: Autoweek] Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi i MiEV police car has SUPER ARREST POTENTIAL!Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Japan, Mitsubishi, Police/Emergency 
Click image to enlarge
Somewhere, our pal Mike Bumbeck is smiling, because Mitsubishi has produced yet another vehicle worthy of its classic "Super Potential" slogan. No, there's no new-fangled Starion, unfortunately, but there is now an i MiEV police car. Mitsubishi has supplied one of the teensy EVs to the Kanagawa Prefecture police, who will test it through March of next year. Sure, it's not particularly intimidating, but it is (ahem) arrestingly cute. As mentioned at AutoblogGreen, we'd have had that battery pack power a set of on-board tasers, too. Talk about missed opportunities...
[Source: Mitsubishi via AutoblogGreen] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart sneaks out ahead of Paris showFiled under: Spy Photos, Paris Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi 
Click above for more spy shots of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback.
We're eagerly anticipating the debut of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback and its Ralliart variant in Paris this September, and these recent shots of the five-door making the rounds in Barcelona are just enough to keep us interested. Judging by the German numberplates and a couple of shots that surfaced on Autoweek.nl, we'd guess that the Ralliart Sportback is in the hands of motoring journalists abroad or was on its way to a photoshoot ahead of its launch.
As we've seen previously, the Ralliart hatch takes the Evo-styled front end from its four-door counterpart, along with new side sills, darkened wheels and a subtle rear spoiler. In Europe, the Lancer Sportback will come equipped with either a 1.5- or 1.8-liter four, or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel, while those of us in the U.S. get to enjoy an Evolution experience on the cheap, with a de-tuned version of the 4B11T/C 2.0-liter four, producing 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque. We like it in red, white or slate grey would be our chosen hue when the Sportback goes on sale in the States early next year.
[Sources: The Auto Union, Autoweek.nl] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Pics Aplenty: Mitsubishi Evo XFiled under: Mitsubishi 
Click for a hi-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Evo X
Some cars look bad-ass, while others have a bad-ass image. The latest Mitsubishi Evo ticks both boxes, and ticks them off with a big X. Despite being based on the run-of-the-mill, work-a-day Lancer sedan, the Evo X has all the attitude you could ask from a performance icon, with the actual performance to back it up.
With the Evolution X now upon us, Mitsubishi has released no fewer than 35 new jumbo images of the beast, which we've added to our ever-growing high-resolution gallery for a total of 89 images to thrash your desktop into submission. Check out what happens when the Evo comes to town by clicking the thumbnails below.
[Source: Mitsubishi] Permalink | Email this | Comments
Birth of a tagline - Mitsubishi brings the confusionFiled under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Mitsubishi  Drive@earth. Sounds an awful lot like shorthand for "run this bizatch into the ground," but Mitsubishi has an official explanation for its new tagline. Launching this summer in Japan, "Drive@earth" will be used by Mitsubishi in all markets. The tagline, which looks like an intern tacked it below the logo in Microsoft Word ten minutes ago, is meant to carry dual meanings. The first thing Mitsubishi wants to convey is the idea that its automobiles, and their four-wheeling legacy, allow people to visit virtually any point on the earth.
Secondly, and possibly in diametric opposition to the first point, the slogan signals a commitment by the automaker to environmental responsibility. It's a fine line to walk between traipsing across the globe and not destroying sand dunes or clubbing baby seals while excreting vast amounts of greenhouse gasses, but Mitsubishi is committing to continued development of its environmentally friendly technologies, like the iMiEV that would be an ideal commuter vehicle for those poor slobs stuck in gridlock. No word on whether the new tagline signals the end of Mitsubishi's run of TV spots using music cuts that get stuck in your head and portray people having more fun than a flume ride. Press release after the jump
[Source: Mitsubishi]
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Mitsubishi raising output of World Engine by 35%Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossovers/CUVs, Mitsubishi  The so-called 'World Engine' used by DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi as part of their Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance joint venture has given the world such gems as the powerplants in the current Mitsubishi Evolution and Dodge Caliber SRT-4, and will also power the base version of the upcoming Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Although these turbocharged beasts are what make the heart swoon, the bulk of World Engines engines are much more mundane. With fuel efficiency a top priority these days, the Diamond Star brand will soon be investing some nine-billion yen (US$84.2m) into its engine plant in Japan's Shiga Prefecture, which makes the global four-bangers in 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4 liter capacities. Expect to find these engines underhood in various Lancer and Outlander models.
[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Paris Pre-Preview: Mitsubishi to unveil production Lancer Sportback and Ralliart versionFiled under: Wagons/Estates, Euro, Paris Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi 
click above to view high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
Mitsubishi announced today that it will unveil the production version of its Lancer Sportback and Lancer Sportback Ralliart at the Paris Motor Show in early October. The Lancer Sportback is just what it sounds like, a five-door hatchback version of the recently redesigned Lancer model that's on sale around the world. Mitsubishi already revealed in its latest global business report that it would be selling the Lancer Sportback in the U.S. as well, but the only time frame given was sometime after the introduction of the Evo X, which is already on sale here.
In Europe, the Lancer Sportback will be powered by a 1.5L or 1.8L four-cylinder, or a 2.0L turbodiesel, while the Sportback Ralliart will feature a turbocharged 2.0L MIVEC engine producing 237 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque that's mated to Mitsubishi's Twin-Clutch SST transmission. It will also feature an Active Center Differential to help send torque to the wheels that can use it, as well as two-piston front brake calipers. Sounds like the same setup we saw on the U.S. version of the Lancer Ralliart sedan that debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show in January. We were particularly smitten with that car, so adding some more interior cubes and a fifth door should only serve to increase our anticipation for Paris.
[Source: Mitsubishi]Continue reading Paris Pre-Preview: Mitsubishi to unveil production Lancer Sportback and Ralliart version Permalink | Email this | Comments
Inside Line pits the Nissan GT-R against The WorldFiled under: Audi, Lotus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru 
Click either image for a high-res gallery courtesy of Inside Line.
Inside Line has done what all of us have dreamed about at some point in our lives. They've contacted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and had a 1.8-mile section of twisting mountain road closed off for the explicit purpose of running some of the hottest machinery in the world in the Mother of All Performance Tests.
 What machines could be worthy of such a fantastical feat? Let's start with the Nissan GT-R and follow it up with the Audi R8, Mitsubishi Evolution X MR, Porsche 911, Subaru Impreza WRX STI and Lotus Elise SC. Josh Jacquot's engaging prose is coupled with some stellar photography to make this incredible story come to life. But no serious performance test would be complete without hard numbers, so the crew at Inside Line equipped each vehicle with a Racelogic VBOX to log everything from 0-60 sprints (both from a standing start and a one-foot rollout) to timed laps of both the mountain road assault and a run around the Streets of Willow Springs. Which machine reigns supreme? Click here to find out.
[Source: Inside Line] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Finally... Mitsubishi Evo X MR coming to the U.S. this JuneFiled under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Evolution X
We've already spent some wheel time in the Mitsubishi Evolution X GSR, and despite some dynamic criticisms, we're convinced that the new Evo remains one of the most compelling performance bargains south of $40-grand. But what about the MR? Mitsubishi contends that its top-of-the-line Evo is aimed at discerning drivers looking for a compromise between brute force and comfort. Well, that balance comes at a price, and when the MR hits dealers this June, soft-bottomed enthusiasts will have to pony up $38,290 to get behind the wheel of the more "luxurious" Evo X.
The MR comes standard with Mitsubishi's new six-speed, Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST) and all the other features found on the standard GSR. If you option up the MR with the Technology Package, which includes a 30-gig harddrive navigation system, 650-watt Rockford-Fosgate Premium Sound Package, Sirius Satellite Radio and "FAST Key" entry system, the price rockets skyward to the tune of $40,840. Considering some of the competition playing around at that particular price point, buyers might have a tough time passing the BMW dealer on their way to Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi's press release is available after the jump.
[Source: Mitsubishi]Continue reading Finally... Mitsubishi Evo X MR coming to the U.S. this June Permalink | Email this | Comments
Last Mitsubishi 380 auctioned for $100,000 in AustraliaFiled under: Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi, Australia
There's an old saying, you only want what you can't have. It holds particularly true in the context of Australia's Mitsubishi 380. The vehicle's Adelaide manufacturing facility was recently shuttered, partially due to lack of interest in the six-cylinder sedan. However, the vehicle's cancellation announcement ended up increasing demand for the final batch of 380s to roll off the assembly line. For that reason, Mitsubishi decided to auction off the final car to its suddenly sentimental Aussie dealers. The last domestically produced 380 ended up fetching $100,000 Australian dollars ($93,364) after all was said and done, which is more than three times its MSRP. John Hughes Mitsubishi, a Perth, Australia dealership, coughed up the cash for the winning bid. Mitsubishi also gave it the honor of choosing a charity to benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Knowing that the 380 in Australia is basically a Down Under-ified version of the Galant on sale in North America, is there any circumstance under which you could imagine paying that much for a Galant?
[Source: Ward's Auto] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
You know you've pushed your car too hard when...Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Etc., Safety, Mitsubishi 
Click above for a few more pics of this EVO's severed limb
...your accelerator pedal breaks clean off. Actually, the owner of this 2008 Mitsubishi EVO X GSR swears he wasn't caning the car excessively hard when his go pedal snapped in two. Posted on the evolutionm.net forums by 'DRAG', these pictures show the severed pedal in question. DRAG claims he was at a stoplight at the time (in front of some STI owners, no less) when he started to leave the light with a little "enthusiasm". As he pushed the GSR's accelerator to the floorboards, the thing's plastic arm broke off clean. Clearly frustrated with his $40,000+ automobile, DRAG called the dealer and waited for some roadside assistance that never came. To make a long story short, Mitsubishi refused to replace the pedal under warranty, but the dealership decided to pick up the tab anyway. Hopefully Mitsubishi doesn't view this case as an isolated incident caused by someone pushing their EVO too hard, because A) you should be able to push an EVO really hard and B) EVOs have been pushed to their limits while being tested by members of the automotive press and we've never heard of anything like this happening. Take a peek at some more pics of the completely cracked pedal in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, thedriver!
UPDATE: It was actually the accelerator pedal, not the clutch pedal as originally stated. Post above has been corrected.
[Source: evolutionm.net] Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi Evo MR and lightweight Subaru STI Spec-C comingFiled under: Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi, Subaru 
Click either image for a high-res rendering of each model at AutoExpress.
Mitsubishi and Subaru are entering round two of the newest battle for all-wheel-drive supremacy and AutoExpress has ringside seats. Both automakers are preparing hard-core versions of their turbocharged, rally-bred road rockets and that means more power, more aerodynamic mods and, in the case of Subaru, less weight.
The Lancer Evolution X MR is on the way, with a new fascia equipped with extra venting and a new air intake, while a revised rear wing, side skirts and blacked-out wheels complete the exterior makeover. Output is increased by 20 hp (in JDM spec) to 305 hp and the mid-range has been tweaked to provide more low-end torque, dropping the 0-60 time to under five seconds. The paddle-shifted SST twin-clutch transmission transfers over from the GSR model (likely with some software revisions) and the body has been stiffened to maximize the MR's handling.
 Subaru is taking a different tack, keeping power upgrades to the STI's turbo'd 2.5-liter boxer to a minimum and instead focusing on weight reduction. The Impreza WRX STI Spec C will get a slightly revised aero kit, with a roof scoop (functional?), standard gold wheels, a lightweight roof, aluminum trunk lid, compact battery, smaller fuel tank and thinner compartment glass all around. All that work is expected to result in a 154-pound drop in weight, so the Spec C will tip the scales at just over 3,000 pounds.
Subaru is also planning to equip the new Legacy with the STI's drivetrain, a revised suspension and slapping on an "S402" badge on the back, along with a sporting interior with more grippy seats. All of this is only for JDM consumption at the moment, but we'd expect to see both the MR and Spec C hit the UK next year, with sales in the U.S. of the MR coming around the same time.
[Source: AutoExpress] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version R Special: Now with SUPER STIFFNESSFiled under: Japan, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi, Australia 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Colt Ralliart Version R Special.
Alex and I share an unbridled lust for the Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version R. We've imagined a death match between the souped-up Colt and the Honda Fit, but Mitsu insists that there's no market for a flickable fuel miser here in the States. They're wrong.
Regardless, since its introduction two years ago, the Ralliart Colt has already been kitted out by Recaro and now, they've decided to send out an even more limited edition that's boasting a 10-percent stiffer body through the use of some extensive seam welding. Aside, from that, not much has changed. It's still powered by the same turbocharged 1.5-liter four, sending 154-hp to the front wheels through a Getrag five-speed manual. To drum up a bit more enthusiasm about the limited run of 300 Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version R Specials, Mitsubishi set out to break the 1:10 mark at the Tsukuba circuit in Japan. That's enough to make Skylines, NSXs and all manner of JDM exotica chuckle underneath their burbled exhausts, but as any true pistonhead knows, driving slow cars fast has a perverse appeal that even the most high-powered uber-whip can't match.
You can check out three Japanese-language videos of the Colt at Tsukuba after the jump.
[Source: Mitsubishi, JPCN]Continue reading Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version R Special: Now with SUPER STIFFNESS Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi developing RWD subcompact world carFiled under: Economy, China, Japan, Mitsubishi, Misc. Auto Shows 
Mitsubishi's president, Osamu Masuko, addressed the assembled masses in Beijing to inform them of plans to create a new subcompact car destined for Europe, China and Southeast Asia. The new platform will fit the standard dimensions of a Kei car in Japan (no more than 11.2-feet long and five-feet wide) and will come equipped with either the Japanese-mandated 660cc engine or, in markets outside of Japan, a 1.0-liter engine. Power will be sent to the rear wheels and the architecture will be flexible enough to be sold in several other markets. Masuko didn't mention the possibility of exporting the model to North America, but our friends abroad will be able to purchase the new subcompact in 2010.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
VIDEO: Double-decker smart fortwo a little top-heavyFiled under: Coupes, Videos, Mitsubishi, SMART 
Click above to watch video
The Smart fortwo is an adorable little transportation pod that can get two people wherever they care to go in style, but there are a lot of cheap, efficient four-seaters with more room for people and their stuff. The auto enthusiasts over at 5th Gear rectified the fortwo's apparent disadvantage by creating a smart double decker using four bolts to attach the roof of one car to the floor of another. The experiment is ridiculous enough on its own, but 5th Gear brought it over the top by putting the fortwo+two through a battery of tests versus a four-seat Mitsubishi i. Watching stacked Smart cars doing moose avoidance tests at 40 mph is hilarious, and at 50 mph, you can probably guess what happens. Hit the jump to watch the video.
[Source: CarScoop]Continue reading VIDEO: Double-decker smart fortwo a little top-heavy Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mitsubishi L200 Savana snorkels into BrazilFiled under: Trucks/Pickups, Mitsubishi 
Click image for a high-res gallery of the L200 Savana
This week, Mitsubishi's Brazilian operation announced the return of the L200 Savana (the model had been previously available). While it shares its name with the snazzy-looking L200/Triton sold in many other markets (including Brazil), the offroad-flavored Savana variant is based on the last-gen truck. While the ultra-1990s interior is indeed dated, the overall package is pretty bitchin'.
Power comes from an 2.5L SOHC turbodiesel making either 121hp/189 lb-ft or 141 hp/221 lb-ft. An "Easy Select" transfer case lets the driver choose between 4x2, 4x4H and 4x4L modes, and shifts come courtesy of a 5-speed manual. Other standard features include a strengthened chassis, snorkel, roof basket (220 lb capacity), and in-bed storage boxes. The Savana's look is all-business, with charcoal wheel flares, bumpers, taillamp housings and grille trim. Knobby rubber adorns the 16-inch black-painted steelies and the headlight surrounds and hood scoop are finished in the primary body color. The spec sheet also tells us the L200 Savana has 9 inches of ground clearance, a 35-degree approach angle, and 26-degree departure angle.
All of this does not come cheap, mind you. Pricing starts at 86,990 Brazilian reais, or $50,255 USD if you were to do a direct currency conversion (for what it's worth). The price is the only thing we don't really like. The rest makes us wish we had a set of keys and a jungle nearby.
[Source: Mitsubishi Brazil via Autoblog Spanish] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
New York 2008: The Mitsubishi i is A-OKeiFiled under: New York Auto Show, Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Japan, Hatchbacks, Mitsubishi, First Drive 
Click image for a high-res gallery of the turbocharged Mitsubishi i
I'm the resident kei car obsessive here at Autoblog. That means I'm the guy who actually thinks, "That is awesome," when he reads the (Google translated) announcement of yet another Suzuki Wagon R variant. Hell, I did two posts on the one-off Hello Kitty Mitsubishi i. Keis are cool. So, you can imagine how happy I was to see that Mitsubishi brought along a small fleet of its i minicars to the New York Auto Show this year.
 Mitsubishi's focus at the show was squarely on the the all-electric i MiEV, which goes on sale in Japan next year and will be tested in North America this fall. The gasoline-powered version was on hand, too, though. I drove the i MiEV for AutoblogGreen, and was a passenger in a black i Turbo. Head over to AutoblogGreen for driving impressions of the i MiEV, and note that many of the observations there apply to both the electric and gasoline-powered cars.
The i Turbo you see here is powered by a 660cc 3-cylinder that delivers around 64 horsepower. It's got around half the torque of the electric i MiEV and it's buzzier-sounding (obviously), but it felt just as well-suited to city driving in New York as its battery-powered counterpart. It can comfortably transport four adults and a bit of cargo, too. Try doing that in a smart.
Mitsubishi is monitoring public reaction to the cars this week, so if you go to the show and like what you see, make sure to let them know. Me? I'll happily take one in black -- with a DAMD kit for optimum not-exactly-badassedness.
Head to AutoblogGreen for a full i MiEV review and video.
All photos Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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