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Automakers want to stop the EPA's fuel economy rules change, and why that's a shortsighted move

With a Trump Administration looming, the EPA moved quickly after the election to propose finalizing future fuel economy rules last week. The auto industry doesn't like that (surprise), and has started making moves to stop the EPA. Ford CEO Mark Fields said he wanted to lobby Trump to lower the standards, and now the Auto Alliance, a manufacturer group, is saying it will join the fight against cleaner cars. The Alliance represents 12 automakers: BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, VW, and Volvo. Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson for the Alliance, told Automotive News that the "EPA's sudden and controversial move to propose auto regulations eight months early - even after Congress warned agencies about taking such steps while political appointees were packing their bags - calls out for congressional action to pause this rulemaking until a thoughtful policy review can occur." The EPA was going to consider public comments through April 2017, but then said it would move the deadline to the end of December. That means that it can finalize the rules before President Obama leaves office. The director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, Jack Gillis, said on a conference call with reporters last week when the EPA originally announced its decision that it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to roll back these changes. Gillis also said on the same call that any attempt by the automakers to prevent these changes would be history repeating itself. "These are the same companies that fought airbags, and now promoting the fact that every car has multiple airbags," he said. "These are the same companies that fought the crash-test program, and now are promoting the crash-test ratings published by the government. So, it's clear that they're misperceiving the needs of the American consumer." There are more reasons the Allliance's pushback is flawed. Carol Lee Rawn, the transportation program director for Ceres, said on that call that the automotive industry is a global one, and many automakers are moving to global platforms to help them meet strict fuel economy rules around the world.

Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan expand partnership, US will get new sedan

Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan have just inked an alliance that might, hopefully, reverse the ailing fortunes of the Mitsubishi brand in the US market. The big chunk of news is that Mitsubishi will produce two Renualt-based models for sale in the US market, and that they'll be built at the Renault-Samsung factory in Busan, South Korea.
The plans call for a D-segment sedan to be followed by a C-segment offering. Based on the cars built at the Busan factory, that means Mitsubishi will be getting the SM5 and the SM3, a pair of handsome sedans that are based on Renault-Nissan's D and C platforms, respectively. These same platforms underpin a number of US market Nissans (not to mention a number of cars from Renault), namely the Pathfinder, Maxima, Quest and Murano for the D platform and the last-generation Rogue and Sentra for the C platform.
Besides the sedan production, Nissan and Mitsubishi will be expanding their joint-venture company, NMKV, which produces Kei cars for the Japanese market. A new, all-electric offering will be born from the partnership, likely based on a Kei car platform. The partnership between the three brands will also lead to increased sharing of technology, particularly relating to electric cars.

Mitsubishi Mirage will reportedly get the axe in 2025

The Mitsubishi Mirage, the car that everyone loves to hate, might not be long for the U.S. market. Reports have it exiting stage left by the end of 2025 with no successor in the works. The compact has the ignominy of being the cheapest new car available in the U.S., with an MSRP starting at $17,340 including destination charges. The report comes from an unnamed source who spoke to Automotive News. However, Mitsubishi spokesperson Jeremy Barnes declined to comment on whether the Mirage is getting the axe in two years. "It's a vehicle that we still see as having a role in our portfolio at this time," Barnes told AN. "It fulfills the role of an entry-level vehicle." The Mirage comes in either hatchback or sedan profiles and is powered by a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder making 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. While it is often panned for its low power and basic interior, the Mirage does offer a brand spanking new car with a 10-year,100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Also, it comes standard with features like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, remote keyless entry, power windows, cruise control, and USB port – none of which are necessary to go from point A to point B but are nice to have. Plus, it's rated at 39 mpg combined and comes in fun colors. While options like the Nissan Versa and Kia Rio still exist, Cox Automotive reported that the only car to actually sell below $20,000 in July was the Mirage. Nevertheless, Mirage sales are down 44% in the first half of 2023. The list of affordable cars grows ever shorter, with options like the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, and the excellent Honda Fit all having exited the market in recent years. Meanwhile, the average new car price has increased by 47.7% since the pandemic, partially due to supply chain issues. A recent iSeeCars study found that even the pool of late-model used cars below $20,000 has shrunken dramatically, from 49.3% of sales in 2019 to just 12.4% today. All this while the number of more expensive, larger and more luxurious cars continues to expand. Once the Mirage is gone, Mitsubishi will have, like Ford and GM, a zero-sedan lineup. Like many, Mitsubishi is preparing for an all-electric push, with plans to debut nine new BEV models globally by 2030.