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2014 Mitsubishi Mirage arrives in US this fall

Mitsubishi dealers have been painfully starved of fresh product for ages now, with their most recent new model, the bubble-shaped i electric car, already requiring a serious sales jumpstart. We've known for a while that help is on the way in the form of an all-new Outlander crossover, but we've basically only had loose confirmations to go on that the Japanese automaker would eventually reintroduce its Mirage subcompact to the American market. Today, those rumors have turned to reality, as Mitsubishi has confirmed that the five-door economy car will hit US dealerships this fall.
Every subcompact player needs a trump suit, from Ford's tech-rich Fiesta to Honda's impossibly space-efficient Fit, and the Mirage's calling card figures to be its fuel economy. Mitsubishi says it expects its 2014 Mirage to achieve 37 miles per gallon in the city and 44 on the highway (combined rating of 40 mpg) when equipped with a continuously variable transmission. Those figures are good enough, Mitsu says, to earn it the title of the most fuel-efficient gasoline vehicle sold in America that isn't a hybrid.
Of course, Mitsubishi isn't outlining any additional specs at the moment - not even engine configuration. We're expecting the company's 1.2-liter three-cylinder, which in European spec delivers a modest 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque. The Continent's Mirage weighs under 1,900 pounds, but the normally aspirated triple still makes for leisurely acceleration of 11.7 seconds to 62 miles per hour. It will be interesting to see if Mitsubishi makes some powertrain alterations to better suit American expectations.

Recharge Wrap-up: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Finishes AXCR, Nissan Leafs drive 528 million collective miles

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has successfully completed the Asia Cross Country Rally 2014. The plug-in Mitsu finished first in the EV class, and 14th overall, clocking in at 19 hours, 17 minutes and 12 seconds. For its second year in the competition, the Outlander PHEV used a new suspension with more ground clearance to help it tackle the race's treacherous terrain. Besides the glory of taking on the challenging competition, the rally helped Mitsubishi gather valuable data for EV development. The race took place over 1,367 miles of varied terrain from Thailand to Cambodia. Read more at Hybrid Cars, or visit Mitsubishi UK's Facebook page. Nissan Leaf drivers have driven more than 528 million miles worldwide. That accounts for a reduction of 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions since the EV's 2010 launch. Nissan projects that Leaf drivers will surpass a collective 1 billion electric kilometers (621 million miles) by January 2015, or perhaps even sooner if sales keep increasing. The mileage data was collected through the car's CarWings telemetry. Read more at Green Car Congress. 40 percent of luxury cars will be powered by some form of electrification by 2030, according to Audi. Whether it's battery-electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid, electrons will be doing their share to get the well-heeled from place to place. According to an article at The Sydney Morning Herald, PHEVs are "the most promising option." The BMW i8 is a fine example, as is the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, and Audi and Mercedes-Benz have plug-in plans of their own. Lexus, not so much. Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald. PGA golfer Hunter Mahan has taken delivery of a BMW i3 he won by scoring a hole-in-one. BMW offered a free, all-electric i3 to the first player to score a hole-in-one in the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club, which Mahan did on the 17th hole. The BMW Championship raised money for Evans Scholars Foundation. BMW Hole-in-One Scholar Melyzjah Smith, who was awarded a full four-year college tuition and housing scholarship in honor of Mahan's slick shot, was on hand to meet the golfer as he received his i3. Read more in the press release below. Uber has hired President Obama's 2008 campaign manager as its senior vice president of policy and strategy. David Plouffe will help the ride-hailing app navigate government policy and relations. The Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association didn't think the move was a good one.

FCA-Renault revival may hinge on willingness to cut Nissan stake

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault are looking for ways to resuscitate their collapsed merger plan and secure the approval of the French carmaker's alliance partner Nissan, according to several sources close to the companies. Nissan is poised to urge Renault to significantly reduce its 43.4% stake in the Japanese company in return for supporting a FCA-Renault tie-up, two people with knowledge of its thinking also told Reuters. It is still far from clear whether any concerted effort to revive the complex and politically fraught deal can succeed. FCA Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew his $35 billion merger offer in the early hours of June 6 after the French government, Renault's biggest shareholder, blocked a vote by its board and demanded more time to win Nissan's backing. Nissan representatives had said they would abstain. The failure, which FCA and Renault blamed squarely on the French government, deprived both companies of an opportunity to create the world's third-biggest carmaker with 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in promised annual synergies. It also shone a harsh light on Renault's relations with Nissan, which have gone from frayed to fried since the November arrest of former alliance Chairman Carlos Ghosn, now awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges he denies. REVIVAL TALKS Italian-American FCA — whose brand stable encompasses Fiat runabouts, Jeep SUVs, RAM pickups, Alfa Romeo luxury cars and Maserati sports cars — has so far turned a deaf ear to suggestions by French officials that its merger proposal could be revisited. But since the breakdown, Elkann and his French counterpart Jean-Dominique Senard have had talks about reviving the plan that left the Renault chairman and his Chief Executive Thierry Bollore upbeat about that prospect, three alliance sources said. Renault and a spokesman for FCA declined to comment. One of Elkann's senior advisors on the Renault merger bid, Toby Myerson, was expected at Nissan headquarters in Yokohama on Monday for exploratory discussions with top management, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa is likely to attend. Myerson did not respond to a message from Reuters seeking comment. The meeting comes amid mounting strains that may preclude compromise, after Senard warned Saikawa that Renault was prepared to block key Nissan governance reforms in a dispute over board committees.