1997 Mitsubishi 3000gt Sl Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Japanese government chides Mitsubishi over recall delays

An official with the transport ministry in Japan has some stern words for Mitsubishi, taking the carmaker to task for not being more proactive and honest about its recalls. An investigation into The Tri-Star last December found Mitsubishi was tardy investigating problems and didn't explain itself forthrightly to the transport ministry about the issues. None of Mitsubishi's actions were illegal, and we should stress that this is a dialogue with Mitsubishi in Japan, not Mitsubishi Motors North America.
The official advised the automaker to, "Come up with plans for improvement, implement them and report them to the ministry." It looks like the company will get more practice than it wants in that department, having to announce another recall for the Outlander PHEV over software and hardware glitches. Those recalls come just after Mitsu finally figured out the problem with overheating lithium-ion batteries that caused a production halt of the plug-in hybrid SUV.

Ghosn: Restoring Mitsubishi's reputation is biggest challenge

After news that Mitsubishi falsified its fuel economy data on every vehicle it has sold in Japan since 1991, and the tumble in the company's value that followed, the troubled carmaker has an unlikely savior. Nissan has confirmed it will purchase over one third of Mitsubishi's stock, or 34 percent. The stake is valued at $2.2 billion. Ghosn says making Mitsubishi a part of the Renault-Nissan alliance will save billions in development costs. But the merger certainly isn't without challenges. "The biggest challenge is to support Mitsubishi changing itself and growing and being profitable and restoring its reputation," said Ghosn. Nissan is a natural partner for Mitsubishi, and since the fuel economy scandal escalated from discrepancies in the data regarding Mitsubishi-manufactured, Nissan-badged Japan-market vehicles, it makes sense for the company to sweep in and save the day. Nissan itself is partially owned by Renault, and Nissan has a 15-percent stake in the French automaker. Mitsubishi's chairman, Osamu Masuko says that the merger was inevitable, that it "would have happened one day" anyway, according to the New York Times. Carlos Ghosn, chairman of both Nissan and Renault, is confident they will be able to turn Mitsubishi's fortunes around. "We have the track record to make it work", Ghosn said, referring to the Renault-funded rescue of Nissan in the early 2000s. Related Video:

Fiat introduces new Fullback pickup

Fiat has unveiled its first foray into the mid-size pickup truck market, the Fullback, at the Dubai Motor Show. It's not an entirely new product, confirming earlier reports. It's closely related to the Triton pickup (also known as the L200) that Mitsubishi builds in Thailand for markets in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Moreover, it's not likely ever to make it to North American showrooms. Riding on a 118-inch wheelbase, it measures 208 inches long, 71 inches wide and 70 inches tall. Those are identical measurements to the Mitsu, and give it roughly similar dimensions to the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon we get here. The Fullback can carry up to 2,300 pounds, and is powered by a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine available in either 150- or 180-horsepower states of tune, and mated to a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Fiat Professional will roll out the Fullback in markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where it will compete against the likes of the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Amarok. FIAT PROFESSIONAL DEBUTS NEW FULLBACK PICK-UP TRUCK AT THE DUBAI INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW - New FIAT Professional pick-up truck to be named Fullback – a name derived from the cornerstone position in rugby and American football - Available in the UK in autumn 2016, the FIAT Fullback will combine a practical double-cab body style with a spacious load area and competitive payload of 1,045kg - Powered by a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 150hp or 180hp outputs, the FIAT Fullback will have four-wheel drive as standard, combined with a manual or automatic transmission - More details, including pricing and final specifications, will be announced closer to the launch of the FIAT Fullback in the UK FIAT Professional has unveiled the all-new FIAT Fullback pick-up truck at the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show. The new, medium-duty pick-up will join the award-winning FIAT Professional range in autumn 2016 and will be available only with a practical double cab body style configuration in the UK making it an ideal vehicle for both commercial and leisure time activities. Measuring up to 1,780mm in height, 1,815 mm in width and 5,285mm in length, with a wheelbase of 3,000mm, the new FIAT Fullback will offer a competitive payload of 1,045 kg and will be powered by a 2.4-litre, aluminium, turbo-diesel engine with a power output of either 150hp or 180hp.