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Mitsubishi's Tokyo-bound PHEV concept doubles as a boom box

Mitsubishi will unveil a futuristic concept car at the biennial Tokyo Auto Show opening in October 2019 that doubles as a boom box. Billed as a small SUV, the model remains under wraps for the time being, but a dark teaser image provides insight into what we can expect. Power for the yet-unnamed concept comes from a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain. At this point, we'd be surprised if Mitsubishi dared to unveil a concept that wasn't electrified to some degree. While full powertrain specifications are being kept secret, we know the design study features all-wheel drive, and it's capable of driving on electricity alone for relatively short distances – all of which sounds perfectly feasible for a company that sells the Outlander PHEV already.  Plug-in hybrid cars are often considerably heavier than comparable non-hybrid models because they gain a bulky battery pack, at least one electric motor, and yards of extra wiring. Mitsubishi promises its Tokyo-bound concept benefits from a downsized powertrain that's lighter than normal.  Evidently taken in a room with closed curtains, the teaser image shows a sloping greenhouse accented by what looks like a pair of speakers integrated into each roof pillar. Carbon fiber seemingly keeps weight in check, and part of the gasoline-electric powertrain is visible under a clear glass panel, which is a styling cue we'd normally expect to find on a supercar, not on a Mitsubishi SUV. All told, the Tokyo-bound concept looks like a forward-thinking display of the direction the Japanese firm's vehicle development teams will take in the coming years, not an accurate preview of an upcoming, production-bound model outdoors enthusiasts will be able to go off-roading in. We'll know for sure when the Tokyo show opens its doors on October 24.

Nissan plans to slash May car output in Japan by 78%

TOKYO — Nissan plans to slash the number of cars it produces at home in May by 78% from last year, as the impact of the coronavirus shakes the troubled automaker which has already been struggling with falling sales. As global automakers reel from plunging sales amid lockdowns imposed in many countries to curb the spread of the virus, the hit is particularly severe for Nissan, whose profitability has been deteriorating as it grapples with the turmoil that followed the ousting of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn. Nissan plans to manufacture around 13,400 vehicles next month, according to documents seen by Reuters, compared with nearly 61,000 units made in May last year. The cut represents a big hit to Nissan's plant in Kyushu, southern Japan, which the automaker plans to operate on a single shift for much of this month and all of next month, due to a lack of demand for the Rogue Sport SUV crossover model, according to the documents, which are not public. Output will decline 70% from initial plans to build around 44,800 units. In June, domestic production will be cut to 33,700 vehicles, a drop from around 63,700 units last year, and down 43% from a previous plan for around 59,300. Nissan declined to comment on its production plans. The automaker has stopped production at its plant in Tochigi, north of Tokyo, since early April, and plans to keep output suspended through the end of May. Periodic stoppages at Nissan's Oppama plant in Kanagawa Prefecture have been common since earlier this month. The coronavirus pandemic has piled urgency on Nissan's efforts to downsize, after two years of falling sales, deteriorating margins and depleting cash reserves has forced the company to restructure. Nissan's management has become convinced that the company needs to be much smaller and its latest recovery plan due next month will likely assume a cut of 1 million cars to its annual sales target, senior company officials told Reuters earlier this month. Automaking partner Mitsubishi, also suffering from a cut to demand for its cars, is planning to slash domestic output by nearly one-third over the next two months. As both Nissan and Mitsubishi struggle with tanking sales, production plans show one bright spot: Nissan is planning an increase in production of the Nissan Dayz minicar model, which Mitsubishi manufactures for Nissan for the Japanese market. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

New Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV coming before the end of the year

Mitsubishi was the first automaker to market with an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid crossover, the Outlander PHEV, which went on sale in some parts of the world as long ago as 2013. It hit the U.S. market in 2016 as a 2017 model and was just updated for 2021 with a more powerful electrified drivetrain and a bigger battery pack. But it was still based on the old Outlander architecture instead of the completely new non-PHEV Outlander that launched as a 2022 model and shared a lot of its underpinnings with the Nissan Rogue. Now Mitsubishi says an all-new Outlander PHEV will hit its home market of Japan before the calendar closes on 2021 and will debut in the States in the middle of 2022. As expected, it will be built on the automaker's latest crossover chassis, a vastly improved platform that benefits greatly from the automaker's partnerships with Nissan and Renault. We don't have any specific details, but Mitsubishi says we can expect "improved motor output and increased battery capacity over the current model." That means "more powerful road performance and greater driving range." As competent as the current Outlander PHEV is, more power, greater range and improved driving dynamics courtesy of a new chassis are all excellent benefits, which is good since the Outlander PHEV faces awfully tough competition, particularly in the form of the Toyota RAV4 Prime. Plus, the new Outlander PHEV has an ace up its sleeve: Mitsubishi says this of its upcoming PHEV: "integrated components and an optimized layout allow the new model to accommodate seven passengers in three rows." That's all we know so far. But as soon as we have more details, so will you. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.