2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Es on 2040-cars

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2014 Pikes Peak Hill Climb: Practice Day 3

Greg Tracy's MiEV Evolution III topped the time sheets almost 14 seconds ahead of third-place Monster Tajima.
On Thursday, qualifying times for six categories were set on the bottom-section switchbacks of Pikes Peak: Electric Modified - near-unlimited showcases of electric-vehicle engineering; Electric Production - electric vehicles "readily available to the public;" Open Wheel - single engine, open wheeled, open cockpit, single seat vehicles; Open - based upon a production or approved-aftermarket-replica vehicle; Exhibition - a prototype or pre-production vehicle limited to one year of eligibility in this class; and Vintage - vehicles and drivelines from 1990 or earlier.

Mitsubishi eX Concept portends an electric future

Mitsubishi's future is electric, and the Japanese brand's eX Concept presents its vision for a crossover EV for the years to come at the Tokyo Motor Show. At the same time, the company is using this opportunity to show off some next-gen tech that could arrive in production models someday. To get around, the all-wheel-drive eX Concept packs front and rear electric motors that each produce 94 horsepower, and they're powered by a 45-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery under the passenger compartment. For added traction, the torque split is variable between the back wheels, and braking can adjust things at the nose. Plus, sensors and cameras can read the road ahead and tweak the system accordingly. The eX portends what's next for the company's design language, but traces from the latest Outlander are still visible. Up front, there's a revised version of the brand's X-shaped grille that Mitsubishi calls the Dynamic Shield, but here the turn signals and LED running lights are placed at the top. The concept's bigger innovation to the brand's styling language is the floating roof that makes the side glass appear to wrap around the body. Mitsubishi highlights some future tech inside by using an augmented reality windshield. The idea is to display important info right on the glass to keep a driver's eye on the road, and it also means just a few digital displays are necessary for the physical instruments. For safety, a front-mounted camera and radar also help spot pedestrians and other potential hazards. Mitsubishi goes into elaborate detail about all of the eX's features in the announcement below. MITSUBISHI eX Concept – World Premiere ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Evolution in EV Technology + Heart-thumping SUV Allure Next-generation Compact SUV ?The MITSUBISHI eX Concept is a vision for a compact SUV powered by a next-generation EV system. In terms of design, overall it evokes the image of a sports crossover zipping nimbly around town as it merges the elegance and stylishness of a "shooting brake" (a term for a coupe with flowing styling fused with a hatchback car, the term originates from British hunting-use horse carriages) with compact SUV lines. The front end expresses a new interpretation of MMC's Dynamic Shield front design concept. In both its exterior and interior, the MITSUBISHI eX Concept indicates the direction MMC Design is taking.

Mitsubishi still wants to bolster US sedan lineup, investigating options

Mitsubishi looked healthy in 2014 with a nice sales boost for the year, but so far 2015 hasn't been quite so pleasant with news of product delays or outright cancelations. The Japanese brand isn't letting the setbacks get it down, though, and is still planning for the future. Perhaps the biggest recent disappointment was that Mitsubishi and the Renault-Nissan Alliance scuttled plans to bring a South Korean-built, midsize sedan to the US under Mitsu's branding. The scheme was first announced in late 2013 and would have given the Japanese automaker a replacement for the long-retired Galant. According to Automotive News, the decision came because high exchange rates with the Korean won and Japanese yen against the US dollar made the Asian-built vehicle too costly. Mitsubishi isn't throwing in the towel on the possibility of a larger four-door in the US, just yet. One solution might be retooling the company's US factory in Normal, IL. According to Automotive News, the plant current exports over half of the Outlander Sport units that it builds. That capacity could switch to a new sedan, some of which could also be for shipment abroad. The Outlander Plug-in Hybrid is also being delayed until the second quarter of 2015 in the US. The electrified crossover has proven popular in other markets but has seen multiple postponements in going on sale here. In the meantime, there are a few new products coming down the line. The Mirage Sedan is eventually launching in the US, and the Lancer is reportedly getting a refresh soon. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Koji Sasahara / AP Photo Plants/Manufacturing Mitsubishi Sedan