1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse Rs Hatchback 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi ending US production

Mitsubishi is closing the doors on its US production as part of a "strategic move," Japan's Nikkei news service reports. According to Automotive News, the company declined to comment on the factory, and instead said it had "no plans to stop selling" vehicles in the United States. That's not what we asked, folks. According to the Nikkei news, the company is in the process of finding a buyer for is Normal, IL factory, which it opened as part of a joint venture with Chrysler back in 1988. The facility currently employs 918 UAW workers, whose jobs Mitsubishi is attempting to save as part of its negotiations with labor reps. The Normal plant is the only Japanese production facility with UAW representation, Automotive News reports. Normal is responsible for production of the Outlander Sport, building nearly 70,000 examples last year. Production is continuing on, according to the vice president for the local UAW Local, Kyle Young. "We haven't heard anything," Young told AN in a phone interview. "We're supposed to have negotiations coming up" in August. It's not clear how much the Mitsubishi will be selling the Normal plant for, nor is it clear if any parties are interested in picking up the facility, which contributes around $120 million to the local economy each year.

Next-gen Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV gets more power all over

Looks like it's official — the U.S. will finally get the upgraded Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that's been on sale in Europe and Japan since late 2018. AutoGuide perused documents Mitsubishi filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2021 product lineup. The paperwork shows a 2.4-liter engine with 126 horsepower replacing the 2.0-liter with 117 hp in the current U.S.-market Outlander plug-in hybrid. We've expected the engine change for a while, but we didn't have a horsepower rating before. The version on sale in Europe gets 133 hp from the 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, while promising "higher torque, smoother operation, and overall higher efficiency." We'll get the 13.8-kWh battery, up from the 12-kWh unit currently installed, and the rear electric motor gets bumped up to 93 hp, same as overseas. The e-motor on the front axle holds steady at 80 hp. Unless Mitsubishi has model-year shenanigans in mind, the documents describe the next-gen Outlander that's been promised for debut later this year. It will ride on a Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance platform, expected to be the same architecture shared with the next-gen 2021 Nissan Rogue. The current Outlander and Rogue are just 0.3 inches apart, and both are expected to grow in size. The new Outlander's exterior will glean cues from the Engelberg Tourer concept (shown below) like vertically-oriented headlights, a reshaped greenhouse, and a larger rear roof spoiler. If Mitsubishi carries over the rest of the upgrades afforded the international Outlander PHEV versions, we're in for a more powerful generator, and new Sport and Snow modes. The suspension and 4WD Lock were also bolstered on the current crossover, but with an all-new generation, we'd expect thorough overhauls in hardware and software. The real prize will be finding out how much EV range the next plug-in hybrid Outlander promises beyond the 22 miles available on the current model. On Japan's testing cycle, the new powertrain extended all-electric driving from 37.8 miles to 40.4 miles. Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer Concept View 10 Photos Related Video:    

2016 Mitsubishi Lancer adds features, loses Ralliart

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution may be going away, but the base car is sticking around for the foreseeable future, as evidenced by a host of changes for the 2016 model year. The same basic look has been updated with a bolder front bumper that features vertical LED accents. The rear end, though, looks totally free of any significant changes. The profile gets some small updates, including mirrors with integrated turn signals and a flashy (optional) set of 18-inch wheels. The Lancer's cabin gets a similarly modest array of upgrades, including standard USB connectivity in a redesigned center console, standard display audio, and a redesigned, optional infotainment system. In addition to the new standard features Mitsu will offer a color LCD display in the instrument cluster, the LED running lights, and automatic air conditioning on the base ES trim. Mechanically, Mitsubishi has expanded the availability of its snappy All-Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system. Not only will it be offered on as standard on the carried-over SE and new SEL trim, but it can be snagged as an option on the base ES trim. All AWD-equipped cars will feature the same CVT8 offered on the Outlander Sport and Outlander, although front-drive trims, the base ES, and the more aggressively styled GT, will offer a five-speed manual as standard. Despite the new CVT, the engine lineup is unchanged for 2016, with the base ES using a 2.0-liter, 148-hp four-cylinder, while all other trims get a more robust, 168-hp, 2.4-liter mill. And now, the bad news. Just as there will be no more Lancer Evolution, Mitsubishi has dropped the lukewarm Lancer Ralliart. Slotting in between the Evo and the Lancer GT, the Ralliart offered all-wheel-drive, turbocharged power, and the Evo's dual-clutch transmission, along with a dose of its big brother's style. Prices get a tiny bump for 2016, with the Lancer's base price jumping up $200, to $18,405. Adding a CVT increases the price by $1,000, while all-wheel drive requires another $400. The AWD-only SE starts at $21,805, while the SEL demands another $1,000. Finally, the top-end GT starts at $23,305 for a five-speed stick, or $24,305 for the CVT model. Read on for the official press release from Mitsubishi, and be sure to check out the updated Lancer in the gallery, up top.