2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Gs Convertible 2-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi Motors to relocate North America HQ to Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mitsubishi Motors announced on Tuesday that it is relocating its North America headquarters from California to Tennessee, a move that will bring the Japanese automaker closer to its sister company Nissan and strengthen Tennessee's growing reputation as an epicenter of the automotive sector. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe — who made the announcement with Mitsubishi Motors North America — say the headquarters move from Cypress, California, to Franklin, Tennessee, will result in an $18.25 million investment in the region and approximately 200 jobs. Lee and Rolfe added that they met with Mitsubishi's global executives last week to convince them to move to Tennessee while in Japan during the Republican governor's first trade mission. It is unclear what financial incentives state officials offered Mitsubishi to move to Tennessee. "As we drive toward the future, this is the perfect time for us to move to a new home. While we say farewell to the Golden State with a heavy heart, we're excited to say hello to Music City," Fred Diaz, Mitsubishi Motors North America's president and CEO, said in a statement. Franklin is located just south of Nashville, also known as "Music City," and is home to the state's most powerful Republicans, ranging from Gov. Lee, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and House Speaker Glen Casada. "Over the years, Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast's thriving automotive sector, and I'm proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee," Lee, who took over the office this year, said in a statement. Mitsubishi Motors' North America headquarters has been located in California since 1988. The company expects the relocation will begin in August and will be completed by the end of the year. Initially, a temporary office will handle operations to allow the company time to identify a permanent office. Company officials say the move is part an ongoing effort to "reinvent every aspect of Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S.," as well as strengthen the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Nissan has a production plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, and owns a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Last week, Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes also under diesel emissions scrutiny

The controversy over Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal isn't limited to the US. In Europe, where diesel engines are far more popular, the issue is shining a harsh light on the NEDC emissions test. As already known, the evaluation does a poor job of reflecting real-world production of NOx, and it appears a significant number of automakers are affected. The Guardian in the UK has been reporting on real-world test results from a company called Emissions Analytics. After the latest round of checks, vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi were found to generate far more NOx than they should. The newspaper also published similar results for Renault, Nissan, Hyundai, Fiat, Volvo, Jeep, Citroen, VW, and Audi. On average, the figures are about four times over the limit of producing the pollutant. Unlike VW and its defeat device, these automakers aren't actually breaking the rules. The vehicles perform up to the NEDC lab test for emissions, but those results simply aren't translated to the street. "The VW issue in the US was purely the trigger which threw light on a slightly different problem in the EU - widespread legal over-emissions," Nick Molden from Emissions Analytics said to The Guardian. A big fight to decide the future of this issue appears to be on the horizon. Automakers claim that they can't meet the next round of tightening emissions regulations and are asking for compromises. Although, spokespeople for Mercedes and Honda told The Guardian that the brands would be in favor of the stricter rules. Meanwhile, some European governments began backtracking their support of diesels well before this scandal came to light. The added scrutiny certain hasn't helped the future of the oil-burner. Related Video:

Redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross gets big updates, small price hike

Mitsubishi has released pricing information for the comprehensively redesigned Eclipse Cross it revealed in late 2020. Positioned at the bottom of the firm's crossover range, the soft-roader will go on sale as a 2022 model. The range consists of four trim levels called ES, LE, SE, and SEL, respectively, and the last two can be upgraded with option packages. Front-wheel drive comes standard, and adding all-wheel drive to any trim costs $1,600. Pricing for the entry-level ES starts at $24,590 including a mandatory $1,195 destination charge. Mitsubishi charges $25,940 for the LE, $27,340 for the SE, and $28,590 for the SEL. The SE with the Panorama package sets buyers back $28,340, while the range-topping SEL with the Touring package is priced at $30,690. For context, the pre-facelift Eclipse Cross started at $24,190. Mitsubishi nudged the price up by $400, but the upgrades are worth the small premium. In addition to a new-look design, the changes include an available eight-inch touchscreen that's more ergonomic to use because it's two inches closer to the driver, a more comfortable suspension system, and a longer list of standard electronic driving aids, including forward collision warning. Power continues to come from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front or the four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Mitsubishi dealers across the nation will begin receiving the 2022 Eclipse Cross during the first half of 2021. For added peace of mind, every trim level comes with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Cross will be later joined in showrooms by the new Outlander, which Amazon will help the firm unveil on February 16, 2021. Related video: