2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gs (white) Automatic Tecktronic on 2040-cars

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Question of the Day: Most heinous act of badge engineering?

Badge engineering, in which one company slaps its emblems on another company's product and sells it, has a long history in the automotive industry. When Sears wanted to sell cars, a deal was made with Kaiser-Frazer and the Sears Allstate was born. Iranians wanted new cars in the 1960s, and the Rootes Group was happy to offer Hillman Hunters for sale as Iran Khodro Paykans. Sometimes, though, certain badge-engineered vehicles made sense only in the 26th hour of negotiations between companies. The Suzuki Equator, say, which was a puzzling rebadge job of the Nissan Frontier. How did that happen? My personal favorite what-the-heck-were-they-thinking example of badge engineering is the 1971-1973 Plymouth Cricket. Chrysler Europe, through its ownership of the Rootes Group, was able to ship over Hillman Avanger subcompacts for sale in the US market. This would have made sense... if Chrysler hadn't already been selling rebadged Mitsubishi Colt Galants (as Dodge Colts) and Simca 1100s as (Simca 1204s) in its American showrooms. Few bought the Cricket, despite its cheery ad campaign. So, what's the badge-engineered car you find most confounding? Chrysler Dodge Automakers Mitsubishi Nissan Suzuki Automotive History question of the day badge engineering question

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 has a trunk for your junk

If you're in the market for an inexpensive new car and it absolutely must be a sedan, then the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is both of those things. The tiny four-door isn't beautiful, but the vehicle offers buyers optional high-tech amenities like smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The little guy debuts at the New York Auto Show and arrives at dealers this spring. The Mirage G4 shares much of its styling with the hatchback but grafts a trunk onto the rear. The stubby front and back make the sedan look charmingly bulbous. There's just something cute about its short, rounded shape. The G4 also uses the hatchback's powertrain. A 1.2-liter three-cylinder with 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque spins the front wheels. Customers can choose between a five-speed manual or a CVT, Mitsubishi spokesperson Alex Fedorak tells Autoblog. The update for 2017 Mirage five-door also just benefited from larger brakes and a retuned suspension. Look for live photos of the Mirage G4 from the New York Auto Show soon. We're curious to see how the pudgy sedan looks in the real world. Related Video: MITSUBISHI UNVEILS ALL-NEW 2017 MIRAGE G4: A SPIRITED SEDAN WITH STYLE, VALUE, AGILITY AND CONNECTIVITY • Superior fuel economy and super-low Greenhouse Gas Emissions make the Mirage G4 one of the top environmentally conscious gas-powered sedans in the industry • Offers unexpected connectivity in a sub-compact car with Apple CarPlay support and Android Auto NEW YORK, NY March 24, 2016 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the all-new 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4. A sibling to the well-established and popular Mirage hatchback, the all-new Mirage G4 brings consumers a fresh dose of clean style, environmental consciousness, agility, connectivity, affordability and value. The Mirage G4 goes on sale this spring at Mitsubishi showrooms across the country. "A few years ago we entered the subcompact segment with the Mirage hatchback and its popularity with consumers has grown every year with its combination of top fuel economy, attractive pricing and one of the industry's best new car warranties. The new Mirage G4 repeats that value equation in a four-door sedan package," said MMNA executive vice president, Don Swearingen.

Chip shortage will hit Nissan, Suzuki and Mitsubishi in June

TOKYO — A global chip shortage is forcing Nissan and Suzuki to temporarily halt production at some plants in June, sources with direct knowledge of the plans told Reuters on Friday. Nissan will idle its factory in Kyushu, southern Japan, for three days on June 24, 25 and 28, while making production adjustments during the month at its Tochigi and Oppama plants in Japan, three sources said. Nissan will also temporarily halt production of some of its models at its Mexico plant, they said, declining to be identified because the plan is not public. "A global shortage of semiconductors has affected parts procurement in the auto sector. Due to the shortage, Nissan is adjusting production and taking necessary actions to ensure recovery," a Nissan spokeswoman said. Suzuki will idle its three plants in Shizuoka prefecture from three to nine days, two sources said, also declining to be identified because the plan is not public. The plan "has not been confirmed," a Suzuki spokesman said, explaining that while the carmaker gave its provisional production plan to auto part makers, it is still making adjustments to minimize the impact of the chip shortage. Elsewhere, Mitsubishi will reduce production by 30,000 vehicles in total in June at five plants in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, a spokeswoman said, adding that the impact has already been factored into its earnings outlook for the current fiscal year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Plants/Manufacturing Mitsubishi Nissan Suzuki