1997 Mitsubishi Minica Toppo on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Not a dry eye in the house for last Mitsubishi Evo X video

Say what you will about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; we're going to miss this one when it's gone. Japan's rally car for the street is officially being phased out, and production is ending in Japan. But not before one Final Edition, and a final video showing the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive wonder being built. In Japan, the Final Edition is limited to a run of just 1,000 units. It's based on the GSR model with the five-speed manual transmission, but comes with performance goodies like Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs, Recaro seats, Brembo brakes, and more. See it for yourself in the gallery, below. Over the course of 23 years, there have been 10 generations of the Lancer Evolution. And while Evo X might not be our favorite (this author much prefers Evo IX, for what it's worth), it's still sad to see Mitsubishi's iconic, winged sedan head to the grave. A sign of the times, Mitsubishi says the Evo "will be replaced in spirit" by a high-power, hybrid SUV. That's a tall order, and doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, but we'll see. For now, say goodbye to the Evo X by watching the final production video, above. And just be thankful Subaru still makes its lovely WRX STI.

Consumer Reports says these are the worst new cars of 2014

Consumer Reports has announced its annual list of worst vehicles, a cringe-inducing contrast to its list of top vehicles. Ignominiously leading the way in 2014 is Chrysler, which has a staggering seven models listed.
Jeep nearly sweeps the small SUV segment by itself, with its Compass, Patriot and 2.4-liter version of the new Cherokee, while the only midsize sedans listed by CR were the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger. The new Dodge Dart and the Dodge Journey round out CR's condemnation of Chrysler.
Ford is taking heat as well, with the Taurus, Edge and their counterparts from Lincoln all listed as the worst vehicles in their respective segments. Toyota doesn't fare much better, with its Lexus IS, Scion iQ and tC also making the list.

Spectator killed in seventh stage of Dakar Rally

Not surprisingly, tragedy has struck at the Dakar Rally this year. A vehicle hit a spectator in the seventh stage of the rally on Saturday, along the stretch between Uyuni, Bolivia, and Salta, Argentina. Running in 52nd place, the Mitsubishi Lancer driven by French contestant Lionel Baud hit a 63-year-old spectator. Emergency medical personnel responded to the accident, only to declare the man dead on the scene. This was the second time a competing vehicle collided with spectators in this year's event. During the Prologue stage a week ago, Guo Meiling drove her Mini into a crowd of spectators, injuring eleven – including a father and son who were hospitalized in critical condition. This is the first time, however, that a death occurred as part of the rally since 2013, when a support vehicle collided with two taxis in Peru and killed two. Though still in progress, this year's rally has been dominated thus far by the Peugeot team. All but the opening Prologue stage have been won by the French team, with Sebastien Loeb winning three out of six full stages run so far. His teammate Stephane Peterhansel has won another two, while Carlos Sainz won the tragic seventh stage on Saturday. Following Sunday's rest day, there remain another six stages before the rally concludes in Rosario on January 16.