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Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer concept is a 4WD plug-in hybrid

Mitsubishi has finally taken the wraps off its strangely named Engelberg Tourer crossover concept in Geneva, revealing a twin-motor, four-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid with some nifty off-road capabilities and connected-car technology. Named for a Swiss ski resort famous for its unmarked, backcountry terrain, the Engelberg Tourer is a sporty-looking crossover that could preview a new Outlander. It features plenty of side creasing, an upright front end, interesting running lights and that unique roof box cap with integrated fog lamps and highly reflective strips of chrome along the sides. Mitsubishi says the crossover has an all-electric range of more than 70 kilometers, or around 43 miles, at least on the European WLTP cycle, and a combined gasoline-electric range of more than 700 km (435 miles). The Engelberg — users will inevitably make comparisons to the singer Engelbert Humperdinck, as does Google's autofill function — benefits from established and advanced Mitsubishi technologies. It uses the twin-motor PHEV system developed for the Outlander PHEV and improves it, with high-efficiency motors at the front and rear axles and a 2.4-liter gasoline engine in a series hybrid setup, acting as a generator. It uses active yaw control first developed for the Lancer Evolution series to split torque between the front and rear wheels, or between the front wheels alone, and matches it with a super all-wheel control system to improve performance and stability. The concept also features improved anti-lock braking at each wheel and active stability control to reduce wheel slip on snow-covered roads. The onboard navigation system takes the destination entered by the driver and factors in weather, temperature, topography, traffic and road conditions to choose the ideal drive mode and tailor torque split through drive battery management and the super all-wheel control system. Inside, Mitsubishi fashioned a spacious interior bedecked in white panels and seating material and black contrasts. There's also a roof box that houses fog lamps and front and rear bumper under guards. Mitsubishi also is demonstrating the Dendo Drive House, its version of a vehicle-to-home system that allows electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles to generate, store and share energy with a home. Mitsubishi says the service will be offered through dealerships in Japan and Europe later this year. Related Video:

Court rejects Carlos Ghosn's request to attend Nissan board meeting

TOKYO — A Japanese court has rejected a request by former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, released on bail last week, to attend the Japanese automaker's board meeting on Tuesday. Nissan dismissed Ghosn as chairman after his Nov. 19 arrest, but he remains on the board. The Tokyo District Court said it rejected Ghosn's request on Monday but did not elaborate on the reasons. It had been unclear whether Ghosn could attend the board meeting. The court's approval was needed based on restrictions imposed for his release on bail. The restrictions say he cannot tamper with evidence, and attending the board meeting could be seen as putting pressure on Nissan employees. Prosecutors had been expected to argue against his attendance. They were not available for immediate comment. Ghosn has been charged with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his compensation and breach of trust in making payments to a Saudi businessman and having Nissan shoulder investment losses. He insists he is innocent, saying the compensation was never decided or paid, the payments were for legitimate services and Nissan never suffered the losses. Since his release on March 6 from Tokyo Detention Center on 1 billion yen ($9 million) bail, he has been spotted taking walks in Tokyo with his family, but he has not made any comments. His attempt to exercise what his lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, called his "duty" by attending the board meeting signals one way he may be fighting back. Hironaka has said Ghosn will speak to reporters soon. A date for a news conference has not been announced. Nissan said Monday that Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, Renault Chief Executive Thierry Bollore, Nissan Motor Co. CEO Hiroto Saikawa, and Osamu Masuko, the chairman and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., will hold a joint news conference Tuesday after the board meeting. Nissan appears determined to highlight new leadership without Ghosn. It is part of an alliance with Renault SA of France, and more recently with Japan's Mitsubishi Motors, that was largely cobbled together by Ghosn, who led Nissan for two decades. Nissan, which makes the March subcompact, Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury models, has denounced Ghosn for alleged misconduct. A decision at a shareholders' meeting is needed to remove Ghosn from the board. A shareholders' meeting is scheduled for next month.

Mitsubishi Attrage brochure reveals additional looks, info

If you're keen to get a closer look at the upcoming Mitsubishi Attrage global sedan, we've got good news for you. A handful of brochure images have made their way to the web courtesy of IndianAutosBlog.com, complete with driveline details. The compact car looks to have its teeth set on taking a chunk out of the Nissan Versa. The Attrage will launch in Thailand with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine good for 76 horsepower coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission. The combination should yield a range of around 570 miles with an 11 gallon tank. We'll save you the math: that's over 50 miles per gallon, though we wouldn't be surprised to see a more powerful, less efficient engine show up on the US-spec model. Buyers can also enjoy snazzy 15-inch alloy wheels.
Expect to find a rearview camera, push-button start, Bluetooth audio and automatic climate control indoors. This information gives us a pretty good idea of what we can expect from the car once it touches down here in the US, though final details - including powertrain - remain likely to change somewhat.