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Mitsubishi previews diesel hybrid pickup concept, next-gen EV for Geneva

Mitsubishi has a long history of tidy little pickup trucks, and the Japanese automaker is apparently looking to extend that heritage in a bolder, bigger way with the Concept GR-HEV, a "sport utility hybrid truck."
The future-think show star, slated to be unveiled at next month's Geneva Motor Show, is actually tipped to be a much larger effort - Mitsubishi says it's applying its hybrid technology to a one-ton truck for the first time. The GR-HEV is powered by a complex powertrain composed of a diesel engine and electric motors, which the company believes is better suited to the sort of heavy-duty work required in the segment. The concept also employs full-time four-wheel drive and a development of Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control system (which governs things like stability and brake force control along with an active center differential) as seen on the production Lancer Evolution.
In related news, Mitsubishi has also confirmed that it will show a next-generation electric showcar at Geneva dubbed Concept CA-MiEV. With this new concept (inset photo), the company says it is looking to build on the learnings of its i citycar and take EVs out of their limited urban roles. To that end, the CA-MiEV boasts "next generation EV systems and high density batteries" that give it a range of 186 miles.

Ghosn's legacy: one of the auto industry's most effective execs

"Bob Lutz ... estimated that carrying out the Nissan operation would be the equivalent, for Renault, of putting $5 billion in a container ship and sinking it in the middle of the ocean." So wrote Carlos Ghosn in "SHIFT: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival," which was published in the U.S. in late 2004. Two points about that observation: It is in keeping with Lutz's "Often wrong but never in doubt." It shows that Ghosn is a remarkable executive, given that he was able to take Nissan from the edge of financial oblivion to one of the foremost automotive companies (although with alliance partners Renault and, more recently, Mitsubishi). In 1999, Ghosn created what was named the "Nissan Revival Plan." It could have just as well been called the "Nissan Resuscitation Plan." Things were that bad. Now Ghosn is in the midst of legal trouble, accused of financial improprieties of some sort. There is no indication that this is at anything near the scale of what happened at Volkswagen Group. There's malfeasance. And then there's malfeasance. It is likely that this is going to be the end of Ghosn's career, but at age 64, and as a man who has spent nearly the past quarter-century essentially on airplanes, it is probably a good time to leave the stage. What his next act will be — to court or even prison — is an open question. But arguably, Ghosn's performance in the transformation of Nissan and Renault, which also needed some strong medicine to keep it from collapse in the early '00s (although one suspects that the French government would have done its damnedest to keep it propped up), makes him one of the all-time most-notable executives in the auto industry. Ghosn closed plants in both France and Japan and he worked to dismantle the Nissan keiretsu network of interlocked companies, things that were absolutely unthinkable. He established plans with stretch goals in their titles, like the "20 Billion Franc Cost-Reduction Plan," and worked with his people to achieve them, despite the pushback that seemed to come along with the announcement of the plan. As in, as he recalled in SHIFT, "Some people said, 'He's off the deep end. He's raving mad. Doesn't he know that at Renault you set the most conservative goals possible so you can be certain to reach them?' My answer to that sort of thinking was 'You're going to get what you ask for. If you set the bar too low, you'll be a low-level performance.

Mitsubishi Ground Tourer Concept will show next-gen PHEV ideas in Paris

Mitsubishi still hasn't released the Outlander PHEV here in the US, but we're already going to get a potential preview of the company's next large plug-in hybrid at the Paris Motor Show this fall. Mitsubishi has released a side-profile teaser image of the Ground Tourer Concept, which the company says "further expresses" Mitsubishi's flagship PHEV technology. It's got a floating red roof with sharp angles on the back and a cool silver body. It's certainly early for a Paris tease, but we'll take what we can get when it comes to more large plug-in vehicles. Related Video: Mitsubishi Ground Tourer Concept To Be Unveiled At Paris Motor Show / June 27, 2016 — CYPRESS, CALIF. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced the debut of the all-new "Ground Tourer Concept" at the 2016 Paris Motor Show this fall. An up-market SUV, the Ground Tourer Concept is aimed to be the latest expression of Mitsubishi Motors' design ambitions, expressed through four powerful elements: Augmented Possibilities, Functional Beauty, Solid Thrust and Japanese Craftsmanship. The newest concept further expresses Mitsubishi Motors' plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) flagship technology. The combination of advanced driving technologies packaged using the latest Japanese design trends and quality will propel the Ground Tourer Concept for effortless cruising in all driving conditions on and off road; all while accommodating passengers in a quiet, comfortable and luxuriously crafted interior. The Ground Tourer concept is a continuance of MMC's design philosophy and showcases the commitment to its role in the SUV/CUV segment. About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all research & development, manufacturing, marketing, sales and financial services for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells sedans and crossovers/SUVs through a network of approximately 380 dealers. MMNA is a leading the way in development of highly-efficient, affordably priced new gasoline-powered automobiles while using its industry-leading knowledge in battery electric vehicles to develop future EV and PHEV models. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.