1996 Mitsubishi 3000gt Sl Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #317 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #317 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #317
Mitsubishi Mirage

2017 Mitsubishi Mirage: Hey, it sort of looks better

I've never really been too kind to the Mitsubishi Mirage. Sure, its bargain-basement MSRP is appealing, and there's plenty of content within. But in the end, it's just sort of a dumpy little thing. Thankfully, Mitsubishi is offering a number of updates for the 2017 model year, and the redone Mirage shows its freshened face to the world at the 2015 LA Auto Show. First and foremost, it looks better. There's some more assertive styling baked into the nose, including LED running lamps and a stylized lower grille. That said, it's the same ol' Mirage out back. Inside, a number of new fabrics and trim pieces are found throughout the cabin, and the infotainment system is updated to include the popular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps. Mitsubishi's wheezy little three-cylinder still resides underhood, making 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. That's actually four more horsepower than last year's car, but I'm sure the Mirage will continue to sprint at its usual, glacial pace. Overall drivability might see an improvement, too, as Mitsubishi is fitting larger brakes and a retuned suspension. I'll be sure to give the Mirage a fair shake next year. Until then, I'll just gaze lovingly into the purple hatch's new eyes, in the gallery above. THE 2017 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE: NEW EXTERIOR DESIGN AND ADDED PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS - The new Mitsubishi Mirage continues to deliver outstanding fuel economy - 2017 Mirage will feature Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™ - Attractive pricing and 10-year warranty distances the competition CYPRESS, Calif. Nov. 18, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today announced details for the fuel-efficient 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage featuring a new exterior design, improved performance and enhanced interior appeal. Despite all that is new for Mirage in 2017, a few things didn't change at all—Mirage still offers impressive fuel economy, attractive pricing and industry leading new vehicle and powertrain warranties. The Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback will be available at dealers in spring 2016. "Mirage has gained popularity with its affordable and practical appeal," said Don Swearingen, executive vice president, MNNA. "Mirage owners are looking for a vehicle that does its job well and is reliable. The Mirage continues to deliver all of those attributes, and the improvements to the 2017 model year will expand the Mirage's appeal even more." The changes for the 2017 model year are led with the new exterior design.