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A realistic approach to fixing Mitsubishi

There are going to be a lot of words written about what Nissan needs to do with Mitsubishi in the coming months and years in the interest of turning the brand around. After Nissan's purchase of a controlling stake in the diamond star brand, there's been more interest in Mitsubishi thanks to the potential of platform sharing and plenty of cash from Nissan-Renault to get the juices flowing again. But, while some have been doing their best to advocate for the return of the 3000GT, Evolution, and even the Starion - Many of these posts forget the reality of the market we live in today. As much as we like to look back fondly at the sports coupes of the '90s, a byproduct of the insane cash flows all the Japanese manufacturers had at the time, the reality of today puts a much greater emphasis on what is most-boring; Crossover SUVs, alongside mid-size and compact sedans. We do need to ask a fundamental question, how much Mitsubishi is enough to be able to continue to call the cars Mitsubishis? Aside from slight product revisions and reconfigurations, Mitsubishi (at least in North America) has been largely dependent on the same GS platform and 4B1 engines that date back to their long-time partnership with Chrysler (and Hyundai) in the mid '00s. Admittedly, the chassis and engines have served the company well, underpinning a wide variety of vehicles sold around the world, and seeing quite a few revisions to at least attempt to keep products competitive. But, the GS chassis is old, heavy, and severely out of date - and when matched to the underpowered 4B1 series engines - make for largely uncompetitive offerings in the market. While something like the Outlander Sport is indeed interesting compared to a Honda CR-V, it is by no means the smart choice in the segment. So, going forward, unless Mitsubishi has had a skunkworks of sorts developing their chassis and engine replacements over the past few years, what exactly are they planning to do for their bread-and-butter models? I think the straightforward answer is without a doubt the Nissan North America parts bin. With so many of their models selling well, and for the most part, are reasonably well-reviewed, it would be quite simple to adapt the chassis and powertrain to Mitsubishi's liking to create a high-volume alternative to what is currently available now.

Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video]

We have a date with Mitsubishi Mirage (again). The Japanese subcompact is slated to arrive on our shores in September 2013, and it's one of the product offerings meant to help Mitsubishi's US arm raise sales in its next financial year from 55,000 to 80,000. If next year were 1989, we'd say there's no reason that couldn't happen, but from what we've seen, the Mirage is so magnificently meek (have you seen the interior?) that we aren't sure how it will manage that kind of US sales aggression in the 21st century.
Continuing that theme, Car and Driver reports that the Mitsu will launch here with a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine. Make no mistake, this is a very popular engine in the Mirage and responsible for its excellent fuel economy. The hatch is doing so well in other markets with its two naturally aspirated tri-cylinders that the Thailand facility that builds the Mirage will have its capacity increased by 33 percent to try and meet demand. In European spec, the 845-kilogram (1,859 pounds) subcompact with the more powerful engine offering 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque gets 57.3 miles per US gallon and takes 11.7 seconds to get from zero to 62 miles per hour. The question is whether Mitsubishi will boost the output of that engine for our market. If not, only the 70-hp Smart ForTwo will have less horsepower - but the Mirage, interestingly enough, weighs about the same as the microcar.
On its UK site, Mitsubishi said the reveal of the Mirage in back 2011 meant "redefining the standards by which to judge a compact passenger car." We can't wait to find out if that's still true and what that means when it gets here. To prepare yourself, there's video of the Mirage in action below.

Redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross gets big updates, small price hike

Mitsubishi has released pricing information for the comprehensively redesigned Eclipse Cross it revealed in late 2020. Positioned at the bottom of the firm's crossover range, the soft-roader will go on sale as a 2022 model. The range consists of four trim levels called ES, LE, SE, and SEL, respectively, and the last two can be upgraded with option packages. Front-wheel drive comes standard, and adding all-wheel drive to any trim costs $1,600. Pricing for the entry-level ES starts at $24,590 including a mandatory $1,195 destination charge. Mitsubishi charges $25,940 for the LE, $27,340 for the SE, and $28,590 for the SEL. The SE with the Panorama package sets buyers back $28,340, while the range-topping SEL with the Touring package is priced at $30,690. For context, the pre-facelift Eclipse Cross started at $24,190. Mitsubishi nudged the price up by $400, but the upgrades are worth the small premium. In addition to a new-look design, the changes include an available eight-inch touchscreen that's more ergonomic to use because it's two inches closer to the driver, a more comfortable suspension system, and a longer list of standard electronic driving aids, including forward collision warning. Power continues to come from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that's turbocharged to 152 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front or the four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Mitsubishi dealers across the nation will begin receiving the 2022 Eclipse Cross during the first half of 2021. For added peace of mind, every trim level comes with a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Cross will be later joined in showrooms by the new Outlander, which Amazon will help the firm unveil on February 16, 2021. Related video: