1993 Mitsubishi 3000gt Sl Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Scrapyard Gem: 2007 Mitsubishi Colt CZ2 5-door hatchback

YORK, England — Remember the Dodge and Plymouth Colts of 1971 through 1994? The Colt name stayed alive after that on Mitsubishis sold elsewhere in the world, and I've found a 21st-century example in a self-service wrecking yard near York, England. This generation of Colt served as the basis for the Smart ForFour, so (as promised) I'm following up a ForFour Junkyard Gem with this article about its sibling in the same knacker's yard. Like the ForFour, this car was built at the NedCar assembly plant in the Netherlands. Mitsubishi began using the Colt name in Japan back in 1962, then killed the name at home in favor of the Mirage when that car debuted in 1978. Export-market Mirages got Colt (or Champ, or Lancer and many others) badging at that point. For 2002, the Colt returned to Japan with a brand-new platform, and that's the generation we have here. The engine here is a 1.5-liter Mercedes-Benz turbodiesel, rated at 95 horsepower and 155 pound-feet. A 148-horse turbocharged gasoline-burning Mitsubishi 1.5 was available in the UK as well. The transmission is a five-speed manual. A six-speed automatic was an option. It's a small car but not microscopic; its wheelbase is just over 98" and its curb weight is about 2,500 pounds. The tall roof gives it great storage capacity, a trick often seen in kei vans. This generation of Colt continues to be sold in Taiwan through the present day, as the Colt Plus. In Europe, an all-new Colt based on the Renault Clio was launched last year. It was cheap. In Japan, cuteness was played up in Colt commercials.  

Mitsubishi rumored to plan a revival of the Lancer Evolution

To the dismay of countless hardcore enthusiasts and JDM fans, Mitsubishi long ago announced that it killed off its sports cars, such as the Eclipse and the legendary Lancer Evolution, to focus more on electric vehicles, hybrids, and SUVs. Rubbing salt in the wound even further was the fact that Mitsubishi repurposed its coveted Eclipse nameplate to a crossover. But now, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. AutoCarUK reportedly received word that Mitsubishi could be bringing back the Lancer Evolution. There's no official word with the outlet citing anonymous sources, and there's still a cloud of doubt hovering, given Mitsubishi made its near-future trajectory fairly clear. But there could be a smidgen of hope that all is not lost with the tiny Japanese automaker. Should the word be accurate, the new Lancer Evolution XI — as it would likely be called since it would be the 11th-generation model — could get a potent 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant lifted straight from the hot-hatch version of the Renault Megane known as the Megane RS. The same dual-clutch automatic would also find its way into the Evo, though Mitsubishi would supposedly be left to its own vices to develop an all-new S-AWC all-wheel drive system. The Renault Megane RS is quite the hot hatch, so its power and drivetrain wouldn't be out of place in a new Evo. It produces 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. In comparison, the Mitsu's direct rival, the WRX STi, produces 310 hp and 290 lb-ft. But should Mitsubishi proceed, the company seeks to one-up Subaru's limited-edition WRX STi S209, which produces 341 hp and 319 lb-ft. Don't forget, Mitsubishi joined the Renault-Nissan alliance in 2016, and Nissan owns a 43% stake in Mitsubishi. There are even rumors that Mitsubishi could add in a new 48-volt electrical system, which could give the new Evo "mild-hybrid" capabilities. That basically adds an electric motor-generator somewhere on the engine or within the drivetrain that not only doubles as a gas-engine starter and an electricity generator, but a drive motor as well. A 48-volt system would also give the new Evo the ability to house more computing power to allow for more kinds of technology. The new Evo would also utilize the alliance's latest modular CMF-C/D F4 platform that's currently under cooperative development between Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.

Limited-edition Mitsubishi 311RS Evo X coming to Minneapolis Auto Show [w/video]

It's not terribly often that we have news to report coming out ahead of the Minneapolis Auto Show. We say that not to disparage the Twin Cities, which are lovely, but new product reveals are few and far between for the show. This year, however, it seems that event will play host to the debut of a rather special limited edition Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Though not coming directly from the Mitsu factory, we think the 311RS shows loads of potential for Evo fanatics.
The 311RS is the brainchild of circuit racer Ryan Gates, who has apparently spent the last three years developing what he believes is an Evo perfect for both racing and road driving. Starting life as a bog-standard Evo X, the Gates team has swapped out the factory intake, intercooler and exhaust system for more potent AMS pieces; resulting in output figures of 353 horsepower and nearly 359 pound-feet of torque. A new suspension from JRZ, brakes from Girodisc and 18-inch custom Rays wheels shod with high-performance Nitto tires represent significant updates to the underpinnings, as well.
Of course, the 311RS is also rocking a full body kit, too, with a more aggressive front air dam and a subtle lip added on to the stock rear wing. The blue and white racing livery, with matching blue wheels, looks racy without being too childish, we think.