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Mitsubishi rolls out new Pajero Sport in Thailand

Mitsubishi is launching the new Pajero Sport you see here, based on the latest Triton/L200 pickup introduced late last year. The new Pajero Sport (known as the Challenger in certain markets) replaces a model that's been on the market for seven years now. The midsize sport-utility vehicle is being introduced first in Thailand, but will be sold in about 90 countries around the world. Those will include Australia, Russia, and markets in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia – regions in which Mitsubishi has sold some 400,000 units of the previous Pajero Sport. Behind the imposing new Dynamic Shield front end sits a 2.4-liter turbo diesel driving all four wheels through a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The combination is said to be a good 17 percent more economical than the previous model's. Full specs have yet to be revealed, but it's expected to produce around 180 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The new Pajero Sport also packs all the latest safety technologies, including automatic braking, blind spot monitor, and ultrasonic misacceleration systems. Rock-crawlers will also appreciate the off-road mode, hill descent control, and increased wading depth, all of which add up to make the Pajero Sport a very different kind of high-riding Mitsubishi than the new Outlander recently introduced on our side of the Pacific. Here in North America, truck-based SUVs are steadily losing ground to car-based crossovers. But overseas – particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia – they're not only surviving, but thriving. In addition to this Pajero Sport, Ford recently introduced its new Ranger-based Everest, and Toyota the new Fortuner based on the HiLux. World Debut of the All-new Pajero Sport Mid-size SUV in Thailand Popular SUV's first full redesign in seven years to reach some 90 countries Tokyo, August 1, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announces the world premiere of first full-redesign of the Pajero Sport mid-size SUV in seven years in Thailand, where it is produced at Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co. Ltd.'s*1 Laem Chabang Plant. Sales start in Thailand from this fall, and MMC plans to introduce the all-new Pajero Sport sequentially in Australia, the ASEAN nations, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Russia and, as with its predecessor, to sell the new model in some 90 countries.

Mitsubishi CEO vows to stay in US on heels of Suzuki's departure

By now, you're surely aware that Suzuki is pulling out of the US market. It was a bit of a foregone conclusion to most who've been paying attention to the automotive realm, but it still sent a small shockwave through the industry. And one of the most oft-heard retorts goes something like this: "Next up: Mitsubishi."
It's easy to understand why many question Mitsubishi's existence in the States. After all, now that Suzuki is gone, Mitsubishi is the Japanese automaker with the fewest sales in America. Furthermore, the automaker's market share has dropped from .7 percent to just .4 percent after seeing sales fall 29 percent to 50,103 units through October.
In any case, Mitsubishi fans needn't worry. Speaking to Automotive News, Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko said, "We have no intention whatsoever of withdrawing from the US market." That's about as clear as clear can get. It's also worth mentioning that Gayu Uesugi was just named chairman of Mitsubishi Motors North America, and his main responsibility will be to revitalize the brand in the US.

Mitsubishi could add 'Evo' crossover

You should have done this years ago, but in case you haven't, open your dictionaries to the word "Sacred" and tear the entire page out. Done? Good. Now, to continue... With the traditional sedan-based, gas-powered Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution using its four driven wheels to enter the grave at the end of this year, Auto Express reports that it's possible that Mitsubishi could use the "Evo" appellation on a high-performance, all-wheel-drive version of the Outlander Sport (called the "ASX" in Europe). This has been more than a year in the making, in truth. Last year Mitsubishi said that another "high-performance four-wheel-drive gasoline-powered sedan" wasn't going to happen, and that what did come would be a result of exploring "the possibilities of high-performance models that incorporate electric vehicle technology." As Auto Express sees it, the next-generation Outlander Sport will launch initially with four-wheel drive, followed by a two-wheel-drive, plug-in hybrid model. The company's UK chief said that an Evo-worthy model "isn't a huge jump" from there, once the bread-and-butter segments are satisfied. Mitsubishi is doing much better financially, and this would be one of the experiments it could now afford to try out. An Outlander Sport Evo isn't done and dusted - there's no business case for it yet, and who knows, a potential Evo version could be a UK- or Europe-only trim - but "a lot of senior management" is discussing it.