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Former Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko dies at 71

TOKYO — Former Mitsubishi Motors Chief Executive Osamu Masuko, who engineered the Japanese automakerÂ’s alliance with Nissan, has died. He was 71. Masuko was named a special adviser to the company when he resigned for health reasons as of Aug. 7. Mitsubishi said he died of heart failure on Aug. 27. Masuko joined with former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn in forming an alliance in 2016. Ghosn was arrested and charged with alleged financial misconduct in late 2018, but skipped bail and fled to Lebanon. After he was named president of Mitsubishi Motors in 2005, Masuko worked hard to rebuild its brand image, which had been hammered by a massive, systematic and decades-long cover-up of defects that surfaced in the early 2000s. Calm and soft-spoken, Masuko came to symbolize Mitsubishi Motors' revitalization. Masuko had said he was stunned and saddened by Ghosn's arrest. “I still canÂ’t figure out why, and I just donÂ’t understand,” he told reporters then. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida offered his condolences. “His wisdom and foresight will remain as an inspiration to the automotive industry, and we will always honor his memory,” Uchida said, stressing his role in building the alliance as well as other contributions to the overall auto industry. Mitsubishi's alliance with Nissan and Renault of France was seen as an astute move, giving the automakers an edge in an increasingly competitive global market. “During his tenure for about 16 years at MMC, Masuko made great achievements by fully demonstrating his management skills, which also enabled the company to overcome difficulties,” Mitsubishi Motors said. Masuko helped build the companyÂ’s business in Southeast Asia, a key source of growth. He also aggressively pushed the development of greener models. Masuko studied political science and economics at Waseda University and did not have an engineering background. He joined trading company Mitsubishi Corp. in 1972. In 2004, he joined Mitsubishi Motors, which makes the Pajero and Outlander sport utility vehicles, as managing director of its overseas operations. Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors said it is not planning any special services, respecting MasukoÂ’s wishes. The family has already held a vigil and funeral, it said. Related Video:

Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II points the way forward with its angular look [w/video]

The Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II on display at the Geneva Motor Show isn't really a completely new vehicle but more of thorough reworking of the earlier XR-PHEV from the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. For the latest interpretation, the Japanese brand is getting the design ready for an eventual debut for the road. While the two concepts look practically identical at first glance, the XR-PHEV II is far more possible for production than its predecessor. The grille and hood now feature openings to let the vehicle cool its plug-in hybrid system, and the rear design offers enough glass to actually let the driver see out of the back. The interior for the latest version also looks mostly functional this time and is clad in eye-catching orange upholstery. The XR-PHEV II's powertrain is a bit more mysterious, though. It's a front-wheel drive PHEV that's powered by a 12-kWh battery and offers a total output of 160 horsepower. However, Mitsubishi isn't taking about the internal combustion engine's displacement or the model's transmission. Still, the company is clear that this look is a glimpse at its future crossovers, and that would be a welcome change. XR-PHEV II's more angular design would certainly liven up Mitsubishi's somewhat staid lineup.

Mitsubishi Fuso targets female truckers with pink polka dot Canter

We take it for granted that women can enter just about any career they want now. But there are still countless occupations where females are underrepresented. You don't see too many women truckers, for example - particularly in a country that's still as deeply traditional as Japan. But Mitsubishi Fuso is showing just how forward thinking - and simultaneously, how traditional (pink polka dots are a bit 'on the nose') it can be with this hybrid pink truck.
Now for those unfamiliar, the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation has nothing to do with Mitsubishi the car company these days. Instead, it's owned by Daimler, which we know best as the parent company of Mercedes-Benz. Yet Daimler also owns a number of truck and bus manufacturers - among them Freightliner, Thomas Built and Mitsubishi Fuso. One of latter's most popular products is the Canter, the model seen here coated in the shade of Pepto pink at the Tokyo Motor Show.
The point? To make truck driving more attractive to women, of course! We're not sure it'll catch on, but apart from the color scheme - which extends, incidentally, from the cab to the box and inside the cabin - this particular Canter (which Fuso has dubbed Canna) features a hybrid powertrain that produces 130 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired to a 7.5Ah lithium-ion battery good for 270 volts. The whole package weighs 6,250 pounds and can carry three Japanese school girls dressed up as Sailor Moon in the front and plenty of Hello Kitty merchandise in the back.