2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Gs Convertible 2-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi says 2016 Outlander PHEV for US 'will be completely different'

While attending the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with Mitsubishi we got a chance to speak to three Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) executives about the Outlander PHEV, how the brand is strengthening its lineup and how it plans to promote that.
The Outlander PHEV that's quickly and quietly rolling off lots in Japan, Europe and Australia right now is not the same model we're going to get when it arrives in Fall 2015, with MMNA Executive Vice President Don Swearingen and US PR chief Alex Fedorak telling us that "it will be completely different." It can probably be viewed as the next-generation vehicle, part of the "major restyle in 2016" that will reskin the model in the new design language being applied to the brand's crossovers.
Its hybrid system is being tuned for more refinement, and the same work being done on the interior.

Your 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb primer: "Donuts at 14,000 feet."

The teams have all set up their pits and paddocks for today's run of the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and there's nothing left to do but take a shot at the title. At 8 am Mountain time (9 am EST / 7 am PST), the first of a field of 83 bikes and 63 cars - whittled from an original field of 157 - will race 12.42 miles through 156 turns from the start gate at 9,390 feet to the summit finish at 14,110 feet. The summit is where we'll be all day, having arrived on the media bus at around 5 am and not allowed to come down until the race is finished. If it's anything like last year that could mean a 14-hour day on the top munching on donuts at the summit café, begging for hits of pure oxygen and trying to stay hydrated and warm...
Here are the event with Hyundai, we enjoyed dinner with Rhys Millen got his take on what's happened and what's about to happen. Millen said the issue that caused his engine swap last week was minor, a head gasket (a production part) that was causing a bit of hesitation and a slight drop in top speed. He said it's the first time they've stressed the engines this hard, pushing boost pressures up to 19 psi at altitude, which equates to 25 psi at sea level. Offering testament to the strength of the engines, though, he said that Paul Dallenbach's engine did the entire 2012 drift season as well as Pikes Peak, and it's the engine being used again for the hill climb this year.
We also chatted with Dallenbach, who has come back from that beastly crash last year in the Unlimited category to lead almost every practice day this year in the Time Attack class. Telling us he's happier behind the wheel this year than he has been in 20 years, he asked us, "Know what my dashboard says when I turn the car on? 'Donuts at 14,000 feet.'"

The Mitsubishi GT-PHEV Concept offers an unsightly look into the automaker's future

It was only a few months ago that Mitsubishi teased the Grand Tourer Concept with an image of the SUV's side profile. Now that it's just a few weeks before the Paris Motor Show, Mitsubishi released some renderings of the GT-PHEV Concept that will influence the rest of the automaker's lineup for the future. Mitsubishi is touting the concept as a "high-end next-generation SUV." Styling may indeed be subjective, but the GT-PHEV Concept has a face that only a mother could love. There's a bit of Lexus-like hate-it-or-like-it in the fascia, and the rest of it looks similar to that of the eX Concept that was revealed last year. Both concepts have grille openings that resemble the letter X, three hexagonal fog lights on the sides, and tiny slivers for headlights. The side profile of the GT-PHEV Concept reminds us of a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, which isn't such a bad thing. The back of the concept features a rakish design with thin wrap-around taillights that also look good. If you can get past the SUV's looks, you'll find comfort the GT-PHEV's powertrain to be an interesting look into the future. The concept features Mitsubishi's next-gen plug-in hybrid system, which is comprised of three electric motors (one in the front and two at the back), a regular internal combustion engine, and a high-capacity battery. The systems work together as a full-time four-wheel-drive system. On electric-only power, the GT-PHEV Concept can travel an estimated 75 miles, while the car's total range is roughly 746 miles. Mitsubishi claims the GT-PHEV Concept is a ground tourer capable of chewing away the miles with ease. And while the automaker didn't include any images of the vehicle's interior, Mitsubishi claims the concept has a cockpit-like interior that wraps around the front passengers. The interior leather color can also be found on the roof of the vehicle for a "classy" look. Mitsubishi continues to focus on SUVs and crossovers, but we doubt the automaker will put a vehicle that looks like the GT-PHEV Concept on the road. We think this concept is more for show, but it will probably be used as inspiration for the design of the next Mitsubishi Outlander. Here's hoping that face gets toned down some.