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Mitsubishi EV drivers returning for another crack at Pikes Peak

At the 2014 edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Mitsubishi will once again come to play with powerful electric vehicles. And by play, we mean take EV racing incredibly seriously. The 14,115-foot hill climb takes place June 29 and Mitsubishi is sending drivers Greg Tracy and Hiroshi Masuoka to challenge the podium. Tracy knows the course thanks to winning the challenge six times on a motorcycle. We don't know what kinds of vehicles Mitusbishi will race this year, and all the company is saying is that it will use technology founds in the i-MIEV. Last year, the duo raced a pair of MiEV Evolution II electric vehicles, which had four electric motors and a combined maximum output of 400 kilowatts (536 horsepower). They finished with times of 10:21.866 (Masuoka) and 10:23.649 (Tracy), well behing the winner of the Electric Division, Nobuhiro Tajima, who drove the Tajima Monster Sports Special E-Runner up the hill in just 9:46.530. Anyone want to hazard a guess what Tracy and Masuoka will get this year? Mitsubishi Motors At The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Tuesday, May. 13 2014 Greg Tracy and Hiroshi Masuoka Will Compete For Mitsubishi In Electric Modified Division at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb On June 29 Colorado Springs, May 9----One of the top competitions at the 2014 The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be the quietest of them all. The talent-heavy Electric Modified Division already includes Nobuhiro Tajima, who won the Electric Division last year when he drove his Tajima Monster Sports Special E-Runner to a blazing time of 9:46.530, an Electric record and the seventh fastest time in the history of the race. Now, this exciting division has added two of the race's veteran stars to go head-to-head with Tajima for top honors in the world's most famous hill climb and America's second-oldest motorsport competition behind the famed Indianapolis 500. The powerful Mitsubishi Motors team will again field two factory teams on America's Mountain on June 29, driven by two of the most accomplished drivers in the history of the race. Greg Tracy, a six-time Pikes Peak motorcycle champion, will pilot one of the Mitsubishi Motors entries in the chase to the 14,115-foot summit of America's Mountain. Tracy, in his last ride on a bike, a Ducati, broke the ten-minute mark with a clocking of 9:58.262.

Mitsubishi teases next-generation Triton small pickup truck

Though Mitsubishi stopped selling pickup trucks in the U.S. in the '90s, the company never stopped selling them overseas. The Triton, or L200 as it's sometimes called, is in its fifth generation, which was introduced in 2014. Now it seems a sixth generation is on the way, as the company released a low-resolution teaser image of the latest pickup. It features many styling cues from recent Mitsubishi production and concept vehicles. It also probably isn't coming to America, but the odds of a U.S.-spec may actually be better than you might think. The teaser gives us a pretty good look at the new truck, despite the image quality and lighting. It has the "Dynamic Shield" front end, which is pulled straight from current models such as the Eclipse Cross and Outlander. The aggressive shape looks good on this larger body, as it's a little better proportioned when spread across the greater surface area. It looks like the whole body is sharp and angular to match it. But it's still definitely a conventional-looking pickup truck. Since this will be sold in many overseas markets where traditional trucks with traditional off-road capability is necessary, this will undoubtedly be a body-on-frame pickup with part-time selectable four-wheel drive. This is how the current model is constructed. And like the current model, there will likely be a turbocharged diesel four-cylinder available in many parts of the world. There's not much of a chance the new Triton will come to the U.S., but it's also not a 0-percent chance. The small truck market is strong right now, with the Toyota Tacoma and the combined Colorado/Canyon twins selling in six-figure numbers each year. It's strong enough that Ford has seen fit to finally bring the Ranger back to America, and for rumors to run rampant that FCA might reenter the fray with a Ram-badged truck under the fullsize 1500. Mitsubishi's U.S. dealers have also said they really want a pickup truck to sell. Granted, there are still the issues of passing emissions and safety regulations, and finding a way to deal with the Chicken Tax. So there's certainly opportunity here for Mitsubishi, but not without some difficulty. Related Video:

Swarm of bees descends on man's Mitsubishi

A man in Wales got quite a shock when he returned to his car only to find it covered in bees. According to the South Wales Evening Post, an unnamed driver parked Mitsubishi Outlander in front of the Three Crowns Pub in Haverfordwest, a city in Pembrokesire, Southwest Wales. When he returned, he discovered a large swarm of honeybees had come to roost on the rear of the car. Thankfully, before anyone could disturb the bees, a Pembrokeshire Coast National Park ranger named Tom Moses came across the scene. "It was spectacular, I was driving through when I sported the big brown splodge," Moses told the Evening Post. "A lot of people were really amazed by it, cars were slowing down and people were taking pictures of it." The bees were swarming the car after their queen became lodged in the trunk, according to the Guardian. Moses has an interest in bees and often speaks to people about the ways in which bees are threatened by pesticides and habitat destruction. "At the national park, we like people to be aware of how important bees are and how people should be looking after them," Moses told the paper. The ranger contacted the Pembrokeshire Beekeepers' Association and two members came out to collect the swarm. "I was a little bit concerned, with it being in the middle of town outside a pub, that someone might do something stupid and get hurt or do something stupid and hurt the bees," Moses said. His concern is valid. It's a very bad idea to tangle with stinging insects when you don't know what you're doing. Bees swarm to protect their queen, and are liable to swarm anything they see as a threat. If you ever find yourself in this unlikely scenario, call a professional beekeeper who can safely remove the hive. Avoid hiring an exterminator though. Bee populations have a hard enough time as it is. Honeybee die-offs and disappearances have been on the rise since 2006. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one of the primary culprits is Colony Collapse Disorder, which happens when all adult workers in a hive disappear leaving only immature bees and a queen behind. Related Video: