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2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport shows its big, new face in America

The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport initially showed us its new sheetmetal at the Geneva Motor Show, but we got a chance to check out the vehicle in the flesh at the company's research and development center in Ann Arbor, Mich., today. Nearly everything we learned about the Outlander Sport (known as the ASX in other markets) before applies to the North American version of the vehicle. However, one aspect we were uncertain of was the continued presence of the manual transmission. We asked, and Mitsubishi is officially dropping the stick shift version of the Outlander Sport with this update. It was previously only available on the base trim level, exclusively paired with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Mitsubishi was one of the last holdouts to offer a manual transmission option in the small crossover market, and now they're officially out. Three-pedal versions of the Outlander Sport represented just 2% of total model sales, so the business case just wasn't there anymore. We confirmed that the powertrains from the 2019 model year car will carry over to the 2020 Outlander Sport, which means you'll have the choice between the 148 horsepower 2.0-liter or the 168 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Both engines are paired to a CVT. Of course, all-wheel drive will also continue to be available optionally. The big changes are in the styling that Mitsubishi thinks will make it stand out among competitors. Looking at the crossover directly in the face gives us a real truck-like and rugged vibe. This is where Mitsubishi put most of its eggs, appealing to folks who want a tougher looking vehicle. To our eyes, the execution comes off as a bit haphazard, lacking in cohesiveness with the sheer number of things going on. There's gray satin plastic, piano black plastic and flat black plastic all hanging out next to each other. Then the "shield" sort of juts outward at us, standing in stark contrast with the shiny reflective surfaces on either side of it. Judge for yourself, but the previous design was slick and much simpler than this mash up. Mitsubishi kept things relatively subdued out back, and we like the evolution of the taillights and rear bumper here. There isn't much to speak about down the sides other than a different wheel design and a small fake vent added. One could argue the interior was the Outlander Sport's sorest point, but sadly Mitsubishi chose to neglect this part of the car.

2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport recalled over brake lamps

Mitsubishi is recalling certain 2013 Outlander Sport models for a couple of brake-related reasons. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the brake lamps may illuminate continuously or intermittently. On top of that, the NHTSA report states that the vehicle's shift lever could be moved out of the Park position without depressing the brake pedal.
A total of 4,539 Outlander Sport models are being recalled for these issues. All of the affected vehicles were built between June 11 and September 11, 2012.
Obviously, both of these issues can be hazardous. If the brake lamps do not illuminate properly, other vehicles may not realize that the car is stopping. And if the shift lever can be moved from Park without touching the brake pedal, the vehicle could roll away unexpectedly.

Renault to propose joint holding company with Nissan, Nikkei reports

TOKYO — Renault SA will propose to Nissan Motor Co a plan to create a joint holding company that would give both firms equal footing as the French automaker seeks further integration with its Japanese partner, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday. Under the proposal, both firms would nominate a nearly equal number of directors to the new company in which ordinary shares in both Nissan and Renault would be transferred on a balanced basis, the newspaper said, without citing sources. This would effectively dilute the stake held by the French government in Renault to around 7-8 percent, from its current 15 percent, it added. The new company would be headquartered in a third country, such as Singapore. Renault plans to make the proposal to Nissan soon, the Nikkei said, having modified an earlier merger idea that Nissan rejected on April 12. Nissan declined to comment on the issue. The Financial Times newspaper reported that both Nissan and the Japanese government have refused to engage in merger talks with Renault. The report of the proposal comes as the outlook for the alliance — one of the world's top automaking partnerships — has clouded since the arrest in November of its main architect, Carlos Ghosn, for suspected financial misconduct. It also comes as Nissan's financial performance struggles following years of focusing on volume sales over building its brand, particularly in the United States, its biggest market. Nissan slashes its forecast This week, the Japanese automaker slashed its profit forecast for the year just ended to its lowest in nearly a decade, citing weakness in its U.S. operations. Renault for years has been vying for a closer merger with Nissan, which it rescued from the brink of bankruptcy two decades ago. Ghosn had been working to achieve a deeper integration before his arrest on financial misconduct charges in November last year. While the automakers have been consolidating many of their operations over the past decade, including procurement and production, many executives at Nissan have opposed an all-out merger with Renault. Instead, Nissan has argued for a more equal footing with Renault, which holds a 43 percent stake in its bigger partner. Nissan holds a 15 percent stake in Renault. It was unclear whether Renault would hold the casting vote in major decisions at the new company, as it did in Renault-Nissan B.V., a strategic management company jointly held by both companies that oversaw operations for the partnership.