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Junkyard Gem: 1995 Mitsubishi Diamante Station Wagon

Chrysler sold Dodge- and Plymouth-badged Mitsubishis in the United States starting in the early 1970s, but it wasn't until the 1983 model year that Mitsubishi sold cars under their own name on this side of the Pacific. The Diamante made its American debut for the 1992 model year, but it proved unable to steal many sales from the likes of Lexus and Infiniti and not many were sold. Sure, it was big and comfortable, but SUV and minivan sales soon squeezed most wagons out of the American marketplace. Here's a rare '95 station wagon, spotted in a California yard recently. 240,664 miles on the clock, which is much higher than the not-very-trashed interior might suggest. The owner or owners of this car got their money's worth out of it. The 6G72 3.0-liter V6 went into Chrysler minivans, Mitsubishi 3000GTs, and many members of the extended Chrysler K-Car family; production of this versatile engine continued well into our current century. This one was rated at 175 horsepower. Technically, this isn't a Japanese car, since the Diamante wagons were built in Australia. Rumor has it that some 5-speed Diamante wagons were sold in the United States, but I have never seen one. 1995 was the last year for the Diamante wagon in the United States, and the Camry and Accord wagons soon got the axe as well. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. US-market Diamante ads went for a gauzy-focus Infiniti Q45-ish look. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Meanwhile, Japanese-market Diamante ads got roaring engines, macho voiceovers, and dramatic music. Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1995 Mitsubishi Diamante Station Wagon View 14 Photos Auto News Mitsubishi Wagon Classics

US expands probe into ZF-TRW airbag failure-to-deploy to 12.3 million vehicles

DETROIT — U.S. auto safety regulators have expanded an investigation into malfunctioning airbag controls to include 12.3 million vehicles because the bags may not inflate in a crash. The problem could be responsible for as many as eight deaths. Vehicles made by Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Fiat Chrysler from the 2010 through 2019 model years are included in the probe, which was revealed Tuesday in documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It involves airbag control units made by ZF-TRW that were installed in the vehicles. The control units can fail in a crash, possibly because of unwanted electrical signals produced by the crash itself that can disable an air bag control circuit housed in the passenger compartment, according to NHTSA documents. The electrical signals can damage the control circuit, the documents say. ZF, a German auto parts maker which acquired TRW Automotive in 2015, said in a statement that it's committed to safety and is cooperating with NHTSA and automakers in the investigation. The case is another in a long list of problems with auto industry airbags, including faulty and potentially deadly Takata airbag inflators. At least 24 people have been killed worldwide and more than 200 injured by the inflators, which can explode with too much force and hurl dangerous shrapnel into the passenger cabin. The inflators touched off the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history involving with as many as 70 million inflators to be recalled by the end of next year. About 100 million inflators are to be recalled worldwide. On April 19, NHTSA upgraded the ZF-TRW probe from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, which is a step closer toward seeking recalls. So far, only Hyundai and Kia and Fiat Chrysler have issued recalls in the case. Four deaths that may have been caused by the problem were reported in Hyundai-Kia vehicles and three in Fiat Chrysler automobiles. NHTSA opened an investigation in March of 2017 involving the TRW parts in Hyundais and Kias. The upgrade came after investigators found two recent serious crashes involving 2018 and 2019 Toyota Corollas in which the airbags did not inflate. One person was killed. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer group, said the ZF-TRW case shows the auto industry thus far has learned very little from Takata.

Mitsubishi Pajero Final Edition marks end of Japanese availability

Thirteen years ago, Mitsubishi discontinued the full-size Montero SUV in the U.S., and now the same thing is happening in its home country of Japan where it's called the Pajero. The company is marking the end of availability there with a Pajero Final Edition. Only 700 examples will be built. There isn't a whole lot that separates the Pajero Final Edition from normal ones. It has serial number badging inside, and special stickers on the outside commemorating the SUV's introduction in 1982. One cool feature is a Citizen watch with Final Edition branding that's only available to buyers of this Pajero. For a little extra, customers can opt for an exterior package that adds a rear spoiler, chrome spare tire cover and mud flaps with aluminum plates that spell out Pajero. It comes standard with either a black or tan leather interior, a sunroof, roof rails, cold-weather package, and under the hood a 3.2-liter diesel I4 coupled to a selectable four-wheel-drive system and five-speed automatic transmission. The price for it is 4,530,600 yen, or $40,602 at current exchange rates. Somewhat amazingly, this final Pajero isn't much different from the Montero that left our shores. The exterior has been lightly refreshed over the years with different lights and bumpers, and a more integrated spare tire cover. But it looks otherwise unchanged. The interior does sport more modern trimmings. The U.S. model also used a 3.8-liter gas-powered V6 rather than a diesel, but it did have a five-speed automatic like the current one. For diehard Montero and Pajero enthusiasts, this is a somewhat sad moment, but the good news is that Mitsubishi will continue to offer the SUV in other markets where fuel isn't as expensive and roads can still be seriously nasty.