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Mitsubishi CEO vows to stay in US on heels of Suzuki's departure

By now, you're surely aware that Suzuki is pulling out of the US market. It was a bit of a foregone conclusion to most who've been paying attention to the automotive realm, but it still sent a small shockwave through the industry. And one of the most oft-heard retorts goes something like this: "Next up: Mitsubishi."
It's easy to understand why many question Mitsubishi's existence in the States. After all, now that Suzuki is gone, Mitsubishi is the Japanese automaker with the fewest sales in America. Furthermore, the automaker's market share has dropped from .7 percent to just .4 percent after seeing sales fall 29 percent to 50,103 units through October.
In any case, Mitsubishi fans needn't worry. Speaking to Automotive News, Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko said, "We have no intention whatsoever of withdrawing from the US market." That's about as clear as clear can get. It's also worth mentioning that Gayu Uesugi was just named chairman of Mitsubishi Motors North America, and his main responsibility will be to revitalize the brand in the US.

Mitsubishi prices 2014 Outlander from $22,995*

Mitsubishi will gladly sell you a 2014 Outlander ES for $22,995, excluding an $835 destination fee. Buyers can step up to the middle-tier Outlander SE for $23,795, or around $200 less than last year. That stack of cash will net you 18-inch aluminum wheels, a 6.1-inch LCD information display, dual-zone climate control and other goodies. Somewhat more impressively, Mitsubishi has cut the price tag for the Outlander GT by $800. That machine will run you $27,795, and throws in a more potent V6 engine, the company's Super All-Wheel Control system and HID headlamps.
The 2014 Outlander bows with an all-new exterior design, and base models receive a 166-horsepowr 2.4-liter four-cylinder paired with a continuously variable transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. That driveline is good for 24 miles per gallon city and 29 mpg highway. Check out the full pricing press release below and our own Jonathon Ramsey's first drive here.

Mitsubishi could add 'Evo' crossover

You should have done this years ago, but in case you haven't, open your dictionaries to the word "Sacred" and tear the entire page out. Done? Good. Now, to continue... With the traditional sedan-based, gas-powered Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution using its four driven wheels to enter the grave at the end of this year, Auto Express reports that it's possible that Mitsubishi could use the "Evo" appellation on a high-performance, all-wheel-drive version of the Outlander Sport (called the "ASX" in Europe). This has been more than a year in the making, in truth. Last year Mitsubishi said that another "high-performance four-wheel-drive gasoline-powered sedan" wasn't going to happen, and that what did come would be a result of exploring "the possibilities of high-performance models that incorporate electric vehicle technology." As Auto Express sees it, the next-generation Outlander Sport will launch initially with four-wheel drive, followed by a two-wheel-drive, plug-in hybrid model. The company's UK chief said that an Evo-worthy model "isn't a huge jump" from there, once the bread-and-butter segments are satisfied. Mitsubishi is doing much better financially, and this would be one of the experiments it could now afford to try out. An Outlander Sport Evo isn't done and dusted - there's no business case for it yet, and who knows, a potential Evo version could be a UK- or Europe-only trim - but "a lot of senior management" is discussing it.