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Mitsubishi wants to bring a plug-in hybrid Montero to the US

As Mitsubishi's turnaround takes hold, we can talk less about the company's survival in the US market and more about what kinds of products we might see in the future: there's a hybrid Evo on the way and its joint venture with Renault-Nissan will deliver a C-segment sedan. Furthermore, it might even deliver a dividend to its shareholders next year.
In addition to Mitsubishi announcing its intent to focus on SUVs, pickup trucks and crossovers, company president Osamu Masuko gave an interview to Automotive News saying that the plan is for model lines to have two or three power train options: gas, plug-in hybrid, diesel. Believing that fuel economy standards will force the expansion of the plug-in hybrid market, Masuko wants to bring a PHEV Pajero to the US (the Montero in our market) because it will restore the brand's place in the full-size SUV segment with a well known nameplate, and help the company reach its goal of making PHEVs 20 percent of its product offering.
We love the idea of a new Montero - and we hope there's a traditional gas model that would come with the PHEV - the question is what would it look like? The Concept GC-PHEV we saw at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show could offer clues, but with Masuko listing the SUV as the company's second most popular model behind pickups, how daring could designers get with it? On the other hand, if you compare the Concept PX-MiEV shown at Tokyo in 2011, the similarity to the production Outlander is more than one might expect for a crossover that's become a major seller for the brand. With an introduction due in 2015 or 2016, we shouldn't have to wait long to find out. Regrettably, there's still no word on the return of a Mitsubishi pickup truck.

Mitsubishi Electric unveils Emirai 4 autonomous EV concept for Tokyo

Mitsubishi Electric – a separate arm from Mitsubishi Motors ­– specializes in electronics. That includes things like air conditioning and refrigerators, but also covers a number of automotive systems and parts ranging from engine control units to power steering to electrification products. Now, Mitsubishi Electric is putting that expertise to use in the field of future mobility, unveiling an entire concept car, called the Emirai 4, for the Tokyo Motor Show. The Emirai 4 is electric, and can switch between normal and autonomous driving. It has a head-up display that uses augmented reality, powered by high-accuracy 3D mapping and positioning tech, to emphasize lane markings, making them more visible at night or in lousy weather. A central display is equipped with a sliding knob that can be assigned various functions, and is intended to help the driver keep their eyes on the road. The car is also equipped with a driver sensing system. It uses an interior camera to monitor the driver and passenger by detecting head position and posture. It can alert the driver to unsafe driving, respond to the driver or passenger's individual conditions to make them more comfortable, and aids in providing a smooth transition between autonomous and manual driving modes. The Emirai 4 also features an intelligent lighting system that detects when someone is going to open the door. That way, it can project an image onto the road and light up an alert on the rear of the car to alert passersby, hopefully preventing a collision with the door buy a pedestrian, cyclist, or another motorist. We'll be at the Tokyo Motor Show, so we'll be able to dig a little deeper into how these systems work (and get some better photos) when we see the Emirai 4 in person. This won't be the only concept bearing the Mitsubishi name at the Tokyo Motor Show. Mitsubishi Motors is planning its own unveiling of an electric vehicle called the e-Evolution. That all-wheel-drive SUV uses artificial intelligence to improve your driving skills. Mitsubishi has been teasing the e-Evolution, which borrows its name from the hardcore Lancer we all know and love, and it will get its full reveal next week. Related Video:

Nissan and Renault shelve merger plans, will repair their alliance

Renault and Nissan have shelved plans to push towards the full merger former leader Carlos Ghosn craved and will instead fix their troubled alliance to try to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, five senior sources told Reuters. Nissan has long resisted Renault's proposals for a full-blown merger as executives felt the French carmaker was not paying its fair share for the engineering work it did in Japan, sowing discord that some feared could wreck the partnership. Now, with carmakers around the world reeling from the pandemic, the partners are planning to overhaul an alliance that largely failed to convert its global scale into a competitive advantage beyond the joint procurement of parts. Both struggling carmakers are set to announce mid-term restructuring plans this week that will serve as a peace treaty designed to resolve the long-standing tensions, five people familiar with the overhaul told Reuters. "After the rain, the earth hardens," said one senior Nissan source, citing a popular Japanese proverb that means relationships become stronger after a period of strife. All five sources within the alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi, declined to be named because they are not authorized to speak with media. Nissan and Renault are each planning substantial restructuring and cost cuts that could affect tens of thousands of jobs, with the Japanese company to announce its measures on May 28 and its French partner likely to follow the next day. Before that, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Renault are holding a joint news conference on May 27 during which they are expected to outline the philosophy behind their new "leader-follower" approach to the alliance. The sources said the companies were unlikely to disclose many details at the events this week of how the new approach will be used to share costs as the companies were still working on specific projects. However, the crisis at both carmakers has accelerated efforts to resolve the disagreements that have stymied collaboration and cost-sharing in technology and product development for five years, the sources said. Mitsubishi, Nissan and Renault all declined to comment officially about alliance plans. 'Leader-follower' The alliance has steadily ramped up output over the years, delivering over 10 million vehicles for the first time in 2017, the first full year after Mitsubishi joined the partnership.