2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gt Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante VR-X

Mitsubishi has been selling cars and light trucks under its own name in the United States since the Starion, Tredia, Cordia and Mighty Max appeared here as 1983 models, but only one big luxury sedan has ever been in the Mitsubishi Motors USA lineup: the Diamante. For the last few years of the Diamante's availability here, a factory-hot-rod version of the Diamante known as the VR-X could be purchased. Here's one of those extraordinarily rare cars, now residing in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard. The Diamante was the successor to the Mitsubishi Sigma, an upscale "pillared hardtop" version of the fifth-generation Galant. The Sigma sold poorly here, but Mitsubishi had hopes of stealing some American-market sales from the strong-selling Lexus ES and Acura Legend. Making a North American version of the swanky Mitsubishi Debonair didn't seem like a wise investment (though some Debonair DNA eventually showed up here, within the Hyundai XG), and so the brand-new Diamante made its North American debut as a 1992 model. The first-generation Diamante was available in both sedan and wagon form, with the wagon getting the axe here after 1995. The second-generation Diamante sedan appeared in American Mitsubishi showrooms as a 1997 model, with sales here continuing through 2004. There was a facelift for the 2002 model year, after several miserable sales years in the United States, and the sporty VR-X version was added to the lineup at that time. The VR-X got some cladding, white analog gauges, a louder audio system, some performance upgrades and a fast-and-furious optional spoiler. The MSRP for the '03 VR-X was $27,557, or about $46,362 in 2023 dollars. The VR-X's engine was a 3.5-liter 6G-series V6, rated at 210 horsepower. This was just five horses better than the regular Diamante's 3.5-liter. All 2003 Diamantes sold in the United States came with mandatory four-speed automatics.  This car, like the Diamante wagons of the middle 1990s, was built in Australia. The leather seats came with VR-X embossing. This is a good example of a rare special-edition car that's not worth much now. Perhaps some Front Range Mitsubishi enthusiast will buy the unique VR-X wheels and other bits before this car goes to the crusher. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 0% interest, zero down payment, zero payments until 2004 on all new Mitsubishis. This content is hosted by a third party.

Tokyo court rejects Carlos Ghosn's bail request

TOKYO — A Tokyo court rejected former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn's latest request for bail on Tuesday, more than two months after his arrest. A statement from the Tokyo District Court announcing its decision gave no explanation for prolonging a detention of the 64-year-old executive, which has drawn international scrutiny of Japan's justice system. Ghosn had promised to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, give up his passport and pay for security guards approved by prosecutors in his latest attempt to gain release from a Tokyo detention center. His family said they will appeal. Ghosn has been in custody since Nov. 19. He had a bail hearing Monday. A Tokyo court rejected an earlier request for bail last week. Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor Co. for two decades, has been charged with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his compensation from Nissan over eight years, and with breach of trust, centering on allegations Ghosn had Nissan temporarily shoulder his personal investment losses and pay a Saudi businessman. Ghosn has said he is innocent, explaining that the alleged compensation was never decided, Nissan didn't suffer losses and the payment was for legitimate services. His wife, Carole Ghosn, appealed for his release through Human Rights Watch earlier this month, saying Ghosn's treatment has been harsh and unfair. Her views echo widespread criticism of Japan's criminal justice system both inside and outside Japan. Suspects who insist they are innocent get held longer. Suspects are held in a cell and routinely grilled daily by investigators without a lawyer present, although lawyers are allowed to visit. Ghosn's lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru has acknowledged Ghosn's release may not come until the trial, which may be six months away. A date for the trial has not been set. Nissan officials say an internal investigation has found that Ghosn had schemes to hide his income and that he used company money and assets for personal gain. A special committee Nissan set up after Ghosn's arrest to strengthen governance held its first meeting Sunday. Seiichiro Nishioka, a former judge and co-chair, told reporters after the meeting that Ghosn had shown questionable ethics, and too much power within the company had been focused in one person. The committee's findings are due by late March. Ghosn's pay was long a sticking point in Japan, where executives generally get paid far less than their American and other Western counterparts.

Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart hints at performance comeback

Mitsubishi Motors has not had a very good decade. Their lineup has dwindled down to four models and the the company has struggled to stay relevant as a brand as they hemorrhage market share. However, a new Triton Ralliart truck shows some signs of life in a company once rich with enthusiast-oriented offerings. The Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart will participate in the 2022 Asia Cross Country Rally, which takes place primarily in Thailand. The Triton is built there and exported throughout southeast Asia, which happens to be one of the few markets in which Mitsubishi still enjoys decent sales. Though not sold in the U.S., the four-wheel-drive Ranger-sized pickup is available in four-cylinder gas, diesel and turbodiesel configurations, the most powerful of which makes 176 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Manual and automatic transmissions are available, with the latest versions each offering six speeds. The Triton marks a return for the company's Ralliart banner. Though Mitsubishi had been rally racing since the 1960s, the Ralliart name only made its debut in 1981. The dedicated motorsports arm allowed the company to build and campaign models like the Lancer and Galant VR-4 in international rally races, ultimately leading to a slew of World Rally Championship wins, and an equally impressive string of victories at the Paris-Dakar Rally.  Ralliart folded up in 2010 after the global financial crisis and lay dormant for over a decade. Last year Mitsubishi quietly revived the brand, revealed a concept, released a lineup of accessories for its vehicles (available only in Asia) and hinted at a racing comeback. The Triton is the first Ralliart-branded vehicle since the revival. Mitsubishi didn't reveal what modifications were made to the Triton. One encouraging sign, however, is the fact that the rally team is headed by Hiroshi Masuoka, a long-time Mitsubishi driver who won the Paris-Dakar twice. Masuoka was also a test driver who helped develop the Pajero (known in the U.S. as the Montero). Sadly, the Pajero factory was sold last week to a toilet paper manufacturer, but perhaps Masuoka can recapture a bit of Mitsubishi's past glory with the Triton, even if he's essentially starting from scratch. The Triton effort, and yesterday's announcement that Mitsubishi was donating 1 million euros to aid Ukrainian refugees, suggests Mitsubishi feels it is in a better place financially.