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Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan expand partnership, US will get new sedan

Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan have just inked an alliance that might, hopefully, reverse the ailing fortunes of the Mitsubishi brand in the US market. The big chunk of news is that Mitsubishi will produce two Renualt-based models for sale in the US market, and that they'll be built at the Renault-Samsung factory in Busan, South Korea.
The plans call for a D-segment sedan to be followed by a C-segment offering. Based on the cars built at the Busan factory, that means Mitsubishi will be getting the SM5 and the SM3, a pair of handsome sedans that are based on Renault-Nissan's D and C platforms, respectively. These same platforms underpin a number of US market Nissans (not to mention a number of cars from Renault), namely the Pathfinder, Maxima, Quest and Murano for the D platform and the last-generation Rogue and Sentra for the C platform.
Besides the sedan production, Nissan and Mitsubishi will be expanding their joint-venture company, NMKV, which produces Kei cars for the Japanese market. A new, all-electric offering will be born from the partnership, likely based on a Kei car platform. The partnership between the three brands will also lead to increased sharing of technology, particularly relating to electric cars.

Mitsubishi celebrates 100-year-old car with PHEV re-creation

Back in 1917, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. made its foray into the automotive world with the Model A. It had a production run of just 22 units, but it was enough to make Mitsubishi Motors possible as a car company. Now, 100 years later, Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is revisiting its roots, but with a contemporary touch, by re-creating the car with the help of West Coast Customs. The California-based shop will build a Mitsu Model A with its original, century-old looks, but with a modern, advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain and a host of current technology. The custom Model A will celebrate a century of Mitsubishi by building the Model A on the Outlander PHEV platform. Despite its 21st-century capabilities, the centennial celebration vehicle "will feature all the distinctive aspects of the 1917 vehicle," according to MMNA Senior Director of Marketing Francine Harsini. The original Model A was powered by a 2.8-liter four-cylinder engine making 35 horsepower. The Outlander PHEV, upon which the new Model A will be based, uses a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors providing power to all four wheels. West Coast Customs will build the plug-in Mitsubishi Model A at its facility in Burbank, Calif., with plans to finish it this summer. An episode of the Inside West Coast Customs show on the Velocity channel will feature the build of the centennial Model A. Related Video: Related Gallery 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: New York 2016 View 15 Photos News Source: Mitsubishi Green TV/Movies Mitsubishi Automotive History Electric Hybrid PHEV

Consumer Reports says these are the worst new cars of 2014

Consumer Reports has announced its annual list of worst vehicles, a cringe-inducing contrast to its list of top vehicles. Ignominiously leading the way in 2014 is Chrysler, which has a staggering seven models listed.
Jeep nearly sweeps the small SUV segment by itself, with its Compass, Patriot and 2.4-liter version of the new Cherokee, while the only midsize sedans listed by CR were the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger. The new Dodge Dart and the Dodge Journey round out CR's condemnation of Chrysler.
Ford is taking heat as well, with the Taurus, Edge and their counterparts from Lincoln all listed as the worst vehicles in their respective segments. Toyota doesn't fare much better, with its Lexus IS, Scion iQ and tC also making the list.