1993 Mitsubishi 3000gt Vr4 on 2040-cars

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Carlos Ghosn's new lawyer, 'the Razor,' starts slashing

TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn's new lawyer took aim at Nissan, prosecutors and courts on Wednesday, dismissing the charges against the ousted chairman as an internal company matter and saying Japan was out of step with international norms by keeping his client in jail. "This should have been dealt with as an internal matter," Junichiro Hironaka, nicknamed the Razor, said at his first press briefing. Ghosn, who was arrested in November over alleged financial misconduct and remains in detention in a Tokyo jail, picked a new team last week with long-time defense attorney Hironaka as a key member to replace Motonari Otsuru, a lawyer who once ran the prosecutor's office investigating him. Hironaka's combative style contrasts with the low-key approach adopted by media-shy Otsuru. Ghosn's switch to an aggressive legal strategy came after his attempts to win bail failed and just before lawyers were due to sit down with prosecutors and judges for the first time to hash out a schedule for pre-trial discovery meetings, where prosecutors will reveal evidence and submit a list of witnesses. Hironaka said he didn't know why Ghosn picked him, but added that Ghosn probably wanted an experienced criminal lawyer as the case moved toward trial. The 73-year-old defense attorney is reputed for winning high profile cases, including the acquittal of a senior lawmaker, Ichiro Ozawa, on financial misconduct charges. He also helped free a senior bureaucrat Atsuko Muraki who was jailed for four months on corruption charges fabricated by prosecutors. Yet, even with greater legal firepower the former Nissan Motor Co boss faces a criminal justice system where only three out of every 100 defendants pleading not guilty are acquitted. Neither does Japan have a plea-deal mechanism that would allow Ghosn to agree to lesser charges for a lighter sentence. "The change in lawyers means a change in style, but the legal strategy will still be the same. I don't think it increases Ghosn's chance of an acquittal," said Masashi Akita, a defense lawyer at Shin-Yu Law Office in Osaka, ahead of Wednesday's comments by Hironaka. Ghosn has lost his perch atop an automotive alliance trio of French carmaker Renault SA and Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Attempts to win bail, including an offer to wear a GPS ankle bracelet and hire security guards to stop him trying to tamper with evidence, failed.

Say Hello to the Kitty edition Mitsubishi Mirage

Japan is the country that gave us the GT-R, the LFA and the STI. But it's also the home of Hello Kitty. We try our best to ignore the commonality, but now Mitsubishi is putting it right in our faces with the new Hello Kitty edition Mirage.
Decked out in pink, the special Mirage arrives on the occasion of the character's 40th anniversary. It comes decked out with Hello Kitty decals on the outside, special hubcaps and unique upholstery. It's even got a Hello Kitty pillow inside, for crying out loud.
Fortunately, only 400 examples will be made, hopefully only for domestic consumption, wearing a sticker price of 116,970 yen (equivalent to about $12k). Now we wish we could say this was a first, but sadly it's not - not even for Mitsubishi.

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport recalled for leaky transmission

The Basics: Mitsubishi Motors is recalling 45,731 Outlander Sport crossovers from model year 2015. Built between June 25, 2014 and November 25, 2015, the affected vehicles use the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmissions. The Problem: A clamp on the CVT hose may have been installed incorrectly. If the hose comes off, transmission fluid can leak out. While the transmission will start acting up – and eventually grind to a halt – the bigger concern is what happens if the transmission fluid comes into contact with hot surfaces: fire. Injuries/Deaths: Thankfully, it doesn't sound any owners have crashed, caught fire, or been injured or killed due to loss of transmission fluid. Mitsubishi didn't list injuries or fatalities in its recall paperwork with NHTSA, but the chronology only describes "warranty claims," which sounds like the vehicles never caught fire. The Fix: Dealers will inspect the hose clamps on all 45,000 Outlander Sports and reinstall them if there's a problem. Repairs are free of charge. If you own one: Since NHTSA's bulletin doesn't advise owners on whether they should or shouldn't drive their vehicles, we recommend looking for leaks and checking your transmission fluid level as soon as possible. If it's low or leaking, you probably shouldn't drive. Featured Gallery 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport View 9 Photos News Source: NHTSAImage Credit: Mitsubishi Recalls Mitsubishi Crossover Economy Cars