1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gst Hatchback 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi refreshes the Triton truck for 2019

In September, Mitsubishi showed a teaser image of the new, redesigned Triton/L200 truck that refreshes the model originally introduced in 2014. Now, the new truck is here, except not here in the sense of being sold in the United States. Alas, we can hope. The new Triton/L200 is a global truck in the sense that it'll be sold in some 150 countries around the world, from Europe to Africa and Oceania, the Middle East and Latin America, but North America isn't part of the plan. Sales start Nov. 17 in Thailand, where the truck is built. Some 180,000 global yearly sales are planned. Looking at the photos released by Mitsubishi, the truck's nose has gained the new corporate styling direction that can also be seen on the Outlander, the Eclipse Cross, and even the re-facelifted Lancer that is sold in some countries. The front design is called "Dynamic Shield" in corporate Mitsubishi language, pointing to the more pronounced grille-intake combo with chrome effect. Otherwise, the basics of the Triton remain as before, with the truck likely to keep the time-honored 4G64 2.4-liter gasoline engine and two inline four diesel options. There are two 4WD systems on offer, either Super Select or Easy Select. Like we said in September, the small truck segment is hotly contested in the U.S. right now, and the Triton, were it sold in the States, would compete against the Tacoma, the Colorado and the Canyon, the Ford Ranger, and a possible Ram truck that would slot underneath the 1500. But the 25 percent Chicken Tax it's subjected to as a foreign-built truck makes it impossible to compete. The currently sold Ranger T6 is originally of Australian design, and as well as being made in Michigan it is also produced in Thailand like the Triton. Related Video:

Renault chairman dismisses reports Nissan wants to split from alliance

PARIS — Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said on Thursday there was a "real desire" within the top ranks of both companies for its alliance with Nissan to succeed, dismissing suggestions the partnership was on the rocks. Turmoil within the Franco-Japanese alliance, long dogged by internal rivalries, deepened following the November 2018 arrest in Tokyo of its architect and long-time boss Carlos Ghosn on charges of financial crimes, which he denies. Attempts to restore calm were dealt a fresh blow by Ghosn's dramatic flight from Japanese justice and a series of no-holds-barred allegations he has made from his refuge in Lebanon, including that he was the victim of a plot to oust him and that the alliance is now a "masquerade". Nissan has vigorously rejected Ghosn's stance, while both the Japanese firm and Renault have tried to rubbish suggestions their two decades old partnership is falling apart. "We have a board overseeing the alliance which is made up of people who are all extremely in favor of the alliance," Renault Chairman Senard told a briefing with reporters. "There is a common desire to associate our strategic plans and a real desire to make this alliance a success," he added, dismissing a report that Nissan was examining scenarios for a possible future outside of the alliance as "fake news." The 66-year-old declined to comment on anything related to Ghosn, adding: "I only think about the future." Renault shares were down 2% by 1123 GMT, underperfoming the broader auto sector which was down on news that Washington has threatened to impose tariffs on European car imports due to Europe's stance on Iran. Renault's French rival and Peugeot maker PSA Group also gave a flavor of some industry headwinds, reporting a 10% fall in its global sales last year as Chinese demand tanked. Renault is due to publish its 2019 global sales on Friday. JOINT PROJECTS Analysts see Renault-Nissan's cost-saving alliance as vital to both companies as the car industry battles a slowdown and huge investments in cleaner vehicles and automated driving, particularly as rivals PSA and Fiat Chrysler are merging to help meet these challenges. Renault held ultimately unsuccessful talks to combine with Fiat Chrysler last year, which Ghosn described at a Beirut news conference as a huge missed opportunity. Senard, who chairs the alliance's operating board, said on Thursday that once the partnership has been rebooted, other firms might potentially want to join.

Watch Mitsubishi Express van bend its way to 0-star crash test rating

Mitsubishi became a champion of economies of scale when it joined the Renault-Nissan alliance in 2016, but the merger triggered at least one undesirable side effect. The Express, a badge-engineered version of the Renault Trafic van, received a zero-star crash test rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). Released in Australia and in New Zealand in 2020, the Express was damned by the safety watchdog for lacking chest protection, a central airbag to prevent the occupants from hitting each other and an airbag for the passenger sitting in the middle of the three-person bench. ANCAP also noted the model is not available with electronic driving aids, like automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and lane-keeping assist. Mitsubishi Express crash test View 8 Photos Consequently, the Express scored 55% for adult occupant protection, 40% for vulnerable road user protection, and 7% for safety assist. ANCAP argued the Express is a safety hazard even to motorists not traveling in it. "The front structure of the Express presented a high risk to the occupants of an oncoming vehicle," it wrote, adding that this gave the van a penalty. It pointed out that more driving aids would have increased the rating, however. While vans often lag behind in the safety department, scoring zero stars is highly unusual, especially in 2021; the last-generation Express managed to score a one-star rating in 2011. The Toyota HiAce tested in 2019 received a five-star rating, while the made-in-China LDV G10 managed to score three stars in a 2015 crash test. In Europe, the Trafic that the Express is based on earned a three-star rating in 2015, though tests have gotten stricter since. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.