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

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Junkyard Gem: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback GTS

The Mitsubishi Lancer was available in the United States from the 2002 through 2017 model years, and nearly all of those cars were four-door sedans. The exception was the Lancer Sportback, a name first applied to a 2004-only wagon version and then to a hatchback Lancer sold for the 2010-2014 model years. I'm always looking for unusual Mitsubishis during my junkyard travels, be they obscure examples of badge engineering, long-forgotten marketplace failures or confusing special editions. Here's a 2010 Lancer Sportback, found in a Denver self-service yard recently. The Lancer name has a lengthy history in the United States, but all of it during the 20th century involved Dodge models. For 1955 through 1959, the Lancer name was applied to hardtop versions of Dodge's Royal, Custom and Coronet. Then it was used for the Dodge-badged version of the Plymouth Valiant for 1961 and 1962, with the Dart name gradually squeezing the Lancer name to the side during that second year. Lancers returned to American Dodge showrooms as members of the extended K-Car family, with rebadged Chrysler LeBaron GTSs sold here for the 1985 through 1989 model years. Mitsubishi began building its own Lancers all the way back in 1973, and some of those cars were sold here during the 1970s and 1980s as Dodge Colts, Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Sapporos and Plymouth Arrows. Plenty of manufacturers have used variations of the "Sportback" designation over the decades, with one of the earliest being the Nissan Pulsar NX Sportbak. Buick sold Regal Sportbacks as recently as 2020, and Audi still uses the term here today. The "Liftback" name enjoyed prominence for quite a while but has faded from mainstream use in recent years, while the "Wagonback" appellation never caught on despite Geo's best efforts. The 2010 Lancer Sportback was available in two trim levels: GTS and Ralliart. The Ralliart got a turbocharged engine, all-wheel-drive and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic shared with the Evo; the GTS had front-wheel-drive and a five-speed manual as base equipment (this car has the optional CVT with paddle shifters). The engine is a 2.4-liter straight-four rated at 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque; the Ralliart had 237 horses and 253 pound-feet. The MSRP for the 2010 Lancer Sportback GTS was $19,190, or about $27,193 in 2023 dollars. This one appears to have endured some lean times during its final months or years on the road, with several field-expedient repairs performed with tape.

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.

2023 Mitsubishi Colt name reborn in a hatchback with a familiar design

Mitsubishi is dusting off the heritage-laced Colt nameplate to plant its stake in one of the biggest segments of the European market. The new hatchback is scheduled to make its debut in June, and a dark preview image confirms that it's closely related to the Renault Clio. The teaser keeps most of the Colt's design hidden, but we see enough to tell that it shares more than a passing resemblance with the Clio, which is one of the best-selling cars in Europe. From the shape of the rear lights to the crease in the hatch, the styling cues that characterize the Renault's back end are present on the Mitsubishi. We haven't seen the front end yet, but we're assuming it will be very Clio-esque with the obvious exception of a Mitsubishi logo on the grille. This is badge-engineering rather than leveraging economies of scale, Supra-style. We already have a decent idea of what the specifications sheet will look like. Mitsubishi announced the entry-level engine will be a 1.0-liter three-cylinder rated at about 66 horsepower and bolted to a five-speed manual transmission; European motorists still buy stick-shifts, especially at this price point. Next up is a turbocharged version of the triple rated at 90 horsepower and linked to a six-speed manual, while buyers who want a hybrid will be able to pay extra for a 141-horsepower gasoline-electric drivetrain that consists of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, a pair of electric motors, and an automatic transmission. Like the Clio, the Colt will exclusively be available with front-wheel-drive. Built by Renault in Turkey, the new Mitsubishi Colt will make its debut on June 8. It doesn't sound like the hatchback will be sold in the United States. Renault hasn't homologated the Clio in our market, and the segment that the Colt would compete in is microscopic at best, at least in the U.S. When it lands, the Colt won't be the only Renault-designed Mitsubishi: the second-generation ASX launched recently is a re-badged Captur. Although badge-engineering brings with it a big bag of controversy, this is the only way Mitsubishi can justify a presence in Europe. Never spectacularly popular across the pond, the Japanese firm told its dealers in 2020 that it would exit the European and British markets. It hasn't returned to the United Kingdom, but the Renault-built Colt and ASX allowed it to keep selling cars in Europe while keeping costs in check.