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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

Should you buy an EV?

Gas prices are hitting the skids and EVs are following suit; nearly every model in today's market has experienced a double-digit decline in sales – with the always notable exception of the Tesla Model S. Some EVs are in the last year of their generation while others have been half-heartedly designed and engineered to fulfill federal government quotas. The two non-Tesla front runners, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, are in the unfortunate position of offering customers "2015" vehicles that were designed with 2011 in mind. Yet there's plenty of love in the air. Nissan has built over 180,000 Leafs worldwide, and chances are you will be seeing a second electric vehicle accompanying the Leaf when the new generation is released in the coming months. The Chevy Volt now offers the highest customer satisfaction out of any car or truck sold in North America. Forget the luxury cars, the sports cars, the family trucksters, and even the rolling flagship that guides Tesla's jaw dropping valuation on Wall Street. You want happy with your EV? The brand that's rocking the segment right now is Chevy. It's been doing so for a while. The EV market is poised to become a lot more sophisticated over the next 18 months with the three leading manufacturers – Tesla, General Motors, and Nissan – launching five brand new models along with no fewer than 16 other manufacturers making many of their bread and butter cars available as plug-in hybrids. So, if you want to keep your money as far away from the Arab dictatorships and Russian mafia as Mercury is from Pluto, and enjoy your commute, we're more than ready to do our part! So let's begin with the most important question. What's Your Range? How much driving do you generally do in a day? If the answer to that question is 50 miles or fewer, an all-electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf may be the best ingredient for your driving recipe. This is especially true if you have a second vehicle you can use for the occasional longer drive or are willing to rent for the weekend. But here's a little surprise for you. The upcoming Chevy Volt was designed to be driven in all-electric mode for over 50 miles. Fifty-three, to be exact. Plus, the Volt's battery has experienced a lot fewer deterioration issues than the Nissan Leaf's due in part to the Volt's liquid-cooled battery, which also uses a lot less of its capacity than the air-cooled Leaf's does.

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander confirmed for New York debut

Mitsubishi is putting a lot of work into updating its lineup this year after strong sales growth in 2014. In addition to bringing the Concept GC-PHEV (pictured above) to the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, the Japanese brand is already spilling the beans about its plans for the New York Auto Show. "All of our 2016 model year vehicles will be refreshed with our new brand identity, starting with the 2016 Outlander, which will make its world premiere at the New York International Auto Show in April," Mitsubishi Motors North America Executive Vice President Don Swearingen said at the Chicago show. The future Outlander has already been spied testing in Europe. However, the launch of the plug-in variant has reportedly been pushed back until some time around April 2016. In the meantime, the Mitsubishi is showing the Concept GC-PHEV from an earlier Tokyo Motor Show in the Windy City. The company promises the vehicle's chunky design suggests its future design language, which is rumored to preview a future Montero. Under the hood, the GC-PHEV has a supercharged V6 and plug-in hybrid making 335 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic gearbox with power going to all four wheels. The GC-PHEV also has some sci-fi features to go with its next-gen looks, including something called the Tactical Table. While the name sounds like a high-tech way to play board games, the system lets occupants share information from a smartphone with the vehicle and other passengers. The concept includes an augmented reality windshield and collision mitigating braking, as well. Related Video: MITSUBISHI MOTORS CONCEPT GC-PHEV MAKES NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AT THE 2015 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW Futuristic, full-size crossover concept provides a glimpse at the brand's new design language applied to a large SUV Features a powerful yet highly efficient supercharged V-6/electric motor plug-in hybrid, 8-speed automatic transmission and full-time Super All-Wheel Control all-wheel drive Features technology that Mitsubishi is working towards incorporating into production vehicles Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the futuristic Mitsubishi Concept GC-PHEV at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show. The full-size SVU concept provides a glimpse at the brand's new design language applied to a large vehicle.