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Mitsubishi ready to pull Evo's plug

We have all manner of unofficial metrics in the auto industry. No doubt you've heard some of them, like the butt dyno. Another popular measure is the smiles-per-dollar index - how entertaining is a car versus its price. Cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Scion FR-S and Mini Cooper S, for example, score quite highly, while vehicles like the BMW M5 or Audi RS7 are great to drive, but score lower because of their much higher price tags. For a long time, the king of the smiles-per-dollar index was arguably the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, which blended hair-raising thrills for the price of a well-equipped Ford Fusion Titanium.
Now, it looks like the Evo will need to hand over its title, as this generation of the rally-derived rocket is likely to be Mitsubishi's last - at least for a while. There's been no mention of just when production of the current car will end, so if you're in the market, we'd suggest trying to find a dealer with inventory ASAP. The news comes from the automaker's Japanese mothership, which says the brand will instead focus on utility vehicles and EVs. While there are no direct plans for a successor, an Evo XI as it were, the door remains open for a different kind of beast, according to Mitsubishi.
"Mitsubishi Motors does not have any plans to design a successor with the current concept, as a high-performance four-wheel drive gasoline-powered sedan," said Namie Koketsu, a spokesperson for Mitsubishi, according to Automotive News. "Mitsubishi Motors will explore the possibilities of high-performance models that incorporate electric vehicle technology."

Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors unveil light EVs for Japan

KURASHIKI, Japan — Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp and Nissan Motor Co unveiled their first jointly developed light electric vehicles (EVs), aiming to draw more Japanese drivers to battery-powered cars by offering low-priced micro models. The two Japanese automakers, part of an alliance with French carmaker Renault SA, were once considered trailblazers in Japan's EV market but have struggled to attract customers and face challenges from fast-growing newcomers such as Tesla. "I'm confident that (the new vehicles) representing the alliance will be a game changer for electric vehicles in Japan," Nissan Chief Executive Officer Makoto Uchida said at an unveiling of the new models in the western Japan city of Kurashiki. The automakers are hoping to leverage their presence in Japan's unique market for micro "kei" cars, which account for nearly 40% of cars on the road in Japan. The three companies' alliance early this year detailed a five-year plan to invest $26 billion on EV development, including kei cars. Nissan, which produces the Leaf and the Ariya electric vehicles, will offer its first light EV, the Sakura, starting at about 1.78 million yen ($13,891) after factoring in a government subsidy, and with a range of 180 km (112 miles). Mitsubishi Motors, maker of i-MiEV electric cars, will release the "eK cross EV" starting from about 1.85 million yen including the subsidy, also with a range of 180 km. Both automakers said they would start selling their new line-up of electric "kei" cars this summer. "People who used to think that EVs are too expensive will become a little more interested in EVs and will be willing to give them a try," said Riho Suzuki, Nissan regional product manager. ($1 = 128.1400 yen) (Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Edmund Klamann) Green Mitsubishi Nissan Hatchback Economy Cars Electric

Nissan, Renault reveal how they'll reshape alliance to cut costs, regain profit

TOKYO — The auto alliance of Nissan and Renault said Wednesday it will be sharing more vehicle parts, technology and models to save costs as the industry struggles to survive the coronavirus pandemic. Alliance Operating Board Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said the group, which also includes smaller Japanese automaker Mitsubishi, will have each company focusing on geographic regions. “There is no plan for a merger of our companies,” the chairman said. “Our model today is a very distinctive model ... we donÂ’t need a merger to be efficient.” He stressed the alliance needs to adjust to the “unprecedented economic crisis,” to pursue efficiency and competitiveness, not sheer sales volumes. “Now is the time to rebuild,” Senard said, making clear he believed the alliance remained strong. All automakers are suffering from the pandemic, and scaling back or suspending production, but Nissan was reeling before the crisis struck from a scandal involving its former chairman, Carlos Ghosn. Yokohama-based Nissan is due to report its annual results on Thursday and has forecast it will slip into its first yearly loss in 11 years. Under the latest so-called leader-follower initiative, Nissan will focus on China, North America and Japan; Renault on Europe, Russia and South America and North Africa, and Mitsubishi on Southeast Asia and Oceania, for the benefit of the entire alliance. Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida said the alliance planned to pursue fiscal strength together. “The synergy is huge,” he said. The number of vehicles sharing the same platform will double by 2024, saving 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion), according to Senard. The shared technology will also include electric cars and autonomous driving, platforms and car bodies, the executives said. Nissan is a leader in electric cars with its Leaf, but such technology will be available to the other alliance members, they said. The companies gave few details of how the revamp would deliver in the short term, as the car industry grapples with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and pressure to develop less polluting vehicles. They said in a joint statement that they aimed to produce nearly half of their vehicles under the new leader-follower approach by 2025 and hoped to cut investment per model in the scheme by up to 40%. The range of vehicles they produce is expected to fall by 20% by 2025 though the firms did not say how many jobs would go as they shift production.