2002 Mitsubishi Spider, No Reserve on 2040-cars

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FCA-Renault revival may hinge on willingness to cut Nissan stake

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault are looking for ways to resuscitate their collapsed merger plan and secure the approval of the French carmaker's alliance partner Nissan, according to several sources close to the companies. Nissan is poised to urge Renault to significantly reduce its 43.4% stake in the Japanese company in return for supporting a FCA-Renault tie-up, two people with knowledge of its thinking also told Reuters. It is still far from clear whether any concerted effort to revive the complex and politically fraught deal can succeed. FCA Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew his $35 billion merger offer in the early hours of June 6 after the French government, Renault's biggest shareholder, blocked a vote by its board and demanded more time to win Nissan's backing. Nissan representatives had said they would abstain. The failure, which FCA and Renault blamed squarely on the French government, deprived both companies of an opportunity to create the world's third-biggest carmaker with 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in promised annual synergies. It also shone a harsh light on Renault's relations with Nissan, which have gone from frayed to fried since the November arrest of former alliance Chairman Carlos Ghosn, now awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges he denies. REVIVAL TALKS Italian-American FCA — whose brand stable encompasses Fiat runabouts, Jeep SUVs, RAM pickups, Alfa Romeo luxury cars and Maserati sports cars — has so far turned a deaf ear to suggestions by French officials that its merger proposal could be revisited. But since the breakdown, Elkann and his French counterpart Jean-Dominique Senard have had talks about reviving the plan that left the Renault chairman and his Chief Executive Thierry Bollore upbeat about that prospect, three alliance sources said. Renault and a spokesman for FCA declined to comment. One of Elkann's senior advisors on the Renault merger bid, Toby Myerson, was expected at Nissan headquarters in Yokohama on Monday for exploratory discussions with top management, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa is likely to attend. Myerson did not respond to a message from Reuters seeking comment. The meeting comes amid mounting strains that may preclude compromise, after Senard warned Saikawa that Renault was prepared to block key Nissan governance reforms in a dispute over board committees.

Look what West Coast Customs did to a 100-year-old Mitsubishi Model A

A hundred years ago, Mitsubishi made its first car, called the Model A. Back in April of this year, the automaker said it would update an example of that original model, electrifying it with the help of West Coast Customs. The result is the Mitsubishi Re-Model A, which combines old-school looks with the automaker's plug-in hybrid powertrain borrowed from the Outlander PHEV. To make room for the Outlander PHEV's chassis, West Coast Customs had to stretch the body of the Model A, while attempting to retain as much of its original form as possible. Once that was completed, they gave the car new door panels and modern steering wheel and parking brake. With two drive motors, the Re-Model A gets Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control. The resulting car is a little funky looking. It's got wide, modern wheels and tires that look out of place. The front end takes on a new shape that looks odd from certain angles. On the plus side, it's probably faster and better to drive (depending on your perspective) than the original, which had a 2.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 35 horsepower. We drove the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that the Re-Model A gets its chassis from, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Still, watching the mechanics tear down a 100-year-old vehicle — which will never be the same again — makes us cringe. Mitsubishi has a microsite devoted to the Re-Model A if you'd like to learn more. Related Video:

2016 Mitsubishi Lancer adds features, loses Ralliart

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution may be going away, but the base car is sticking around for the foreseeable future, as evidenced by a host of changes for the 2016 model year. The same basic look has been updated with a bolder front bumper that features vertical LED accents. The rear end, though, looks totally free of any significant changes. The profile gets some small updates, including mirrors with integrated turn signals and a flashy (optional) set of 18-inch wheels. The Lancer's cabin gets a similarly modest array of upgrades, including standard USB connectivity in a redesigned center console, standard display audio, and a redesigned, optional infotainment system. In addition to the new standard features Mitsu will offer a color LCD display in the instrument cluster, the LED running lights, and automatic air conditioning on the base ES trim. Mechanically, Mitsubishi has expanded the availability of its snappy All-Wheel Control all-wheel-drive system. Not only will it be offered on as standard on the carried-over SE and new SEL trim, but it can be snagged as an option on the base ES trim. All AWD-equipped cars will feature the same CVT8 offered on the Outlander Sport and Outlander, although front-drive trims, the base ES, and the more aggressively styled GT, will offer a five-speed manual as standard. Despite the new CVT, the engine lineup is unchanged for 2016, with the base ES using a 2.0-liter, 148-hp four-cylinder, while all other trims get a more robust, 168-hp, 2.4-liter mill. And now, the bad news. Just as there will be no more Lancer Evolution, Mitsubishi has dropped the lukewarm Lancer Ralliart. Slotting in between the Evo and the Lancer GT, the Ralliart offered all-wheel-drive, turbocharged power, and the Evo's dual-clutch transmission, along with a dose of its big brother's style. Prices get a tiny bump for 2016, with the Lancer's base price jumping up $200, to $18,405. Adding a CVT increases the price by $1,000, while all-wheel drive requires another $400. The AWD-only SE starts at $21,805, while the SEL demands another $1,000. Finally, the top-end GT starts at $23,305 for a five-speed stick, or $24,305 for the CVT model. Read on for the official press release from Mitsubishi, and be sure to check out the updated Lancer in the gallery, up top.