2012 Mitsubishi I-miev Se All Electric Zero Emissions Hatchback on 2040-cars

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2021 Mitsubishi Mirage and Mirage G4 updated with fresh faces, more tech

Mitsubishi previously teased an update for the Mirage and Mirage G4 for the 2021 model year, and now the new car is here. It amounts to a light refresh, with some minor appearance changes, new tech and a single special edition model. The same 1.2-liter three-cylinder is still under the hood, cranking out 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. Brutally slow, but when paired with the CVT, it’s capable of 36 mpg city, 43 mpg highway and 39 mpg combined. The five-speed manual transmission is still available, but only on the base ES trim. On the design front, the Mirage (hatchback) and Mirage G4 (sedan) get a new grille and front bumper that are meant to be sportier than before. ItÂ’s highly reminiscent of the brandÂ’s crossovers with its upright, shield-like look, and that was intentional, Mitsubishi says. A new rear bumper and lower valance add width to the rear to give it the appearance of being larger than it is. New LED taillights are used on all Mirages, and redesigned LED headlights with LED running lights are available on the top trim. This design treatment does inject some fresh life into the two Mirages, but itÂ’s nowhere close to the full redesign that the Mirage is due for, having been in the same generation since the 2014 model year in the U.S. The interior gains new (supposedly improved) front armrests, more soft-touch cloth in frequently touched areas, and a “carbon fiber effect” on the window switches. On the tech front, Mitsubishi makes the seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard equipment. Also standard is forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection. The top trim level gives you access to lane departure warning and auto high beams as optional equipment. That amounts to more safety features than before, but itÂ’s still a paltry selection compared to most new cars today. As for the special edition Mirage, Mitsubishi calls it the “Carbonite Edition.” Star Wars fans need not apply, though, as there is nothing about it that resembles true carbonite. Instead, it adds “a revised front grille and air dam, side air dam, B-pillar decal and rear air dam with carbon-pattern surfaces and contrasting red accents.” ItÂ’s pairable with six different colors and slots in below the top SE trim but above the mid-grade LE in price. The photos depict the two new colors available for 2021: White Diamond and Sand Yellow. The new going rate for a base Mirage is $15,390, which is $400 more than it was for 2020.

Nissan, Renault in talks to merge as one company

Nissan and Renault have been tied together as an alliance for nearly 20 years, but now the Japanese and French automakers are discussing whether to merge. Bloomberg, citing unidentified sources familiar with the confidential talks, reports that the idea is to form a larger, single publicly traded company to better compete against giants like Toyota and Volkswagen. It would also mark the end of the alliance that first began in 1999 and also includes Mitsubishi, in which Nissan acquired a controlling interest in 2016. A full merger would help the companies pool resources to develop electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and car-sharing services. It would involve Nissan giving Renault shareholders stock in the new company, with Nissan shareholders also gaining shares in the new company, Bloomberg reports. The new company would be run by Carlos Ghosn, the current chairman of both companies. But any such merger, as you might expect, would be complicated, in part by geopolitics. The French government owns a 15-percent stake in Renault, and both the French and Japanese governments might be reluctant to let go of their respective home-grown brands. Currently, Renault owns a 43-percent stake in Nissan, while Nissan owns 15 percent of its French partner. Reuters reported recently that Ghosn proposed buying most of the French government's stake in Renault as part of plans for a closer tie-up. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance already has been working to establish a $200 million mobility tech fund to invest in startups, a reflection of how seismic changes in the auto industry have left many legacy companies scrambling to stay current. Nissan in 2016 paid a reported $2.3 billion to acquire 34 percent of Mitsubishi in order to share platforms, technology, manufacturing and other resources. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg Earnings/Financials Government/Legal Green Mitsubishi Nissan Renault car sharing merger

Say Hello to the Kitty edition Mitsubishi Mirage

Japan is the country that gave us the GT-R, the LFA and the STI. But it's also the home of Hello Kitty. We try our best to ignore the commonality, but now Mitsubishi is putting it right in our faces with the new Hello Kitty edition Mirage.
Decked out in pink, the special Mirage arrives on the occasion of the character's 40th anniversary. It comes decked out with Hello Kitty decals on the outside, special hubcaps and unique upholstery. It's even got a Hello Kitty pillow inside, for crying out loud.
Fortunately, only 400 examples will be made, hopefully only for domestic consumption, wearing a sticker price of 116,970 yen (equivalent to about $12k). Now we wish we could say this was a first, but sadly it's not - not even for Mitsubishi.