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Maine is actively deregistering imported Mitsubishi Delicas — but why?

Some weird things are going on in Maine. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is actively deregistering Mitsubishi Delicas that were imported to the United States and previously registered in Maine under the well-known 25-year federal import rule. The folks at Crankshaft Culture brought this news to our attention and published a fairly detailed report at the beginning of the month. Ever since seeing that, we’ve been trying to track down more answers from the Maine BMV and Maine Secretary of StateÂ’s office. HereÂ’s a summary of whatÂ’s transpired so far. Crankshaft Culture did the digging on the Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club Facebook page, and uncovered that Maine has been sending letters out to folks in the state who currently own Delicas. Those letters unequivocally state that “this vehicle is not eligible for motor vehicle registration in Maine and may not be operated on the public highway.” It then goes on to demand owners remove the plates from the Delicas and return them to the BMV. Furthermore, it states that “the registration may not be used as proof of ownership to sell this vehicle as an automobile.”  So no, Maine is not exactly mincing words. Of course, the question here is: Why? Why is Maine deregistering Mitsubishi Delicas? These vans were imported under the federal 25-year import law. We know this rule, but hereÂ’s a quick refresher from the Customs and Border ProtectionÂ’s website: “A motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be lawfully imported into the U.S. without regard to whether it complies with all applicable DOT Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.” Theoretically, thatÂ’d make any Delicas over 25 years old legal to import here, along with pretty much any other contraption you want to bring that is old enough. Maine told us that itÂ’s only targeting pre-1995 Delicas, so thereÂ’s no time discrepancy. We went to the Maine Secretary of State to learn what is going on. The answers are slightly confusing, so bear with us. In short, Maine considers the Delica to be an "off-road vehicle." MaineÂ’s law — Title 29-A — is very clear with “off-road vehicles.” It reads: “Off-road vehicles may not be registered in accordance with this Title.” OK. Next question. What does Maine consider to be an “off-road vehicle?” And how does the Delica qualify? HereÂ’s where a brand-new modification (LD 1433 Sections 1-8) to Title 29-A comes into play.

Carlos Ghosn appears in court: 'I am wrongly accused'

TOKYO — Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn told a Tokyo court on Tuesday that he was innocent, defending his honor in his first public appearance since he was arrested on Nov. 19 and charged with false financial reporting. "Your honor, I am innocent of the accusations against me," Ghosn told the judge, speaking firmly and calmly as he read from a statement. "I am wrongfully accused." Prosecutors have charged Ghosn, who led a dramatic turnaround at the Japanese automaker over the past two decades, with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years through 2015. They also say he is suspected of having Nissan temporarily take on his investment losses from the financial crisis. Seen for the first time since his November arrest, Ghosn was wearing a dark suit without a tie, and plastic slippers, and looked thinner and with gray hair. He rebutted the allegations against him point-by-point and said he had the option to leave Nissan but had decided to stay on. "A captain doesn't jump ship during a storm," he told the court in a strong voice. The veteran auto executive, a familiar face at the World Economic Forum and other elite gatherings, was handcuffed and led into the courtroom with a rope around his waist as the hearing began. Officers uncuffed him and seated him on a bench. Presiding judge Yuichi Tada then read out the charges and said Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, was considered a flight risk — he was arrested on his arrival in Tokyo by private jet — and might try to hide evidence. In Japan, suspects are routinely held without bail, often due to fears about evidence tampering. During Tuesday's hearing, Go Kondo, one of Ghosn's lawyers, argued he was not a flight risk. "He's widely known so it's difficult for him to escape. There is no risk that the suspect will destroy evidence," he said. Facing the courtroom, Ghosn spoke proudly of the automaker's — and his own — achievements, such as reviving iconic models like the GT-R and the Z, expanding operations in China, Russia, Brazil and India and pioneering electric cars and autonomous driving. "I have a genuine love and appreciation for Nissan," he said. Ghosn has been held in spartan conditions at a Tokyo detention facility since he was taken into custody. In keeping with Japanese regulations, he has been allowed visits only from his lawyers and consular officials.

Mitsubishi signals the return of its Ralliart performance line

Mitsubishi is reportedly reviving its long-dormant Ralliart performance line, giving longtime fans of the rally-inspired nameplate hope that some fun models may one day return to the Mitsubishi lineup as part of the company's efforts "toward the realization of Mitsubishi Motors-ness," whatever that means. Per Forbes, Mitsubishi dropped this nugget during an investor call in Tokyo on Tuesday. The return of Ralliart after more than a decade in mothballs would be a pleasant surprise for Mitsubishi fans, but don't expect this to indicate a return of the old-school Lancer Evolution lineup — or anything else with four doors and a traditional trunk, for that matter. Don't believe us? Check out Mitsu's own materials: After all, rallying is largely an off-road endeavor, and with modern consumers thirsting for high-riding crossovers and SUVs, it should come as no surprise that Mitsubishi's Ralliart revival will come from that direction. In better news, it appears that Ralliart's return will include new branded parts (and accessories, we imagine), which could mean that even non-Ralliart models will get some post-delivery love.  We also wouldn't be shocked (sorry) if the new vision for Ralliart is grounded (OK, we're not really sorry) in an electrification strategy. Ralliart? Perhaps more like Rall-e-art. As a matter of fact, from looking at Mitsubishi's presentation, the Ralliart news followed that of updates regarding the company's plug-in hybrid strategy. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.