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Autoblog's guilty pleasure cars

Guilty pleasures are part of life – don't even try to pretend like you don't have one (or two, or six). In the non-automotive space, this could come down to that secret playlist in your iPhone of songs you'll only listen to when you're alone; or think of that one TV show you really do love, but won't admit to your friends. I've got plenty, and so do you. Going back to cars, here's a particularly juicy one for me: several years ago, I had a mad crush on the very last iteration of the Cadillac DTS. Oh yes, the front-wheel-drive, Northstar V8-powered sofa-on-wheels that was the last remaining shred of the elderly-swooning days of Cadillac's past. Every time I had the chance to drive one, I was secretly giddy. Don't hate me, okay? These days, the DTS is gone, but I've still got a mess of other cars that hold a special place in my heart. And in the spirit of camaraderie, I've asked my other Autoblog editors to tell me some of their guilty pleasure cars, as well – Seyth Miersma, as you can see above, has a few choice emotions to share about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Read on to find out what cars make us secretly happy. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG This decadent convertible is the epitome of the guilty pleasure. It's big, powerful, fairly heavy and it's richly appointed inside and out. It's a chocolate eclair with the three-pointed star on the hood. Given my druthers, I'd take the SL65 AMG, which delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That output is borderline absurd for this laid-back convertible. I don't care. You don't need dessert. Sometimes you just crave it. The SL line is about the feel you get on the road. The roof is open. The air, sun and engine sounds all embrace you. It's the same dynamic you could have experienced in a Mercedes a century ago, yet the SL gives you the most modern of luxuries. An Airscarf feature that warms my neck and shoulders through a vent embedded in the seat? Yes, please. Sure, it's an old-guy car. Mr. Burns and Lord Grantham are probably too young and hip for an SL65. I don't care. This is my guilty pleasure. Release the hounds. – Greg Migliore Senior Editor Ford Flex I drove my first Flex in 2009 when my mother let me borrow hers for the summer while I was away at college. The incredibly spacious interior made moving twice that summer a breeze, and the 200-mile trips up north were quite comfortable.

2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Road Test Review | Improved but falling behind

You can’t tell by looking at it, but the 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a thoroughly upgraded version of the plug-in crossover that initially debuted in the United States for the 2018 model year. Yes, despite the fact that there is a completely new, from-the-ground-up version of the gas-only Outlander for 2022, the previous generation soldiers on in its plug-in hybrid form for at least the next couple of model years as the engineering team puts the finishing touches on an edition based on the new platform. Still, thereÂ’s a lot of new bits and pieces under the skin that make this a better and more useful electrified SUV than before. A new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 2.0-liter, bumping power to 126 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. It join forces with upgraded electric motors to send as much as 221 hp to all four wheels. That's a 31-horsepower increase over the old Outlander PHEV.  Most of the time, the gasoline engine sends its power to the battery pack, leaving motive force to come from the two electric motors. Up front is a motor that delivers 60 kilowatts (around 80 hp) and 101 lb-ft; at the rear is a second motor that spins out 70 kilowatts (94 hp) and 144 lb-ft. That rear motor is up 10 kilowatts over the old version, which is significant. Electric range is boosted from 22 to 24 miles thanks to a 13.8-kWh battery in place of the old 12-kWh pack. These powertrain enhancements make the 2021 Outlander PHEV feel quicker around town than the old one while simultaneously improving its efficiency. Win/win. There are Eco, Save, Charge, Normal, and Sport driving modes, and they all make sense with the possible exception of Sport, since this is very much not a sporty sport utility vehicle. Save mode preserves the battery packÂ’s current state of charge in case you want to choose when to unleash your electrons (stop-and-go city driving after a lengthy highway commute, for instance), and Charge mode keeps the engine running to top off the battery pack while the vehicle is driven. We mostly left the vehicle in Normal mode and let it choose how to dole out the power. The overlying theme of the 2021 Outlander PHEV is one of peace and serenity. ItÂ’s quiet inside, and the electric motors provide a smooth driving experience with softish initial power that gains steam as the vehicle gets to normal around-town speeds. There arenÂ’t any gear changes, so the powertrain always feels smooth.

Mitsubishi rolls out new Pajero Sport in Thailand

Mitsubishi is launching the new Pajero Sport you see here, based on the latest Triton/L200 pickup introduced late last year. The new Pajero Sport (known as the Challenger in certain markets) replaces a model that's been on the market for seven years now. The midsize sport-utility vehicle is being introduced first in Thailand, but will be sold in about 90 countries around the world. Those will include Australia, Russia, and markets in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia – regions in which Mitsubishi has sold some 400,000 units of the previous Pajero Sport. Behind the imposing new Dynamic Shield front end sits a 2.4-liter turbo diesel driving all four wheels through a new eight-speed automatic transmission. The combination is said to be a good 17 percent more economical than the previous model's. Full specs have yet to be revealed, but it's expected to produce around 180 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The new Pajero Sport also packs all the latest safety technologies, including automatic braking, blind spot monitor, and ultrasonic misacceleration systems. Rock-crawlers will also appreciate the off-road mode, hill descent control, and increased wading depth, all of which add up to make the Pajero Sport a very different kind of high-riding Mitsubishi than the new Outlander recently introduced on our side of the Pacific. Here in North America, truck-based SUVs are steadily losing ground to car-based crossovers. But overseas – particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia – they're not only surviving, but thriving. In addition to this Pajero Sport, Ford recently introduced its new Ranger-based Everest, and Toyota the new Fortuner based on the HiLux. World Debut of the All-new Pajero Sport Mid-size SUV in Thailand Popular SUV's first full redesign in seven years to reach some 90 countries Tokyo, August 1, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announces the world premiere of first full-redesign of the Pajero Sport mid-size SUV in seven years in Thailand, where it is produced at Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co. Ltd.'s*1 Laem Chabang Plant. Sales start in Thailand from this fall, and MMC plans to introduce the all-new Pajero Sport sequentially in Australia, the ASEAN nations, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Russia and, as with its predecessor, to sell the new model in some 90 countries.