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Mitsubishi Mirage bows in Montreal without a name, Canadian sales promised

The Detroit Auto Show had plenty of major debuts for North American car buyers, but the Montreal Auto Show is being used for the North American debut of a new subcompact hatchback from Mitsubishi. Although this car is unnamed, it is almost identical to the redesigned Mirage we saw back at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show (and has been on sale in Asian markets such as Thailand since last year), but it is unclear if the car will carry this name when it goes on sale for our neighbors to the north starting this fall.
Aside from a slightly less annoying shade the of green we saw the car painted in at the Tokyo show, there are a few changes made for the car's Canadian debut. The biggest difference is that it is almost three inches longer, which is likely a result of the new rear fascia that is also visually different with some altered lines and small, circular reflectors. Other changes include a bigger three-cylinder engine (with a 1.2-liter displacement instead of the Tokyo car's 1.0-liter engine) and headlights that have new amber lenses for side reflectors.
There is still no word as to whether or not we'll see this new car in Mitsubishi's US lineup anytime soon, but it does seem like a good competitor against cars like that Mazda2, Chevrolet Spark and Hyundai Accent.

Limited-edition Mitsubishi 311RS Evo X coming to Minneapolis Auto Show [w/video]

It's not terribly often that we have news to report coming out ahead of the Minneapolis Auto Show. We say that not to disparage the Twin Cities, which are lovely, but new product reveals are few and far between for the show. This year, however, it seems that event will play host to the debut of a rather special limited edition Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Though not coming directly from the Mitsu factory, we think the 311RS shows loads of potential for Evo fanatics.
The 311RS is the brainchild of circuit racer Ryan Gates, who has apparently spent the last three years developing what he believes is an Evo perfect for both racing and road driving. Starting life as a bog-standard Evo X, the Gates team has swapped out the factory intake, intercooler and exhaust system for more potent AMS pieces; resulting in output figures of 353 horsepower and nearly 359 pound-feet of torque. A new suspension from JRZ, brakes from Girodisc and 18-inch custom Rays wheels shod with high-performance Nitto tires represent significant updates to the underpinnings, as well.
Of course, the 311RS is also rocking a full body kit, too, with a more aggressive front air dam and a subtle lip added on to the stock rear wing. The blue and white racing livery, with matching blue wheels, looks racy without being too childish, we think.

Renault keeps 15% stake in Nissan, transfers majority of shares to French trust

Renault and Nissan completed a landmark deal to rebalance their 24-year-long alliance, paving the way for a new relationship after years of acrimony between the two partners. The automakers on Wednesday announced the creation of a French trust to which Renault transferred 28.4% of Nissan shares. The companies first disclosed plans for the trust in January. Renault Group and Nissan now have a cross-shareholding of 15% with lock-up and standstill obligations, the companies and junior alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said in a statement. Renault managers in recent weeks have reiterated that staff should no longer share information with their Nissan counterparts, according to people familiar with the situation, after the French carmaker announced in September that aspects of the alliance would be unwound by year-end.  Taken together with the deal to equalize their cross-shareholdings at 15%, the developments are the clearest indications yet that members of one of the world’s biggest automotive tie-ups are increasingly going their separate ways. Renault told employees in September it was moving away from common structures with Nissan in favor of a new, project-by-project approach to working together. The dissolution of the companiesÂ’ joint purchasing organization means the two will no longer pool information on a regular basis due to antitrust concerns. The sell-down of shares held by the trustee will be coordinated with Nissan, which will have the right of first offer to purchase the stock. The trust will have no obligation to sell the shares within a specific or pre-determined period of time. The new alliance deal presented to investors in London in February followed months of tense negotiations that nearly collapsed late last year due to sticking points on intellectual property and disagreement over the valuation of RenaultÂ’s electric-vehicle and software arm Ampere, in which Nissan has agreed to invest. The alliance dates back to 1999, when Renault rescued Nissan with a cash injection and the two formed one of the biggest auto partnerships in the industry. Rivalries and mutual suspicion mounted over the years and came to a head when former leader Carlos Ghosn openly contemplated merging the two companies, contributing to his downfall.