1999 Mitsubishi Strada on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi Motors shareholders approve ouster of Ghosn

TOKYO — Mitsubishi Motors Corp. shareholders approved on Friday the ouster of Carlos Ghosn, who was pivotal in the Japanese automaker's three-way partnership with Nissan and Renault until he was arrested on financial misconduct charges last year. The vote took place in a two-hour general meeting of shareholders at a Tokyo hotel. Nissan Motor Co. owns 34% of Mitsubishi Motors. Osamu Masuko, who was reappointed chairman, promised to strengthen governance and transparency and monitor wrongdoing. More outsiders will check executive appointments and compensation, he said. Nissan shareholders held an extraordinary shareholders' meeting in April to oust Ghosn as chairman. He resigned from French alliance partner Renault SA. The Mitsubishi shareholders also approved the appointment of Renault's chairman Jean-Dominique Senard to replace Ghosn. Renault owns 43% of Nissan. Nissan, based in the port city of Yokohama, is holding a general shareholders' meeting next week to approve other measures, including setting up committees to strengthen governance. Nissan said late Thursday two Renault executives will be on the committees. Renault earlier said it would abstain in that vote, and the greater representation promised on the committees may gain Renault's approval. Renault said in a statement that it welcomed Nissan's decision but did not say how it planned to vote. "The agreement reached on Renault's presence in Nissan's new governance confirms the spirit of dialogue and mutual respect that exists within the alliance," it said. Some analysts suggest a deepening rift between Renault and Nissan after a planned merger between Renault and Fiat Chrysler fell through earlier this month. Nissan expressed reservations about immediately joining the merger. Masuko told shareholders the auto industry faced challenges because of the costs of advancements such as emissions standards and self-driving technology. He said the Tokyo-based automaker will pursue focus over expansion, repeatedly highlighting the company motto "small but beautiful." He also stressed the importance of auto alliances. "We want to be a profitable company even if smaller in scale," he told shareholders. One Mitsubishi Motors shareholder expressed anger over the Ghosn scandal. But most of the questions were about new models and market strategy.

Mitsubishi is auctioning its entire UK heritage fleet with no reserve

Mitsubishi will exit the United Kingdom in the fall of 2021 after struggling for several years, and its losses can be your gain. Before it leaves, it will auction its fleet of 14 beautifully-preserved classic models with no reserve. There are 14 classics that need a new home, and the collection includes something for everyone. Enthusiasts can bid on a 1974 Lancer 1400 that stands out as the first Mitsubishi ever registered in the United Kingdom. It was displayed at the 1974 edition of the British Motor Show, and it's bid to 15,000 pounds (around $20,800) as of writing. Another 47-year-old classic is a Colt Galant 2.0 imported to the United Kingdom in the spring of 1974 and used as a demonstrator to recruit dealers. It's currently sitting at 5,000 pounds, which represents about $7,000. For something quicker, there are several versions of the Lancer Evolution to choose from. One is a 2001 model signed by pilot Tommi Makinen. Another is a 2015 FQ-440 MR, a limited-edition model built in 40 examples to send off the nameplate. There is also a 2008 Evo, and a 2007 model built to Group N rally specifications. It competed in the British Rally Championship in 2007 and 2008. Alternatively, a Galant-based rally car is up for grabs, too. Coupes are relatively well represented, with a 1988 Starion whose engine was recently overhauled, and a 1992 3000GT. Performance is only one part of the Mitsubishi story, however; off-roading is another, and there are several SUVs to choose from. Mitsubishi is selling a 1987 short-wheelbase Shogun, which was sold as the Montero in the United States, a 2000 Shogun, and an L200 Desert Warrior pickup. Our favorite of the lot is a 1983 Jeep J27, which, as its name implies, was produced under license from Willys. It was given a full restoration in the 2000s. Mitsubishi is also selling a 7/10-scale replica of the Model A. Finally, it's letting go of numerous personalized plates, and it's parting with a 2015 Outlander finished in Glacier Blue and showing approximately 1,800 miles. Bidding started on April 1, 2021, and each auction is scheduled to end on April 30, 2021. If you want to bag one of Mitsubishi's classics, visit the Auto Auction website to place a bid and keep your fingers crossed. The collection is located in England, but many of the cars are old enough to be imported to America and registered in most states.

Autoblog Minute: VW finds CO2 'irregularities', Takata dropped by automakers, SEMA recap

Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle, US regulators hit Takata Corporation with a substantial fine, and we head to Las Vegas for a look at tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle. US regulators issue a significant fine to Takata Corporation. And we take a peek inside tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. The VW diesel emissions scandal, first brought to light in September, gets a new wrinkle, as an internal investigation by the German automaker revealed [00:00:30] irregularities in CO2 emissions that could affect approximately 800,000 vehicles. VW estimates the issue could pose a 2-billion euro economic risk. VW claims that most of the vehicles affected have diesel engines, but industry analysts say a 1.4-liter gas engine is also affected. VW says that fuel consumption figures were set too low during the CO2 certification process. During all of this, sales of some diesel-powered Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche models [00:01:00] have been halted. Takata Corporation is back in the news in connection with its deadly airbag scandal. Federal regulators fined Takata $70 million. If the parts supplier does not comply, the fine could balloon to $200 million. Takata was also dropped this week by its biggest customer, Honda. And now, Toyota and Mazda will be following Honda's lead in dropping Takata. We're also hearing that Mitsubishi and Subaru are considering a switch in air-bag inflator suppliers. SEMA 2015 [00:01:30] came and went. We saw offerings from Mopar, like the AWD Challenger concept. Honda unveiled a Ridgeline that it will race at the Baja 1000, which gives us a hint at what future production model could look like. The celebrity presence was also felt in Vegas as it always is. Kid Rock brought a Duramax Diesel Chevy Silverado, and Acura restored and presented Ludacris with his now famous 1993 Acura Legend. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to come back on Saturday for my full recap, [00:02:00] where I'll have some added insight into Hyundai's foray into the luxury sector. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive.