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Mitsubishi CEO vows to stay in US on heels of Suzuki's departure

By now, you're surely aware that Suzuki is pulling out of the US market. It was a bit of a foregone conclusion to most who've been paying attention to the automotive realm, but it still sent a small shockwave through the industry. And one of the most oft-heard retorts goes something like this: "Next up: Mitsubishi."
It's easy to understand why many question Mitsubishi's existence in the States. After all, now that Suzuki is gone, Mitsubishi is the Japanese automaker with the fewest sales in America. Furthermore, the automaker's market share has dropped from .7 percent to just .4 percent after seeing sales fall 29 percent to 50,103 units through October.
In any case, Mitsubishi fans needn't worry. Speaking to Automotive News, Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko said, "We have no intention whatsoever of withdrawing from the US market." That's about as clear as clear can get. It's also worth mentioning that Gayu Uesugi was just named chairman of Mitsubishi Motors North America, and his main responsibility will be to revitalize the brand in the US.

Lucky Australians get super-limited Suzuki Jimny Heritage Edition

Every time the Suzuki Jimny comes up, people in the U.S. throw around phrases like “forbidden fruit” and words like “unobtanium.” Still, the automakerÂ’s newest off-roader may be impossible to get, even for people in markets where itÂ’s sold. The new Jimny Heritage Edition will soon be available in Australia, but its super-limited numbers will make it one of the rarest pint-sized off-roaders yet. Suzuki said it would only build 300 of the retro-inspired Jimnys. The companyÂ’s Australian website shows four colorways, including green, white, grey, and black, each accented by red and orange graphics and red mudflaps. Heritage decals and a unique cargo tray round out the look. The Heritage Edition gets the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that the standard Jimny and Jimny Lite get, which produces around 100 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque. Suzuki offers a four-speed automatic transmission in other variants, but the Heritage comes exclusively with a five-speed manual gearbox. The JimnyÂ’s ultra-compact size, short wheelbase, and almost nonexistent front and rear overhangs make it a surprisingly capable off-roader. Utility vehicles have ballooned in size here in the States, and while we never got the Jimny, we did get oddities like the Geo/Chevy Tracker before the market went wild on luxo-barge SUVs. The Heritage Edition builds on the GLX trim, the most “luxurious” variant, if you can call it that. The trim gets a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, LED headlights, a rearview camera, fog lights, and even some advanced driver aids. Though small and somewhat basic, the Jimny Heritage Edition can be upgraded with several options and accessories. Suzuki offers skid plates, cargo accessories, premium speakers, and even an $1,800 (AUD) 15-inch wheel kit. Pricing starts at AUD 33,490, or $22,591, a few thousand more than the base Jimny. White is the only standard paint color, however, so lucky buyers will have to shell out an additional $695 for one of the other hues. Related Video

Meet the Jeep Wrangler's tiny Japanese doppelganger, the Suzuki Jimny

We're all eagerly anticipating the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, but it's not the only two-door, body-on-frame off-roader coming out in the near future. Suzuki has its own on the way by the name of Jimny (no, that's not a typo). Long ago, we received the Jimny here in the United States as the eminently capable, though tipsy, Samurai. The Samurai was followed here by the more civilized Sidekick/Tracker, which eventually took on its original name of Vitara. But overseas, the rugged, truck-like Samurai survived as the Jimny. This newest version looks to retain much of its predecessors' capability. In addition to the body-on-frame chassis, it features a solid rear axle. Odds are that it will continue to offer a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range, as with the current one. We can't quite tell if it will still have a solid front axle, though. Styling-wise, the new Jimny does seem to have tougher, chunkier looks than the current one, pictured above. The corners have been squared up, and hard creases added to the flanks. The wheel wells are now more square and look to have bigger flares. We're also noticing some retro touches such as the roof that isn't flush with the rest of the body. The taillights mounted in the rear bumper are also reminiscent of the old Samurai. As nifty as the little Jimny is, we can safely say that we won't be getting it here — Suzuki doesn't sell cars here anymore. But even if Suzuki were still operating in the U.S., we probably wouldn't get the Jimny. It would probably be too crude for most buyers, and it could be tricky to get it to pass safety regulations. Its tall, narrow shape also could be rollover prone, and Suzuki wouldn't want to go through another rollover controversy. But hey, in roughly 25 years, you can import one of these if you really want. Related Video: Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny spy shots View 11 Photos Image Credit: CarPix, Suzuki Spy Photos Suzuki SUV Economy Cars Off-Road Vehicles suzuki jimny