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2022 Mitsubishi Outlander revealed with concept car looks and Nissan underpinnings

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is a pretty big deal for the automaker. It marks the first time since 2014 that the brand's long-running small crossover has had a thorough overhaul and not just a big facelift. It also marks the first Mitsubishi model in the U.S. to take advantage of the company's recent induction to the Nissan-Renault Alliance. The result is a crossover that combines Mitsubishi styling and tuning with mechanical bits shared with Nissan. On the outside, the Outlander looks remarkably similar to the Engelberg Tourer concept shown at Geneva two years ago. It has the huge lower headlight units, strong character lines and distinctive upright rear pillar. Compared to the old model, the new Outlander is a bit larger. It's 0.6 inch longer, 2 inches wider and 1.5 inches taller. The wheelbase is longer by 1.4 inches. Mitsubishi claims that the extra wheelbase has added another inch each for front and rear legroom. Speaking of the interior, it also mirrors that of the concept with the full-width air vent design, and squared off dash, controls and even steering wheel center. The interior is particularly striking in the SEL Touring and SEL trims shown in the gallery with diamond-stitched leather. Those models also get real aluminum trim. Lower models get either cloth or suede accents with piano black trim. Another cool feature is that the various chimes and alerts were developed in collaboration with Bandai Namco. There's no indication of whether you can opt for sounds from "Pole Position" or "Galaga." You can see some of the Nissan influence poke through, as the infotainment screen (available in 8- or 9-inch versions), the shifter and other odd buttons and switches can be found unchanged in vehicles such as the Rogue. That's not a bad thing, though, and they look right at home. The Outlander also boasts the unique feature of having a third row of seats. Various premium amenities will be available, too, such as a 12.3-inch instrument panel, 10.8-inch head-up display, three-zone climate control, heated rear seats, Bose sound system and a panoramic sunroof. Under the skin, the Outlander uses a shared platform developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Though not explicitly specified, it should be the platform that also underpins the Rogue as well as the Sentra. The engine is another shared item, with the only offering for now being the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque.

Mitsubishi Motors Chairman Masuko resigns due to health reasons

Osamu Masuko (Getty Images)   TOKYO — Mitsubishi Motors said on Friday Osamu Masuko resigned as chairman due to health reasons and has handed over the role to CEO Takao Kato on a temporary basis. A veteran of the larger Mitsubishi conglomerate, Masuko joined the automaker in 2004 and became president in 2007. He oversaw the creation of the partnership between Mitsubishi and Nissan in 2016, which saw Nissan take a controlling stake in the company. The 71-year-old will stay on at Mitsubishi as a special adviser, the company said in a statement. It did not specify what Masuko was ailing from. Masuko was at the helm of Mitsubishi during a 2016 scandal in which the automaker was found to have overstated the fuel economy on its vehicles. An investigation uncovered slack governance and pressure on resourced-starved engineers as chronic issues at the company. CEO Takao Kato adds the role of chairman. (Getty Images)   The scandal was Mitsubishi's third in two decades, and it pummeled profits and tarnished the automaker' s brand. At the height of the scandal, Nissan lent its smaller rival a lifeline by offering the company $2.2 billion for a 34% controlling stake. The deal was agreed between Masuko and then Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, and brought Mitsubishi in as a junior partner in the Nissan-Renault automaking alliance. Masuko later denounced his ties with Ghosn following Ghosn's 2018 arrest in Japan over financial misconduct, charges that Ghosn has denied. All three members of the alliance are currently mired in financial problems after years of aggressive expansion policies under Ghosn's leadership resulted in falling vehicle sales. A further drop in global car demand due to the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated these problems, and Mitsubishi, Nissan and Renault are each bracing for steep annual operating losses this year. Related Video:      

EPA, CARB want Mitsubishi to retest US fuel economy figures

The Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board are the latest government bodies to request details from Mitsubishi in connection with the company's fuel economy cheating, Automotive News reports. The company will also have to reevaluate the mileage for some models here. "The agency will be directing the company to conduct additional coast down testing for vehicles sold in the US," an EPA spokesperson told Reuters. The EPA, 'will be directing the company to conduct additional coast down testing for vehicles sold in the US.' The EPA's coast down test requires vehicles to roll from 80 miles per hour to a stop. Automakers' engineers collect data on the model's drag, rolling resistance, and drivetrain friction. The information then goes into a dynamometer for the mandated fuel economy test. The EPA set stricter guidelines for the test in 2015 starting with 2017 model year vehicles, which might help avoid similar scandals here in the future. Japan has also used a coast down test since 1991, but Mitsubishi recently admitted that it hadn't been following the evaluation's mandated protocols there. Instead, the automaker came up with its own "high-speed coasting test." By selecting favorable values from the results, the company was able to artificially inflate the fuel economy of at least four Japanese minicars. In addition to inquiries from CARB and the EPA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also requested similar details from Mitsubishi. However, there is no evidence yet of any fuel economy irregularities for vehicles in the US. These agencies are just checking things out in reaction to the massive scandal in Japan. Mitsubishi execs are trying to weather the storm, though. Chief Operating Officer Tetsuro Aikawa and CEO Osamu Masuko have denied rumors about resigning over the scandal, according to Automotive News Europe citing a Reuters report. "It's my responsibility and my mission to put the company on track to recovery," Aikawa said. Their decision came despite the automaker's stock losing half of its value since the fiasco started, and vehicle orders in Japan have dropped significantly, too. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., Reuters, Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Toru Hanai TPX / Reuters Government/Legal Green Mitsubishi Fuel Efficiency mpg vw diesel scandal