1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse on 2040-cars

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Now Mitsubishi Motors has ousted Carlos Ghosn, days after Nissan firing

TOKYO — Mitsubishi Motors said on Monday its board removed Carlos Ghosn from his role as chairman, following his arrest and ouster from alliance partner Nissan last week for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosn's sacking in a unanimous board vote marks the end of his chairmanship of Japanese automakers, just two years after he was praised for bringing a steadying hand to Mitsubishi Motors following a cheating scandal in 2016. CEO Osamu Masuko will become temporary chairman, the automaker said. "Ghosn has lost the confidence of Nissan" and it is "difficult for him to fulfill his duties," spurring the dismissal, Mitsubishi Motors said in a statement. Nissan holds a controlling 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors and has two executives on the board. The move comes amid discontent over French partner Renault SA's role in the 19-year Franco-Japanese alliance of which Ghosn was the driving force. Sealed in 1999 when Nissan was rescued from near-bankruptcy, it was enlarged in 2016 to include Mitsubishi and enabled the members to jointly develop products and control costs. The alliance vies with Volkswagen AG and Toyota for the ranking of the world's biggest automaker. Even as Nissan has recovered and grown rapidly, it remains a junior partner in the shareholding structure. Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan and the Japanese automaker holds a 15 percent non-voting stake in the French firm. And Nissan is almost 60 percent bigger than Renault by sales. Top alliance executives are meeting this week in Amsterdam, aiming to shield their joint operations from the fallout of Ghosn's arrest as a power struggle between Nissan and Renault looms. Renault has refrained from firing him as chairman and CEO. Mitsubishi Motors already had plans to discuss its position in the alliance with Ghosn and, following the ouster, it needs to consider focusing on regions and technology where it can retain competitiveness, CEO Masuko told reporters after the board meeting. Cooperation among alliance members is needed amid the rise of new technology like automated and internet-connected vehicles, he said. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa told staff on Monday that power was too concentrated with Ghosn and that in future better communication between alliance board members and executives would help preserve independence and generate synergies among the automakers, a Nissan spokesman said.

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport puts on a fresh face

Mitsubishi is using this year's LA Auto Show to debut its refreshed Outlander Sport. It's got some brand-new style, some interior updates, and, well, that's about it. Still, the tweaks will hopefully help the Outlander Sport find better success in the red-hot compact crossover market. The updated Outlander Sport features power folding side mirrors with integrated LED turn indicators, a fresh set of 18-inch wheels, and new wheel arch moldings. The interior further benefits from a new steering wheel, 6.1-inch display, and auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink buttons built in. Buyers will also be able to specify three new color choices and new interior upholstery options as well. Apart from those few upgrades, we're looking at essentially the same vehicle. That means either a 2.0-liter inline-four good for 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque, or a 2.4 rated at 168 hp and 167 lb-ft. A five-speed manual comes standard with the base engine and trim, or a CVT in all other combinations. Despite the updated equipment, the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport still carries the same MSRP of $19,595. It also boasts some of the most competitive warranty coverage in the business. DYNAMIC DESIGN ENHANCES MITSUBISHI MOTORS SALES LEADER: MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT UPDATED FOR 2016 - 2016 Outlander Sport adds bold, sleek exterior design elements with Mitsubishi's "Dynamic Shield" front design concept - Interior enhancements add stylish accents to further Outlander Sport's value CYPRESS, Calif. Nov. 18, 2015 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the updated 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport featuring a newly redesigned, bold exterior front fascia/grille. The brand's best-selling CUV is now equipped with Mitsubishi's "Dynamic Shield" front design concept adding a sleek, audacious element to a vehicle that already makes a statement of its own. "The Outlander Sport is a brand leader for Mitsubishi Motors, and we are excited to unveil this eye-catching 2016 model-year," said MMNA executive vice president, Don Swearingen.

Junkyard Gem: 1983 Mitsubishi Starion

Americans had been buying Mitsubishis with Dodge or Plymouth badging for more than a decade when the first Mitsubishi-badged cars began showing up on these shores. For the 1983 model year, Mitsubishi USA offered the Cordia, the Tredia, the Mighty Max, and the Starion; the latter was a futuristic-looking rear-wheel-drive sports car that took direct aim at potential buyers of the Supra, the 280ZX, the RX-7, and even the Camaro. Here's a rare first-year "narrow-body" Starion in a Denver self-service wrecking yard. Even though every Starion sported a turbocharged engine, the word TURBO was considered so magical during this era that no self-respecting car company in 1983 would have refrained from adding at least a couple of TURBO badges. Later Starions (and Conquests) even had TURBO badging sewn into the seat belts. In 1983, the Starion's 2.6-liter Astron packed 145 horsepower, which compared favorably to the optional 175-horse engine in the much heavier 1983 Camaro Z28 (the base Z28 engine made 150hp). The 280ZX cost more and offered 145 horsepower; the 280ZX Turbo cost lots more but had 180 horses. This car looks tired but not rusty. The pins stuck into fuel-injection electrical connectors tell a sad story of its final days on the road; a frustrated owner tried to use a multimeter to figure out hard-to-diagnose electrical woes. Auto-reverse was a high-end audio-system feature in 1983 cars. Mitsubishi made (and still makes) plenty of good consumer electronics, so the sound systems in these cars were considered high-quality stuff for their time. I shot this car with a circa-1983 cereal-box-prize film camera, because it seemed like a good idea. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. With music by Osamu Kitajima and artwork by Shuse Nagaoka (whose work you may know from all those 1970s ELO and Earth, Wind & Fire album covers), the Japanese-market ad for this car reveals its SUPER POTENTIAL.