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Mitsubishi could use Lancer Sportback name on its version of the Nissan Leaf

Various reports might help with filling in some of the blanks in Mitsubishi's Momentum 2030 plan. That's the automaker's new initiative we heard about last month that Mitsubishi North America President and CEO Mark Chaffin said is "setting the stage for new powertrains and vehicles being introduced, new dealerships being opened, and new technologies being developed to make the shopping and ownership experience faster, easier and more enjoyable." The first hints of new product suggested a rugged plug-in hybrid van, something else in the Subaru Outback segment, and perhaps an electric pickup. And after Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance partner Nissan introduces a new-generation Leaf EV for the 2026 model year, Mitsubishi's supposed to get the Leaf for its own use. Based on a recent trademark renewal, Australian outlet Which Car? via Car and Driver suspects this EV (highlighted in the image above) could be called Lancer Sportback.  Car and Driver caught the fact that Mitsubishi renewed a trademark application for the name Lancer Sportback at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on March 12 of this year. And speaking of Lancers, the Japanese automaker applied to trademark Lancer Evolution on August 8 last year. The USPTO refused the registration, Mitsubishi filed an appeal that's still under consideration.    Which Car? doesn't say why it believes Mitsu might apply the Lancer (requested in 2020) or Lancer Sportback name to its little EV, but notes that the automaker's been reusing names around the world of late, such as Airtrek, Colt, Eclipse, and Eclipse Cross. There's more where that came from for us, C/D also tabbing Mitsubishi's trademark application for the name Montero, submitted last August and approved in February. That 4x4 launched as the Pajero in 1981 and sold in the U.S. as the Montero (and the Dodge Raider). The carmaker hasn't sold a Montero here since 2006, and ended Pajero production in 2021. A new model called the Pajero Sport filled the gap in the lineup, but that SUV is based on Mitsubishi's Triton pickup sold in overseas markets.  We've got a while to wait to figure out what's up. The new Leaf is expected to be a mini Nissan Ariya based on Nissan's Chill-Out concept from last year's Tokyo Mobility Show. The image above is from the Momentum 2030 announcement, the little crossover we've highlighted has a DRL signature that fits the form factor.

Mitsubishi Motors posts surprise loss as car sales slide

TOKYO — Mitsubishi Motors on Friday posted a surprise operating loss in the third quarter, its worst quarterly performance in more than three years, hurt by falling sales in China, Japan and Southeast Asia, as well as a stronger yen. The carmaker posted an operating loss of 6.6 billion yen ($60.2 million) for the October-December quarter, widely missing an average forecast for a profit of 11.6 billion yen, based on analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv. It was the firm's biggest loss since the July-September 2016 quarter, when a mileage cheating scandal sapped profits. However, Mitsubishi stuck to an earlier forecast for a 73% drop in full-year operating profit to 30 billion yen in the fiscal year ending in March. The automaker's net loss for the quarter just ended came in at 14.4 billion yen. The fall in quarterly sales was worst in China and at home, while sales also slipped in ASEAN countries, traditionally a stronghold, leading to a 16% fall in global vehicle sales to 320,000 units. The automaker also said it would keep some of its offices in China closed through Feb. 9, as a new coronavirus spreads throughout the country and beyond. The automaking alliance of Mitsubishi, Renault and Nissan on Thursday said they had "no other option" but to drastically improve their joint operations to remain competitive in the fast-changing global auto industry. Related Video:           (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; editing by Richard Pullin) Earnings/Financials Mitsubishi

2023 Mitsubishi Triton detailed with new frame, new diesel engine

The new 2023 Mitsubishi Triton is around the corner, and the Japanese company has outlined some of the many changes it's making to the truck. The more rugged-looking exterior design hides a new ladder frame, and the pickup will be powered by a new turbodiesel engine. Sold as the L200 in some parts of the world, the Triton needs to be a lot of things to a lot of different people; it can be seen towing cattle in Australia, performing rescue operations in the Alps and being used as a daily driver in rural Chile. Catering to these different audiences isn't easy, but Mitsubishi has largely retained the tried-and-true formula that has made the current-generation truck relatively popular. Mitsubishi kept the outgoing truck's tough body-on-frame construction, though it designed a new frame rather than making updates to the old one. It developed a new double-wishbone front suspension system but kept the rear leaf springs as a compromise between ruggedness and on-road comfort. And power for the next-generation Triton will come from a new turbodiesel engine designed to deliver "a higher output." 2023 Mitsubishi Triton View 3 Photos We'll need to be patient to find out what effect these changes will have on the Triton's ride quality, off-road capacity and towing figures, and technical specifications haven't been released yet. For context, the current-generation Triton's base engine on the Australian market is a 2.4-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 178 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Buyers can choose between rear- and four-wheel drive and between a manual and an automatic transmission. Single-cab, club-cab and double-cab models are part of the range in Australia. The 2023 Mitsubishi Triton will make its global debut in Thailand on July 26 at 10 a.m. local time, which is 11:00 p.m. on July 25 in New York and 8:00 p.m. on the same day in California. The truck will be sold in numerous global markets, but the United States isn't one of them. Elsewhere, the Triton will compete in the same hotly-contested segment as the new Ford Ranger and the perennially popular Toyota Hilux. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.