2003 Mitsubishi Evolution on 2040-cars

Auto blog

These are your top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2012

Despite 2012 being the best year of auto sales this country has seen since 2007, not every vehicle got an equally large share of the sales pie. Some barely got a sliver, as evidenced by this year's list of the top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2012. We've dug through sales data from every automaker to come up with this year's list and, like last year, we've set some parameters to ensure it includes legitimately bad-selling vehicles. The first parameter is a starting MSRP under $100,000, which automatically excludes what's parked in most one-percenters' garages. We're also excluding vehicles cancelled in 2012, even if they garnered sales through the end of the year while dealerships sold off remaining inventory. This includes models like the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and last year's worst-seller, the Acura RL. Next, vehicles are considered as they are reported by the automaker, which means that, while sales of the Murano CrossCabriolet were probably low enough to make the list, because Nissan reports only one number for all Murano sales, it was excluded. Cadillac, however, reports sales of the Escalade EXT separately from the Escalade, hence its repeat appearance. Finally, there was the question of whether or not eligibility should be given to Suzuki vehicles, as the brand announced in November that it would end sales in the US as soon as its current inventory ran out. We decided Suzuki vehicles should be included as the brand was offering 2013 models at the time of the announcement, and as far as we can tell, inventory levels remained high enough to satisfy demand through the end of the year. Without further ado, below are the top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2012. Top 10 Worst-Selling Vehicles of 2012 10. Volvo C30 MSRP: $25,500 Units Sold: 2,827 Last Year: – 9. BMW Z4 MSRP: $47,350 Units Sold: 2,751 Last Year: – 8. Audi TT MSRP: $39,545 Units Sold: 2,226 Last Year: – 7. Subaru Tribeca MSRP: $32,595 Units Sold: 2,075 Last Year: 10 6. Suzuki Equator MSRP: $19,449 Units Sold: 1,966 Last Year: 7 5. Cadillac Escalade EXT MSRP: $63,060 Units Sold: 1,934 Last Year: 6 4. Nissan GT-R MSRP: $96,820 Units Sold: 1,188 Last Year: – 3. Acura ZDX MSRP: $50,920 Units Sold: 775 Last Year: 4 2. Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback MSRP: $18,495 Units Sold: 702 Last Year: 3 1. Mitsubishi i-MiEV MSRP: $29,125 Units Sold: 588 Last Year: – Want a little more "worst-selling" data? Check out our list of the top 10 worst-selling vehicles of 2011.

Mitsubishi teams up with Amazon to unveil 2022 Outlander

We're all familiar with the phenomenon of the oversized Amazon package, where a box large enough for a chandelier arrives on your front step but contains nothing but nail clippers and a half-deflated string of packaging balloons. Well, the largest Amazon package we've seen is now the driveway-sized one said to enclose a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. On February 16, the Triple Diamond marque and Amazon are joining forces to debut the carmaker's next mid-sized SUV. The pair have released a teaser showing a massive cardboard box sitting on the driveway of a super swanky house that we're not 100% sure isn't computer-generated. In any case, the point is that it will be the first car to make its debut on Amazon Live, a streaming service that we did not know existed until now. From what we can tell after a cursory skim, it's a YouTube-esque platform but where streamers talk about items that are available for sale on Amazon. And just in case there was any doubt, the teaser video comes with the disclaimer, "Amazon does not deliver vehicles." That's probably a good thing, if you don't want your 2022 Outlander to arrive pre-dented. As part of the launch, Mitsubishi Motors is also giving away one 2022 Outlander to one lucky winner. You can throw your name in the hat at Mitsubishi's website or at Amazon.com/MitsubishiOutlander between February 16 and March 31, 2021. We already have a pretty good idea of what the 2022 Outlander will look like, thanks to leaked photos and Mitsubishi's own teaser video. Its sheetmetal is based on the Engelberg Tourer, named after the Swiss ski resort, and is quite a bold departure from the current Mitsubishi corporate face.  Underneath, we're expecting two drivetrains. One is a Nissan 181-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four mated to a CVT for entry-level models. The second is a Mitsubishi-built plug-in hybrid variant mated to a 2.4-liter engine. Early reports say that it could double the battery-only range from 22 to 43 miles. The unveiling will take place at 6:00 pm Eastern Time. Hopefully, no porch bandits steal the box before then. You can see the teaser video here. Related Video:

Mitsubishi boss confirms new Mirage for US; i EV enduring dismal sales

By March, Mitsubishi expects to have sold just 55,000 cars in the US this fiscal year. That's a tiny sum - by comparison, Honda has sold over 276,000 Civic models thus far this year - and that's just one vehicle, not an entire brand. Mitsubishi president Osamu Masuko recognizes this is not a tenable position, and he's hoping the company will shift 80,000 units next fiscal year. Warding off speculation, Masuko has repeatedly stated that his company will not retreat from the US market like competitor Suzuki.
We reported on one part of Masuko's plan, the updated Outlander, and now he has confirmed that the small Mirage will be sold in the US beginning next September. The cut-price hatchback is selling well enough that Mitsu's Thailand plant is at its full capacity of 150,000 cars. "And even at that level it's not keeping up with orders," Masuko tells Automotive News. Masuko went on to say the plant would be expanded next year to handle an extra 50,000 units. We can also expect the Outlander plug-in early 2014.