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A realistic approach to fixing Mitsubishi

There are going to be a lot of words written about what Nissan needs to do with Mitsubishi in the coming months and years in the interest of turning the brand around. After Nissan's purchase of a controlling stake in the diamond star brand, there's been more interest in Mitsubishi thanks to the potential of platform sharing and plenty of cash from Nissan-Renault to get the juices flowing again. But, while some have been doing their best to advocate for the return of the 3000GT, Evolution, and even the Starion - Many of these posts forget the reality of the market we live in today. As much as we like to look back fondly at the sports coupes of the '90s, a byproduct of the insane cash flows all the Japanese manufacturers had at the time, the reality of today puts a much greater emphasis on what is most-boring; Crossover SUVs, alongside mid-size and compact sedans. We do need to ask a fundamental question, how much Mitsubishi is enough to be able to continue to call the cars Mitsubishis? Aside from slight product revisions and reconfigurations, Mitsubishi (at least in North America) has been largely dependent on the same GS platform and 4B1 engines that date back to their long-time partnership with Chrysler (and Hyundai) in the mid '00s. Admittedly, the chassis and engines have served the company well, underpinning a wide variety of vehicles sold around the world, and seeing quite a few revisions to at least attempt to keep products competitive. But, the GS chassis is old, heavy, and severely out of date - and when matched to the underpowered 4B1 series engines - make for largely uncompetitive offerings in the market. While something like the Outlander Sport is indeed interesting compared to a Honda CR-V, it is by no means the smart choice in the segment. So, going forward, unless Mitsubishi has had a skunkworks of sorts developing their chassis and engine replacements over the past few years, what exactly are they planning to do for their bread-and-butter models? I think the straightforward answer is without a doubt the Nissan North America parts bin. With so many of their models selling well, and for the most part, are reasonably well-reviewed, it would be quite simple to adapt the chassis and powertrain to Mitsubishi's liking to create a high-volume alternative to what is currently available now.

Mitsubishi's new Outlander could herald the return of Ralliart

Mitsubishi is on the cusp of reviving its dormant Ralliart performance line, and a new report suggests the label will return on a sportier version of the latest Outlander PHEV. The model could make its debut in late 2021. Ralliart's unexpected revival was announced during a presentation made to investors in May 2021, though no further details were released. Japanese magazine Best Car learned from unnamed sources that the new Outlander PHEV (pictured) expected to break cover in the coming months will be the first Ralliart-branded model in several years. How Mitsubishi will make the Outlander PHEV worthy of a name rooted in rallying remains to be seen. The transformation will include a race-inspired body kit, according to Best Car, and we're hoping more power from the electrified powertrain is part of the equation as well. While the Ralliart label could merely denote a sporty-looking trim level, like Mercedes-Benz's AMG Line designation or F Sport in Lexus-speak, there's a chance it will sooner or later be linked to racing. Mitsubishi boss Takao Kato revealed his team is considering returning to the rallying scene in the coming years to renew ties with the company's racing heritage. He stressed a rally program hasn't been approved yet, partly because racing is expensive, and he clarified that a new Lancer Evolution is not in the cards even though shareholders are requesting one. Interestingly, we should have seen the Outlander Ralliart already; it was reportedly scheduled to be unveiled at the 2021 edition of the Tokyo Motor Salon but the event was canceled due to pandemic-related concerns. Mitsubishi could keep the model under wraps until the 2022 show opens its doors, or it might introduce it elsewhere a little earlier. Regardless, if the report is accurate we won't have to wait long to find out how Ralliart has been reinvented. As for the next Outlander PHEV, it will land in late 2021 first in Japan and arrive in U.S. showrooms halfway through 2022. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Nissan Titan Pro-4X, Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | Autoblog Podcast #621

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They talk about cars they've driven recently, including the 2020 Nissan Titan Pro-4X, Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Then they talk news, starting with Volvo's new pick-up and drop-off service. Then they talk about Q1 U.S. sales figures. Lastly, they discuss the possibility of new styles of motorcycle from Harley-Davidson, including a flat-track bike and a cafe racer. Autoblog Podcast #621 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2020 Nissan Titian Pro-4X 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Volvo Valet U.S. car sales plummet Harley-Davidson cafe racer and flat track motorcycles Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.