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2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 has a trunk for your junk

If you're in the market for an inexpensive new car and it absolutely must be a sedan, then the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is both of those things. The tiny four-door isn't beautiful, but the vehicle offers buyers optional high-tech amenities like smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The little guy debuts at the New York Auto Show and arrives at dealers this spring. The Mirage G4 shares much of its styling with the hatchback but grafts a trunk onto the rear. The stubby front and back make the sedan look charmingly bulbous. There's just something cute about its short, rounded shape. The G4 also uses the hatchback's powertrain. A 1.2-liter three-cylinder with 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque spins the front wheels. Customers can choose between a five-speed manual or a CVT, Mitsubishi spokesperson Alex Fedorak tells Autoblog. The update for 2017 Mirage five-door also just benefited from larger brakes and a retuned suspension. Look for live photos of the Mirage G4 from the New York Auto Show soon. We're curious to see how the pudgy sedan looks in the real world. Related Video: MITSUBISHI UNVEILS ALL-NEW 2017 MIRAGE G4: A SPIRITED SEDAN WITH STYLE, VALUE, AGILITY AND CONNECTIVITY • Superior fuel economy and super-low Greenhouse Gas Emissions make the Mirage G4 one of the top environmentally conscious gas-powered sedans in the industry • Offers unexpected connectivity in a sub-compact car with Apple CarPlay support and Android Auto NEW YORK, NY March 24, 2016 – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today unveiled the all-new 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4. A sibling to the well-established and popular Mirage hatchback, the all-new Mirage G4 brings consumers a fresh dose of clean style, environmental consciousness, agility, connectivity, affordability and value. The Mirage G4 goes on sale this spring at Mitsubishi showrooms across the country. "A few years ago we entered the subcompact segment with the Mirage hatchback and its popularity with consumers has grown every year with its combination of top fuel economy, attractive pricing and one of the industry's best new car warranties. The new Mirage G4 repeats that value equation in a four-door sedan package," said MMNA executive vice president, Don Swearingen.

Brand new cars are being sold with defective Takata airbags

If you just bought a 2016 Audi TT, 2017 Audi R8, 2016–17 Mitsubishi i-MiEV, or 2016 Volkswagen CC, we have some unsettling news for you. A report provided to a US Senate committee that oversees the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and reported on by Automotive News claims these vehicles were sold with defective Takata airbags. And it gets worse. Toyota and FCA are called out in the report for continuing to build vehicles that will need to be recalled down the line for the same issue. That's not all. The report also states that of the airbags that have been replaced already in the Takata recall campaign, 2.1 million will need to eventually be replaced again. They don't have the drying agent that prevents the degradation of the ammonium nitrate, which can lead to explosions that can destroy the airbag housing and propel metal fragments at occupants. So these airbags are out there already. We're not done yet. There's also a stockpile of about 580,000 airbags waiting to be installed in cars coming in to have their defective airbags replaced. These 580k airbags also don't have the drying agent. They'll need to be replaced down the road, too. A new vehicle with a defective Takata airbag should be safe to drive, but that margin of safety decreases with time. If all this has you spinning around in a frustrated, agitated mess, there's a silver lining that is better than it sounds. So take a breath, run your fingers through your hair, and read on. Our best evidence right now demonstrates that defective Takata airbags – those without the drying agent that prevents humidity from degrading the ammonium nitrate propellant – aren't dangerous yet. It takes a long period of time combined with high humidity for them to reach the point where they can rupture their housing and cause serious injury. It's a matter of years, not days. So a new vehicle with a defective Takata airbag should be safe to drive, but that margin of safety decreases with time – and six years seems to be about as early as the degradation happens in the worst possible scenario. All this is small comfort for the millions of people who just realized their brand-new car has a time bomb installed in the wheel or dashboard, or the owners who waited patiently to have their airbags replaced only to discover that the new airbag is probably defective in the same way (although newer and safer!) as the old one.

Geely and Renault joint venture will develop internal combustion and hybrid tech

China's Geely Automobile Holdings and French car maker Renault SA on Tuesday said they will invest up to 7 billion euros ($7.71 billion) in a new equally held joint venture to develop gasoline engines and hybrid technology for automobiles. The JV is aimed at manufacturing more efficient internal combustion engines and hybrid systems at a time when the focus of much of the automobile industry has been on the capital-intensive transition to purely electric vehicles. "We are pleased to be embarking on this journey to become a global leader in hybrid technologies, providing low-emission solutions for automakers around the world," said Eric Li, Geely Holding Group chairman. The new company will employ 19,000 people at 17 engine plants and five research and development hubs, Renault said. At launch, it is expected to supply to multiple industrial customers including Volvo, Proton, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, and PUNCH Torino. The JV aims to have an annual production capacity of up to five million internal combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines and transmissions, Renault added. Reuters reported in March that the new venture will see 15 billion euros ($16.53 billion) in annual revenue. Saudi Aramco, which signed a letter of intent with Renault and Geely in March, is evaluating a strategic investment in the new company, Renault said. The Saudi oil producer has been involved in advanced discussions to take a stake of up to 20% in the JV, sources said earlier this year. Big oil firms have worked with automakers to develop sustainable fuels and hydrogen engines in recent years. But a deal here would make Aramco the first major oil producer to invest in the car business. The joint venture is expected to be launched in the second half of 2023. Earnings/Financials Green Mitsubishi Nissan Volvo Renault