2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sel on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 1986 Dodge Ram 50

After years of selling the Isuzu Faster with Chevrolet LUV badges here, GM replaced it with the S-10 in 1982. Ford sold Mazda Proceeds with Courier badges for even more years, but ditched the Courier once the Ranger became available as a 1983 model. Chrysler was able to put truck beds on Omnirizons at that time, but didn't have the deep pockets to develop its own rear-wheel-drive small pickup; for this reason, Dodge-badged Mitsubishi Forte pickups continued to be available in the United States all the way through the 1994 model year. Here's one of those trucks, found in a Colorado car graveyard. The first Chrysler-imported Mitsubishi Fortes showed up in the United States as 1979 models. The Dodge-badged version was known as the D-50, while Plymouth dealers got theirs with Arrow badges. The Dodge D-50 became the Ram 50 for the 1981 model year, while the final Plymouth Arrow trucks were sold as 1982 models. Just to make things more interesting, Mitsubishi started selling its own vehicles in the United States beginning with the 1983 model year. That meant that the Ram 50 had to compete for sales with a near-identical twin sporting Mitsubishi badges. Things in the Chrysler-Mitsubishi universe got even more exciting a bit later, when there were four marques selling essentially the same car here simultaneously: the Mitsubishi Mirage, Plymouth Colt, Dodge Colt and Eagle Summit. All of the Dodge D-50s and Ram 50s came with Mitsubishi power under their hoods. This one has a 2.0-liter SOHC straight-four rated at 88 horsepower and 108 pound-feet. For a while, a 2.3-liter Mitsubishi diesel was available in the Ram 50. It had been discontinued by 1986, however. This one has the base five-speed manual transmission. It appears that this truck was being used for long-term storage of many, many boxes of random household stuff when it was banished to this place. Much of the stuff was scattered on the ground nearby. Perhaps it was parked at a rent-a-storage facility and got evicted for lack of rent payments. Much of the contents consisted of stacks of newspapers and magazines from the 1960s and 1970s. Here's an Art Buchwald column about then-Vice President Spiro Agnew from February 23, 1971. Here's a Beetle Bailey strip from the same year. There's plenty of history in the junkyard, if you know where to look. There must have been a half-ton of paper in this truck when it arrived here. Sadly, some family's photo albums were here as well.

Mitsubishi recalling 2011 Outlander Sport over panoramic roofs that may fly off

The panoramic roof offered on the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is a great way to make the cabin feel more open, but some owners of the compact CUV could get a little more openness than they bargained for. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall for Outlander Sport models built between August 2010 and March 2011 due to the possibility that the panoramic roof could fly off.
On about 3,200 Outlander Sport models in the US and Puerto Rico, a potentially improper installation process could have resulted in a lack of adhesive primer between the glass and the roof, which could allow the glass to detach from the vehicle and become dangerous debris on the road. Fortunately, it sounds like there have only been two instances of detached roofs, and neither was in the US. As a fix, Mitsubishi dealers will check to make sure the primer was used, and if not, the glass will be reinstalled following the proper procedure. Scroll down for the official NHTSA recall notice.

Mitsubishi announces new and updated models are around the corner

Mitsubishi has remained relatively quiet in 2020. It was hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, like all of its peers and rivals, and it's caught in the middle of the cold war between opposing sister companies Renault and Nissan. It announced plans to emerge from its silence by introducing an array of new or updated models in America. The Japanese company explained its goal is to pack more value and technology into its cars. It will launch its American product offensive in late 2020 by introducing an updated Outlander PHEV. Although full details aren't available, Mitsubishi hinted the crossover will receive a new hybrid powertrain built around a bigger, more powerful gasoline-burning engine that works jointly with better electrified technology. It will be capable of driving on electricity alone for longer distances, and at higher speeds. Other revisions are planned, too. Next up is the Mirage, the firm's entry-level model and one of the smallest cars in a market that has decided bigger is better. Mitsubishi confirmed the American-spec model (pictured) will receive the same visual updates as the variant sold overseas, so it will receive a sharper-looking front end that falls in line with the rest of the range. Shortly after, Mitsubishi will continue its push by giving the Eclipse Cross comprehensive visual updates. The crossover's front end will borrow styling cues from the company's next design language, and earlier spy shots suggest stylists have smoothed out the Pontiac Aztek-like rear end. Inside, the Eclipse Cross will receive a new infotainment system, though we'll need to wait to learn about the features it will incorporate. Mitsubishi Outlander prototype View 16 Photos Finally, the next-generation Outlander (shown above in spy shots) will break cover with a new-look design that Mitsubishi characterizes as "bold, aggressive, and distinctive." Although we haven't seen the crossover without camouflage yet, peeking through the wrap suggests the model draws inspiration from the Engelberg Tourer concept introduced at the 2019 edition of the Geneva auto show. Unverified rumors claim it will switch to a Nissan-sourced architecture in the name of economies of scale, and some variants might be available with an engine plucked out of the Nissan parts bin. What's certain, at least according to Mitsubishi, is that the next Outlander will be the quietest and best-equipped car it has ever sold in the United States.