1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gsx Hatchback 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi signals the return of its Ralliart performance line

Mitsubishi is reportedly reviving its long-dormant Ralliart performance line, giving longtime fans of the rally-inspired nameplate hope that some fun models may one day return to the Mitsubishi lineup as part of the company's efforts "toward the realization of Mitsubishi Motors-ness," whatever that means. Per Forbes, Mitsubishi dropped this nugget during an investor call in Tokyo on Tuesday. The return of Ralliart after more than a decade in mothballs would be a pleasant surprise for Mitsubishi fans, but don't expect this to indicate a return of the old-school Lancer Evolution lineup — or anything else with four doors and a traditional trunk, for that matter. Don't believe us? Check out Mitsu's own materials: After all, rallying is largely an off-road endeavor, and with modern consumers thirsting for high-riding crossovers and SUVs, it should come as no surprise that Mitsubishi's Ralliart revival will come from that direction. In better news, it appears that Ralliart's return will include new branded parts (and accessories, we imagine), which could mean that even non-Ralliart models will get some post-delivery love.  We also wouldn't be shocked (sorry) if the new vision for Ralliart is grounded (OK, we're not really sorry) in an electrification strategy. Ralliart? Perhaps more like Rall-e-art. As a matter of fact, from looking at Mitsubishi's presentation, the Ralliart news followed that of updates regarding the company's plug-in hybrid strategy. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Feds arrest two men accused of smuggling Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box

Authorities say this Dec. 30, 2019, image from security camera video shows Michael Taylor, center, and George-Antoine Zayek at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. Taylor, a former Green Beret and his son, Peter Taylor, 27, were arrested Wednesday in Massachusetts on charges they smuggled Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box in December 2019, while he awaited trial there on financial misconduct charges. / Getty Images   WASHINGTON — A former Green Beret and his son were arrested Wednesday in Massachusetts on charges they smuggled Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box while he awaited trial there on financial misconduct charges. Michael Taylor, a 59-year-old former Green Beret and private security specialist, and Peter Taylor, 27, are wanted by Japan on charges they helped Ghosn escape the country in December after he was released on bail. The men were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Harvard and were expected to appear before a judge via videoconference later Wednesday. The tale of the daring escape began on Dec. 28, 2019, when Peter Taylor arrived in Japan and met with Ghosn at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo for about an hour, authorities said. Just before 10 a.m. the next day, Michael Taylor flew into Osaka, Japan, on a chartered Bombardier Global Express jet from Dubai with another man, George-Antoine Zayek, carrying two large black boxes with them. The elder Taylor was experienced with sticky situations. Over the years, he has been hired by parents to rescue abducted children, gone undercover for the FBI in a sting on a Massachusetts drug gang and worked as a contractor for the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The last assignment had landed him in a Utah jail for 14 months, caught in a federal contract fraud case that upended TaylorÂ’s family and finances before he agreed to plead guilty to two charges. It's not clear yet how Ghosn hooked up with Taylor. At their arrival, Taylor and Zayek, his Lebanese-born colleague, told airport employees they were musicians carrying audio equipment. Meanwhile, Ghosn, who was out of custody on a hefty bail, headed to the Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and met up with Peter Taylor in his hotel room, authorities said. The elder Taylor and Zayek joined after a brief stop to rent a separate room near the airport. And soon after their arrival, the group left the Grand Hyatt and split up.

The Mitsubishi GT-PHEV Concept offers an unsightly look into the automaker's future

It was only a few months ago that Mitsubishi teased the Grand Tourer Concept with an image of the SUV's side profile. Now that it's just a few weeks before the Paris Motor Show, Mitsubishi released some renderings of the GT-PHEV Concept that will influence the rest of the automaker's lineup for the future. Mitsubishi is touting the concept as a "high-end next-generation SUV." Styling may indeed be subjective, but the GT-PHEV Concept has a face that only a mother could love. There's a bit of Lexus-like hate-it-or-like-it in the fascia, and the rest of it looks similar to that of the eX Concept that was revealed last year. Both concepts have grille openings that resemble the letter X, three hexagonal fog lights on the sides, and tiny slivers for headlights. The side profile of the GT-PHEV Concept reminds us of a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, which isn't such a bad thing. The back of the concept features a rakish design with thin wrap-around taillights that also look good. If you can get past the SUV's looks, you'll find comfort the GT-PHEV's powertrain to be an interesting look into the future. The concept features Mitsubishi's next-gen plug-in hybrid system, which is comprised of three electric motors (one in the front and two at the back), a regular internal combustion engine, and a high-capacity battery. The systems work together as a full-time four-wheel-drive system. On electric-only power, the GT-PHEV Concept can travel an estimated 75 miles, while the car's total range is roughly 746 miles. Mitsubishi claims the GT-PHEV Concept is a ground tourer capable of chewing away the miles with ease. And while the automaker didn't include any images of the vehicle's interior, Mitsubishi claims the concept has a cockpit-like interior that wraps around the front passengers. The interior leather color can also be found on the roof of the vehicle for a "classy" look. Mitsubishi continues to focus on SUVs and crossovers, but we doubt the automaker will put a vehicle that looks like the GT-PHEV Concept on the road. We think this concept is more for show, but it will probably be used as inspiration for the design of the next Mitsubishi Outlander. Here's hoping that face gets toned down some.