2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse Gt Coupe 2-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart hints at performance comeback

Mitsubishi Motors has not had a very good decade. Their lineup has dwindled down to four models and the the company has struggled to stay relevant as a brand as they hemorrhage market share. However, a new Triton Ralliart truck shows some signs of life in a company once rich with enthusiast-oriented offerings. The Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart will participate in the 2022 Asia Cross Country Rally, which takes place primarily in Thailand. The Triton is built there and exported throughout southeast Asia, which happens to be one of the few markets in which Mitsubishi still enjoys decent sales. Though not sold in the U.S., the four-wheel-drive Ranger-sized pickup is available in four-cylinder gas, diesel and turbodiesel configurations, the most powerful of which makes 176 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Manual and automatic transmissions are available, with the latest versions each offering six speeds. The Triton marks a return for the company's Ralliart banner. Though Mitsubishi had been rally racing since the 1960s, the Ralliart name only made its debut in 1981. The dedicated motorsports arm allowed the company to build and campaign models like the Lancer and Galant VR-4 in international rally races, ultimately leading to a slew of World Rally Championship wins, and an equally impressive string of victories at the Paris-Dakar Rally.  Ralliart folded up in 2010 after the global financial crisis and lay dormant for over a decade. Last year Mitsubishi quietly revived the brand, revealed a concept, released a lineup of accessories for its vehicles (available only in Asia) and hinted at a racing comeback. The Triton is the first Ralliart-branded vehicle since the revival. Mitsubishi didn't reveal what modifications were made to the Triton. One encouraging sign, however, is the fact that the rally team is headed by Hiroshi Masuoka, a long-time Mitsubishi driver who won the Paris-Dakar twice. Masuoka was also a test driver who helped develop the Pajero (known in the U.S. as the Montero). Sadly, the Pajero factory was sold last week to a toilet paper manufacturer, but perhaps Masuoka can recapture a bit of Mitsubishi's past glory with the Triton, even if he's essentially starting from scratch. The Triton effort, and yesterday's announcement that Mitsubishi was donating 1 million euros to aid Ukrainian refugees, suggests Mitsubishi feels it is in a better place financially.

Junkyard Gem: 1992 Mitsubishi Expo LRV

Chrysler did reasonably well selling first-generation Mitsubishi Chariots in North America with Dodge/Plymouth Colt Vista badging during the 1980s, and so Mitsubishi Motors decided to take a shot at selling the second-generation Chariots with its own company's badges when those vehicles went into production in 1991. Those vehicles were known as Mitsubishi Expos here, with sales beginning in the 1992 model year and continuing through 1995. Here's one of those ultra-rare first-year Expos, found in a Colorado self-service car graveyard recently. The Chariot line had split into two in its home market by that time, with the regular four-door wagons still called Chariots and a shortened three-door version given the RVR name, which stood for Recreational Vehicle Runner (actually ßVR, with the Cyrillic first character). In the United States, the Chariot was sold as the Expo Wagon while the ßVR was dubbed the Expo LRV. The LRV's door setup is a bit odd. On the driver's side, there's just one door. On the passenger side, there's a sliding rear door (with interlock to prevent it from tearing off the fuel-filler door if it's open). In right-hand-drive markets, Mitsubishi put the slider on the left side while keeping the fuel filler on the right. Chrysler sold its own versions of the ßVR, of course. The Eagle version was known as the Summit Wagon. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Dodge and Plymouth dealers sold the ßVR as the Colt Vista. Since this is the base-model Expo LRV for 1992, it has the 1.8-liter SOHC 4G93 engine, sending 113 horsepower and 116 pound-feet in the general direction of the front wheels. The all-wheel-drive and Sport versions got a 2.4-liter 4G64 rated at 136 horsepower and 145 pound-feet. The emissions sticker tells us that this car was sold new in California. It was built in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. This one has the optional four-speed automatic, which cost $670 extra (about $1,460 in 2023 dollars). Not even 100,000 miles passed beneath this Expo's wheels during its 31-year career. Why is it in this place, then? Here's the reason: a crash that mangled the left front suspension. The ignition key dangles from the kind of lanyard used by car auctions, so we can assume this car got totaled instantly by the insurance company and had no chance of being sold to any customer other than a junkyard. The MSRP for this car was $11,537, or about $25,132 today.

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.