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Mitsubishi Mirage configurator is alive

Well, here's the butter knife Mitsubishi is bringing to the subcompact gun fight. It's called the Mirage, and its configurator has just gone live on Mitsubishi's consumer page, allowing those that absolutely must have a brand-new car for not a lot of money (and have never heard of the Nissan Versa, Mazda2, Chevrolet Spark or Ford Fiesta) to build their perfect example.
Prices start at $12,995 for a base DE model with a five-speed manual transmission and $14,195 for the up-market ES with the same transmission. A 74-horsepower, 1.2-liter engine is the sole powerplant. Both trims feature a continuously variable transmission for an extra $1,000 and a range of eight exterior colors, while black is the sole interior color.
Fully loaded with all the assorted packages - there are 10 on the ES model, adding things like navigation, a backup camera and LED ambient lights - the Mirage checks out at $19,540. Feel free to have a go at the configurator yourself.

Mitsubishi wants to bring a plug-in hybrid Montero to the US

As Mitsubishi's turnaround takes hold, we can talk less about the company's survival in the US market and more about what kinds of products we might see in the future: there's a hybrid Evo on the way and its joint venture with Renault-Nissan will deliver a C-segment sedan. Furthermore, it might even deliver a dividend to its shareholders next year.
In addition to Mitsubishi announcing its intent to focus on SUVs, pickup trucks and crossovers, company president Osamu Masuko gave an interview to Automotive News saying that the plan is for model lines to have two or three power train options: gas, plug-in hybrid, diesel. Believing that fuel economy standards will force the expansion of the plug-in hybrid market, Masuko wants to bring a PHEV Pajero to the US (the Montero in our market) because it will restore the brand's place in the full-size SUV segment with a well known nameplate, and help the company reach its goal of making PHEVs 20 percent of its product offering.
We love the idea of a new Montero - and we hope there's a traditional gas model that would come with the PHEV - the question is what would it look like? The Concept GC-PHEV we saw at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show could offer clues, but with Masuko listing the SUV as the company's second most popular model behind pickups, how daring could designers get with it? On the other hand, if you compare the Concept PX-MiEV shown at Tokyo in 2011, the similarity to the production Outlander is more than one might expect for a crossover that's become a major seller for the brand. With an introduction due in 2015 or 2016, we shouldn't have to wait long to find out. Regrettably, there's still no word on the return of a Mitsubishi pickup truck.

Carlos Ghosn in Twitter debut vows to 'tell the truth about what's happening'

TOKYO — Ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn's sudden appearance on Twitter on Wednesday was a surprise move by the businessman that perplexed people and sent journalists scrambling, and not for the first time. The first tweet from the @carlosghosn account on the social network read, "I'm getting ready to tell the truth about what's happening. Press conference on Thursday, April 11." It did not specify a time or place. Featuring a photo of a smiling, grey-haired Ghosn standing in front of a tree with seasonal cherry blossoms, the account initially lacked the blue tick mark to show it had been verified by the social network. That left journalists unsure of its authenticity — particularly as the conditions of Ghosn's $9 million bail preclude him from using the internet. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Forty minutes later, when the blue tick appeared, the tweet swept across social media and the account's followers swelled to almost 20,000, from just a handful earlier. Some of the replies appeared sympathetic to Ghosn, with others carrying photos of his now-famous exit from a Tokyo detention center last month. "Stood right alongside you with #GiveGhosnBail. Looking forward to hearing your side," wrote one Twitter user with the name @highmileage. Ghosn had also caught media off guard when he disguised himself in a workman's uniform, cap and face mask to try and give waiting reporters the slip on leaving the detention center after his release on bail. The architect of the Nissan and Renault SA global alliance was then pursued by media as he rode away in a small work van, a Suzuki, topped with a ladder. Ghosn's dramatic fall from grace began with his arrest in November after getting off a private plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. He has since been charged with financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust. On Wednesday, the Yomiuri newspaper said Tokyo prosecutors will soon decide whether to prosecute Ghosn on further charges. A further arrest could jeopardize the planned news conference. It remains unclear if Ghosn sent the tweet or it was sent on his behalf. His bail conditions allow him to access a computer at his lawyer's office but forbid him to use the internet. Government/Legal Mitsubishi Nissan Renault renault-nissan