1988 Mitsubishi Montero 4wd 2.6l Engine Automatic on 2040-cars

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A realistic approach to fixing Mitsubishi

There are going to be a lot of words written about what Nissan needs to do with Mitsubishi in the coming months and years in the interest of turning the brand around. After Nissan's purchase of a controlling stake in the diamond star brand, there's been more interest in Mitsubishi thanks to the potential of platform sharing and plenty of cash from Nissan-Renault to get the juices flowing again. But, while some have been doing their best to advocate for the return of the 3000GT, Evolution, and even the Starion - Many of these posts forget the reality of the market we live in today. As much as we like to look back fondly at the sports coupes of the '90s, a byproduct of the insane cash flows all the Japanese manufacturers had at the time, the reality of today puts a much greater emphasis on what is most-boring; Crossover SUVs, alongside mid-size and compact sedans. We do need to ask a fundamental question, how much Mitsubishi is enough to be able to continue to call the cars Mitsubishis? Aside from slight product revisions and reconfigurations, Mitsubishi (at least in North America) has been largely dependent on the same GS platform and 4B1 engines that date back to their long-time partnership with Chrysler (and Hyundai) in the mid '00s. Admittedly, the chassis and engines have served the company well, underpinning a wide variety of vehicles sold around the world, and seeing quite a few revisions to at least attempt to keep products competitive. But, the GS chassis is old, heavy, and severely out of date - and when matched to the underpowered 4B1 series engines - make for largely uncompetitive offerings in the market. While something like the Outlander Sport is indeed interesting compared to a Honda CR-V, it is by no means the smart choice in the segment. So, going forward, unless Mitsubishi has had a skunkworks of sorts developing their chassis and engine replacements over the past few years, what exactly are they planning to do for their bread-and-butter models? I think the straightforward answer is without a doubt the Nissan North America parts bin. With so many of their models selling well, and for the most part, are reasonably well-reviewed, it would be quite simple to adapt the chassis and powertrain to Mitsubishi's liking to create a high-volume alternative to what is currently available now.

Mitsubishi teases next-generation Triton small pickup truck

Though Mitsubishi stopped selling pickup trucks in the U.S. in the '90s, the company never stopped selling them overseas. The Triton, or L200 as it's sometimes called, is in its fifth generation, which was introduced in 2014. Now it seems a sixth generation is on the way, as the company released a low-resolution teaser image of the latest pickup. It features many styling cues from recent Mitsubishi production and concept vehicles. It also probably isn't coming to America, but the odds of a U.S.-spec may actually be better than you might think. The teaser gives us a pretty good look at the new truck, despite the image quality and lighting. It has the "Dynamic Shield" front end, which is pulled straight from current models such as the Eclipse Cross and Outlander. The aggressive shape looks good on this larger body, as it's a little better proportioned when spread across the greater surface area. It looks like the whole body is sharp and angular to match it. But it's still definitely a conventional-looking pickup truck. Since this will be sold in many overseas markets where traditional trucks with traditional off-road capability is necessary, this will undoubtedly be a body-on-frame pickup with part-time selectable four-wheel drive. This is how the current model is constructed. And like the current model, there will likely be a turbocharged diesel four-cylinder available in many parts of the world. There's not much of a chance the new Triton will come to the U.S., but it's also not a 0-percent chance. The small truck market is strong right now, with the Toyota Tacoma and the combined Colorado/Canyon twins selling in six-figure numbers each year. It's strong enough that Ford has seen fit to finally bring the Ranger back to America, and for rumors to run rampant that FCA might reenter the fray with a Ram-badged truck under the fullsize 1500. Mitsubishi's U.S. dealers have also said they really want a pickup truck to sell. Granted, there are still the issues of passing emissions and safety regulations, and finding a way to deal with the Chicken Tax. So there's certainly opportunity here for Mitsubishi, but not without some difficulty. Related Video:

Renault shares hit six-year low on rumors of Nissan split

LONDON — Renault shares hit six-year lows on Monday after a media report that Nissan has accelerated secret contingency planning for a potential split from the French carmaker, the latest sign that the downfall of former boss Carlos Ghosn is roiling the 20-year alliance. At 1027 GMT, the shares were down 3.7%, languishing at the bottom of Paris' CAC 40 and the pan European STOXX 600 index. The plans include war-gaming a total split in engineering and manufacturing, as well as changes to Nissan's board, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Sunday citing several sources. Nissan's contingency planning has ramped up since the dramatic escape of Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan  alliance, from Japan in late December, it said. The tie-up has been in management turmoil since Ghosn's arrest in Tokyo in November 2018 on allegations of financial misconduct, which he denies. He was awaiting trial in Japan when he fled to Lebanon. "We firmly believe the relationship between (Renault and Nissan) and hence the Alliance is broken and is likely beyond the point of repair," Evercore ISI analysts Arndt Elinghorst and Chris McNally wrote in a note on Monday. They have an 'underperform' rating on the French car company. Renault was not available for immediate comment. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Earnings/Financials Mitsubishi Nissan Renault