2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart 170,630 Miles on 2040-cars

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The last Mitsubishi Evolution in the US sold for $76,400

UPDATE: The final Mitsubishi Evolution, Final Edition number 1,600, sold at auction for $76,400. The proceeds will go straight to Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County in celebration of Hunger Action Month. While we're sad to see the Lancer Evolution disappear, we're at least glad to see that the last one on our shores will do some good for those in need. Mitsubishi announced that the very last Lancer Evo X Final Edition for the US, number 1,600, will be auctioned on eBay for charity. The auction starts tomorrow at 9 am Pacific time and runs until Thursday, September 15 at 9 am. Considering the car's collectability and auction availability, the last Evo will probably go for well above MSRP, but that's a good thing. All of the proceeds will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank in Orange County and Feeding America in Riverside and San Bernardino, so the higher that bidding reaches for this particular car, the better. Aside from the charitable and collectible reasons, the Final Edition Evo is also the best version of the classic sport compact Mitsubishi has built. It has an extra 12 horsepower over standard and comes with the five-speed manual transmission. Plus it gets upgraded Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs and Brembo brakes. So if you want to buy the last, best version of a great car and help people while doing it, log into your eBay account this week and put in your bid. Related Video:

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport an even better value for 2021

Mitsubishi released pricing information for the 2021 Outlander Sport, its best-selling model in the United States. Redesigned for 2020, the crossover enters the new year with a cheaper base price thanks to a new trim. Pricing for the 2021 Outlander Sport starts at $22,090, including a mandatory $1,095 destination charge. For context, the 2020 model started at $23,690 once the same destination charge was added to the bottom line.  While the 2020 range started at the ES trim, the 2021 lineup begins with the S, which is only offered with front-wheel-drive. Every trim level gains an array of standard safety features for 2021, including forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. Motorists who want rain-sensing wipers, LED fog lights, and automatic headlights will need to step up to the ES trim priced at $24,090 including destination. At the other end of the spectrum, the all-wheel-drive-only GT starts at $28,090. Mitsubishi gave buyers looking for something in between the bottom- and top-end trims an additional option by releasing a new trim called Limited Edition for 2021. Based on the ES trim, and priced at $25,090 when ordered with front-wheel-drive, it gains a black grille, black mirror caps, black 18-inch wheels, plus red accent stitching on the inside. It's limited in name only; don't expect to find a numbered plaque on the dashboard and a certificate of authenticity in the glovebox.  Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel-drive and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) come standard, and all-wheel-drive is available at an extra cost on most trim levels. Buyers who select the GT are rewarded with a 2.4-liter four rated at 168 horses and 167 pound-feet of twist. It's exclusively offered with all-wheel-drive, and it's also bolted to a CVT. According to the EPA, combined fuel economy checks in at 27 mpg for the 2.0, and 26 mpg for the 2.4. Mitsubishi stores across the nation will begin receiving the 2021 Outlander Sport in February. While it won't be joined by the i-MiEV, it's part of a broad model offensive that also includes the redesigned 2022 Eclipse Cross.  

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi pool $200 million to invest in tech startups

PARIS — The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance is setting up a $200 million mobility tech fund, three sources said, in the latest move by major carmakers to adapt to rapid industry change by investing in startups through their own venture capital arms. The fund, due to be unveiled by Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn at the CES tech industry show in Las Vegas next Tuesday, will be 40 percent financed by Renault, 40 percent by Nissan and 20 percent by Mitsubishi. "It will allow us to move faster on acquisitions ahead of our competition," one of the alliance sources told Reuters. Frederique Le Greves, a spokeswoman for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, declined to comment. The traditional auto industry model based on individual ownership is threatened by pay-per-use services such as Uber, as well as ride- and car-sharing platforms, a challenge heightened by parallel shifts towards electrified and self-driving cars. Wary carmakers are struggling to embrace changes and technologies that some of their executives are only beginning to grasp. To accelerate the process, many are investing directly in the new services — and gaining access to intellectual property — via their own corporate venture capital (CVC) funds. BMW has purchased stakes in a plethora of ride-sharing, smart-charging and autonomous vehicle software firms through its 500 million euro ($600 million) iVentures fund, the biggest such in-house facility belonging to a carmaker. Among others that have been increasingly active are General Motors' GM Ventures, with $240 million, and Peugeot-maker PSA Group's 100 million-euro investment arm. CVC funds, a familiar feature of innovative sectors such as tech and pharmaceuticals, have become more commonplace among carmakers since the 2008-9 financial crisis. They let companies skip some of the formalities otherwise required for new investments, and pounce more swiftly on promising startups. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi venture will also obviate the current need to thrash out the ownership split for each new alliance acquisition. It represents a further step in the integration of the carmakers as they pursue 10 billion euros in annual synergies by 2022. France's Renault holds a 43.4 percent stake in Nissan, which in turn controls Mitsubishi. Ghosn heads Renault and chairs all three.