2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Es Sedan 4-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatchback

Remember the front-wheel-drive Dodge and Plymouth Colts (not to mention the Plymouth Champ and Eagle Summit) of the late 1970s through the middle 1990s? Those were Mitsubishi Mirages, and you could buy them here with Mitsubishi badging from 1985 through 2002. Then, for the 2014 model year, the Mirage returned to North America, as the cheapest new car you could buy here. Now, barely a half-decade later, I'm seeing significant quantities of these Mirages in the car graveyards I frequent. Here's a pretty clean '15 in a yard located within sight of Pikes Peak in Colorado. I began seeing the current generation of Fiat 500 in the cheap U-Wrench yards when those cars hit about six or seven years of age, and the same goes for the Sebring-based Chrysler 200s. The Mirage beats that dubious distinction by a year or two. Really, the only shorter showroom-to-junkyard average interval I've witnessed in my 38 years of junkyard crawling was achieved by the genuinely miserable early Hyundai Excels, which started to be discarded in quantity when they hit about age four; I recall seeing dozens of them in Southern California yards with 25,000 miles on the clock and hardly any interior wear-and-tear. Even the Yugo did better (and this is why I remain amazed by the generally high quality of Hyundai products starting in the early-to-mid 1990s; Hyundai gets my personal "Most Improved Automaker" award for that achievement). That said, I don't agree with the legions of my car-writer colleagues who love to trash the humble Mirage. I reviewed the 2014 Mirage, and then— just because I feel such affection for cheap commuter-mobiles— went back and wrote up the 2017 Mirage GT. These cars aren't much fun to drive, they have decidedly low-rent interiors, and you don't look like a serious car expert when the masses see you behind the wheel of one. And yet, if you're 22 years old in your first "real" job and you'll get canned if you're late even once, choosing a new car with a strong warranty, with non-ball-busting credit terms and a somewhat lower monthly payment than those other subcompacts that provide more road feel when you're at the limit of the performance envelope, you know, when you're trail-braking for a late pass on your favorite two-lane freeway offrampÂ… well, the Mirage looks like a pretty good deal on a transportation appliance.

Mitsubishi is auctioning its entire UK heritage fleet with no reserve

Mitsubishi will exit the United Kingdom in the fall of 2021 after struggling for several years, and its losses can be your gain. Before it leaves, it will auction its fleet of 14 beautifully-preserved classic models with no reserve. There are 14 classics that need a new home, and the collection includes something for everyone. Enthusiasts can bid on a 1974 Lancer 1400 that stands out as the first Mitsubishi ever registered in the United Kingdom. It was displayed at the 1974 edition of the British Motor Show, and it's bid to 15,000 pounds (around $20,800) as of writing. Another 47-year-old classic is a Colt Galant 2.0 imported to the United Kingdom in the spring of 1974 and used as a demonstrator to recruit dealers. It's currently sitting at 5,000 pounds, which represents about $7,000. For something quicker, there are several versions of the Lancer Evolution to choose from. One is a 2001 model signed by pilot Tommi Makinen. Another is a 2015 FQ-440 MR, a limited-edition model built in 40 examples to send off the nameplate. There is also a 2008 Evo, and a 2007 model built to Group N rally specifications. It competed in the British Rally Championship in 2007 and 2008. Alternatively, a Galant-based rally car is up for grabs, too. Coupes are relatively well represented, with a 1988 Starion whose engine was recently overhauled, and a 1992 3000GT. Performance is only one part of the Mitsubishi story, however; off-roading is another, and there are several SUVs to choose from. Mitsubishi is selling a 1987 short-wheelbase Shogun, which was sold as the Montero in the United States, a 2000 Shogun, and an L200 Desert Warrior pickup. Our favorite of the lot is a 1983 Jeep J27, which, as its name implies, was produced under license from Willys. It was given a full restoration in the 2000s. Mitsubishi is also selling a 7/10-scale replica of the Model A. Finally, it's letting go of numerous personalized plates, and it's parting with a 2015 Outlander finished in Glacier Blue and showing approximately 1,800 miles. Bidding started on April 1, 2021, and each auction is scheduled to end on April 30, 2021. If you want to bag one of Mitsubishi's classics, visit the Auto Auction website to place a bid and keep your fingers crossed. The collection is located in England, but many of the cars are old enough to be imported to America and registered in most states.

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.