2003 Evo 8, Street/track Car, Fully Built Engine/drivetrain/suspension on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi kills CHAdeMO on upcoming Outlander PHEV

Mitsubishi will be adding a number of features to its Outlander Plug-in Hybrid SUV when it introduces the model to the US this summer. It'll also be subtracting a CHAdeMO-standard fast-charging port. The Japanese automaker is saying there aren't enough compatible stations in the States to warrant it, so domestic drivers will have to settle for the SAE port for their fast-charging purposes. Mitsubishi and Nissan are the two Japanese automakers that have been pushing hardest for CHAdeMO as a fast-charging standard. Many US and German automakers have been pushing the competing SAE Combo standard for fast-charging, but the charging station companies seem to be just as happy to install EVSEs with both ports on them. Mitsubishi showed off an Outlander PHEV at a reception in advance of the North American Auto Show in Detroit starting this week, though the car won't be at the show itself. The place where the CHAdeMO port is usually placed was covered by a plastic plate, according to Automotive News. Mitsubishi Motors North America spokesman Alex Fedorak confirmed to Autoblog that the Outlander PHEV will make its US debut by late summer, and that it wouldn't have a CHAdeMO charging port. The Outlander PHEV will start sales in August, and Mitsubishi is hoping the model's introduction will push Mitsubishi's US sales above the 100,000-vehicle threshold for the first time since 2007. The automaker has repeatedly delayed the US debut of the Outlander PHEV. While Mitsubishi hasn't released specifications, the model is likely to have better fuel efficiency and more power than its Japanese and European counterparts. Featured Gallery Plug In 2014: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV View 12 Photos News Source: Automotive News, Automotive NewsImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green Mitsubishi SUV Hybrid PHEV

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will debut in New York

Mitsubishi is betting big on crossovers and EVs, and some promising stuff is in store for the end of this decade. But in the very near future, the first product in Mitsubishi's EV/CUV strategy will launch in the US: the 2017 Outlander PHEV will finally bow at the New York Auto Show in March. I say "finally" because Mitsubishi already offers a plug-in Outlander in other markets, and overseas the PHEV crossover is off to a great start. Mitsubishi is seeing "great success in Europe," according to Ken Konieczka, the company's VP of sales operations. And when the Outlander PHEV launches in the US later this year, Konieczka thinks it'll attract a lot of new buyers to the Mitsubishi brand. I got to see the 2017 Outlander PHEV at a small event in Detroit on Thursday. It's the only one in the country, and still has to undergo some more testing and development before the CUV ready for the spotlight. Perhaps that's why Mitsubishi parked it in a dark corner of Detroit's Garden Theater. Compared to the regular Outlander you see pictured here, the PHEV doesn't look all that different save some badges on the tailgate and front fenders and, of course, the charging port. But that's not all Mitsubishi has in store for New York. The Mirage G4 sedan will also bow at that show, after its Canadian introduction at the Toronto Auto Show in February. Like the Outlander PHEV, the Mirage G4 already exists in other markets, and Mitsubishi says it has the largest interior volume of any sedan in its class. More information about both models – including pricing and specifications – will be available when both cars hit the Javits Center stage in March.

Limited-edition Mitsubishi 311RS Evo X coming to Minneapolis Auto Show [w/video]

It's not terribly often that we have news to report coming out ahead of the Minneapolis Auto Show. We say that not to disparage the Twin Cities, which are lovely, but new product reveals are few and far between for the show. This year, however, it seems that event will play host to the debut of a rather special limited edition Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Though not coming directly from the Mitsu factory, we think the 311RS shows loads of potential for Evo fanatics.
The 311RS is the brainchild of circuit racer Ryan Gates, who has apparently spent the last three years developing what he believes is an Evo perfect for both racing and road driving. Starting life as a bog-standard Evo X, the Gates team has swapped out the factory intake, intercooler and exhaust system for more potent AMS pieces; resulting in output figures of 353 horsepower and nearly 359 pound-feet of torque. A new suspension from JRZ, brakes from Girodisc and 18-inch custom Rays wheels shod with high-performance Nitto tires represent significant updates to the underpinnings, as well.
Of course, the 311RS is also rocking a full body kit, too, with a more aggressive front air dam and a subtle lip added on to the stock rear wing. The blue and white racing livery, with matching blue wheels, looks racy without being too childish, we think.