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Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Sedan in Montreal could mean US debut soon

The official word on the North American plans for the Mitsubishi Mirage G4 Sedan is that the Japanese company wants to ask Canadians what they think of the four-door, three-cylinder before deciding if the car will go on sale here. There are hints, though, that the plan is a bit more set in stone than Mitsubishi is letting on. Speaking with AutoGuide, Mitsubishi manager of product communications, Roger Yasukawa, said that, "We are considering making it into a North American car but are still working on the timing of the launch." If they're already figuring out timing, it sounds like this is a question of when, not if. The Mirage G4 is built in Thailand and is sold throughout Asia as the Attrage. It just made its North American debut at the 2014 Montreal Motor Show, a move that could preview a US debut as well, since that's how the Mirage hatchback was introduced. We were not all that impressed with the hatch, but sometimes you just want a highly efficient car for not a lot of money. The car does get 37 miles per gallon in the city and 44 mpg on the highway, all for $12,995, after all. We'll see what the news is when the New York Auto Show starts up in April. Mitsubishi Reveals Mirage G4 Sedan Consumer Feedback to Influence Launch Plans Montreal, Quebec (Jan. 16, 2014) – Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) will ask auto show visitors here and across Canada to offer opinions on the look, feel, cost and features of a new subcompact sedan before it gets the green-light for sale in Canada. The Mirage G4, Mitsubishi's Thailand-built four-door, three-cylinder sedan, will make its North American debut today at the 2014 Salon International de l'auto de Montreal. But company president and CEO, Kenichiro "Kenny" Yamamoto said its future availability in Canada will be based, in part, on consumer opinion. "Our plan is to showcase the Mirage G4 and gauge what Canadians think of it and what they expect from subcompact sedans in general," he said. "A solid business case for Mirage was confirmed by the successful 2013 launch of the Mirage hatchback model; with G4, we're indicating our intention to grow the Mirage line up in Canada." When it was launched last September, the 2014 Mirage hatchback became MMSCAN's first subcompact car. Since then, Mitsubishi dealerships have reported Mirage's top fuel economy, low entry price and leading warranty are resonating well with customers.

Ex-Green Beret arrested in Ghosn's escape has lived a life of danger

This Dec. 30, 2019, image from security camera video shows Michael L. Taylor, center, and George-Antoine Zayek at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey. Taylor, a former Green Beret, and his son, Peter Taylor, 27, were arrested Wednesday in Massachusetts on charges they smuggled Nissan ex-Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box in December 2019, while he awaited trial there on financial misconduct charges. / AP   Decades before a security camera caught Michael Taylor coming off a jet that was carrying one of the world’s most-wanted fugitives, the former Green Beret had a hard-earned reputation for taking on dicey assignments. Over the years, Taylor had been hired by parents to rescue abducted children. He went undercover for the FBI to sting a Massachusetts drug gang. And he worked as a military contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan, an assignment that landed him in a Utah jail in a federal fraud case. So when Taylor was linked to the December escape of former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn from Japan, where the executive awaited trial on financial misconduct charges, some in U.S. military and legal circles immediately recognized the name. Taylor has “gotten himself involved in situations that most people would never even think of, dangerous situations, but for all the right reasons,” Paul Kelly, a former federal prosecutor in Boston who has known the security consultant since the early 1990s, said earlier this year. “Was I surprised when I read the story that he may have been involved in what took place in Japan? No, not at all.” Wednesday, after months as fugitives, Taylor, 59, and his son, Peter, 27, were arrested in Massachusetts on charges accusing them of hiding Ghosn in a shipping case drilled with air holes and smuggling him out of Japan on a chartered jet. Investigators were still seeking George-Antoine Zayek, a Lebanese-born colleague of Taylor. “He is the most all-American man I know,” TaylorÂ’s assistant, Barbara Auterio, wrote to a federal judge before his sentencing in 2015. “His favorite song is the national anthem.” Kelly, now serving as the attorney for the Taylors, said they plan to challenge JapanÂ’s extradition request “on several legal and factual grounds.” “Michael Taylor is a distinguished veteran and patriot, and both he and his son deserve a full and fair hearing regarding these issues,” Kelly said in an email.

Geely and Renault joint venture will develop internal combustion and hybrid tech

China's Geely Automobile Holdings and French car maker Renault SA on Tuesday said they will invest up to 7 billion euros ($7.71 billion) in a new equally held joint venture to develop gasoline engines and hybrid technology for automobiles. The JV is aimed at manufacturing more efficient internal combustion engines and hybrid systems at a time when the focus of much of the automobile industry has been on the capital-intensive transition to purely electric vehicles. "We are pleased to be embarking on this journey to become a global leader in hybrid technologies, providing low-emission solutions for automakers around the world," said Eric Li, Geely Holding Group chairman. The new company will employ 19,000 people at 17 engine plants and five research and development hubs, Renault said. At launch, it is expected to supply to multiple industrial customers including Volvo, Proton, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, and PUNCH Torino. The JV aims to have an annual production capacity of up to five million internal combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines and transmissions, Renault added. Reuters reported in March that the new venture will see 15 billion euros ($16.53 billion) in annual revenue. Saudi Aramco, which signed a letter of intent with Renault and Geely in March, is evaluating a strategic investment in the new company, Renault said. The Saudi oil producer has been involved in advanced discussions to take a stake of up to 20% in the JV, sources said earlier this year. Big oil firms have worked with automakers to develop sustainable fuels and hydrogen engines in recent years. But a deal here would make Aramco the first major oil producer to invest in the car business. The joint venture is expected to be launched in the second half of 2023. Earnings/Financials Green Mitsubishi Nissan Volvo Renault