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Mitsubishi teases an electric SUV concept car for 2019 Geneva Motor Show

News from Mitsubishi comes pretty slow these days, but it looks like something new is arriving at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Today, the Japanese automaker revealed a teaser for a vehicle called the Engelberg Tourer, set to debut in early March this year. Details are vague, but we'll break down what we know. Mitsubishi says it's bringing "more SUV, more EV, more technology and more style." We'll be the judge of that last one — the Eclipse Cross is evidence enough for apprehension about Mitsubishi "style." What we appear to be looking at is an electric crossover concept, similar to Mitsubishi's other recent crossover EV concept. This one looks a bit different from the front, though. Then there's the name: Engelberg Tourer. Admittedly, it's a peculiar name for a concept car, but Mitsubishi says it's named after a rugged Alpine town in Switzerland with a history of sporting success. A quick internet search doesn't turn up much in the way of automotive history there, but it does appear to have some rally and off-roading heritage. Based on the rugged look of the front-end, we imagine this SUV is designed for fun once you've left the pavement. The slick blue lighting up front hints at the concept's electric powertrain. In the teaser, the light bars up top look sleek and minimal compared to massive units we see on some off-roading machines. It appears as though Mitsu is planning to show off camera side mirror tech in this concept, too. We'll have more news on Geneva and this Mitsubishi concept in the lead up to the show at the beginning of March, so stay tuned. Related video:

Nissan didn't have much say in merger talks, but it had what FCA wanted

TOKYO — Nissan wasn't consulted on the proposed merger between its alliance partner Renault and Fiat Chrysler, but the Japanese automaker's reluctance to go along may have helped bring about the surprise collapse of the talks. While Nissan Motor Co. had a weaker bargaining position from the start, with its financial performance crumbling after the arrest last year of its star executive Carlos Ghosn, it still had as its crown jewel the technology of electric vehicles and hybrids that Fiat Chrysler wanted. The board of Renault, meeting Thursday, didn't get as far as voting on the proposal, announced last week, which would have created the world's third biggest automaker, trailing only Volkswagen AG of Germany and Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. When the French government, Renault's top shareholder with a 15% stake, asked for more time to convince Nissan, Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew the offer. Although analysts say reviving the talks isn't out of the question, they say trust among the players appears to have been broken. "The other companies made the mistake of underestimating Nissan's determination to say, 'No,' " said Katsuya Takeuchi, senior analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities in Tokyo. The Note, an electric car with a small gas engine to charge its battery, was Japan's No. 1 selling car, the first time in 50 years that a Nissan beat Toyota and Honda. Renault and Fiat Chrysler highlighted possible synergies that come from sharing parts and research costs as the benefits of the merger. But what Fiat Chrysler lacks and really wanted was what's called in the industry "electrification technology," Takeuchi said. With emissions regulations getting stricter around the world, having such technology is crucial. Yokohama-based Nissan makes the world's best-selling electric car Leaf. Its Note, an electric car equipped with a small gas engine to charge its battery, was Japan's No. 1 selling car for the fiscal year through March, the first time in 50 years that a Nissan model beat Toyota and Honda Motor Co. for that title. Nissan is also a leader in autonomous-driving technology, another area all the automakers are trying to innovate. "Although Nissan had no say, its cautionary stance on the merger ended up being very meaningful," Takeuchi said.

Mitsubishi Mirage bows in Montreal without a name, Canadian sales promised

The Detroit Auto Show had plenty of major debuts for North American car buyers, but the Montreal Auto Show is being used for the North American debut of a new subcompact hatchback from Mitsubishi. Although this car is unnamed, it is almost identical to the redesigned Mirage we saw back at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show (and has been on sale in Asian markets such as Thailand since last year), but it is unclear if the car will carry this name when it goes on sale for our neighbors to the north starting this fall.
Aside from a slightly less annoying shade the of green we saw the car painted in at the Tokyo show, there are a few changes made for the car's Canadian debut. The biggest difference is that it is almost three inches longer, which is likely a result of the new rear fascia that is also visually different with some altered lines and small, circular reflectors. Other changes include a bigger three-cylinder engine (with a 1.2-liter displacement instead of the Tokyo car's 1.0-liter engine) and headlights that have new amber lenses for side reflectors.
There is still no word as to whether or not we'll see this new car in Mitsubishi's US lineup anytime soon, but it does seem like a good competitor against cars like that Mazda2, Chevrolet Spark and Hyundai Accent.