2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Se on 2040-cars

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Good news, everyone! Updated Mitsubishi Mirage coming in 2017

If you think you see a 2016 Mitsubishi Mirage, it's a mirage. That's because the dreadful subcompact is going away for the new model year. But don't worry, the Mirage will make a triumphant return with a few updates. According to Car and Driver, an updated Mirage will launch early in the 2017 model year with powertrain and chassis enhancements. That's a good thing, considering how poorly the current car has been received. Also coming for 2017 is the Mirage sedan, a car that's already sold in other markets. Mitsubishi already confirmed the sedan's arrival, and considering how popular the base Nissan Versa sedan is, this should only improve the Mirage's sales here in the US. Speaking of sales, the Mirage isn't doing too bad in our market. It's the second-best-selling Mitsubishi product currently, beating the Outlander and Lancer through July of this year. An updated version and a sedan model will help, too. And hey, maybe this refreshed one won't be so dreary.

Junkyard Gem: 1993 Mitsubishi 3000GT

Mitsubishi is down to just three models in the United States now: the Eclipse Cross, Mirage and Outlander (and the Outlander is sibling to the Nissan Rogue). Back in its glory days of the 1990s, however, Mitsubishi offered American vehicle shoppers a comprehensive line that included minivans, wagons, sedans of all sizes, pickups, econoboxes, sport coupes, SUVs and an evil-looking sports car called the 3000GT. Today's Junkyard Gem is a first-generation 3000GT, found in a Northern California wrecking yard. Known as the Mitsubishi GTO in its homeland, the 3000GT was available in the United States from the 1991 through 1999 model years. For 1991 through 1996, a Dodge-badged version called the Stealth was sold in North America. There was a turbocharged all-wheel-drive VR4 version of the 3000GT, but this one is a naturally-aspirated front-wheel-drive base model. The engine is a 3.0-liter DOHC V6 rated at 222 horsepower and 205 pound-feet. The transmission is a five-speed manual. A four-speed automatic was available for an additional $840 ($1,807 in 2024 dollars). The MSRP for the base front-wheel-drive 3000GT for 1993 was $23,659, or about $50,893 after inflation. The much faster VR4 listed at $37,250 ($80,128 in today's money). This car has had an interesting life, evidence of which can be seen in the replacement VIN tag riveted on by the State of California. Home-market ads for Japanese cars from this period are more fun than their American counterparts. It appears that the FWD version didn't get much attention in TV commercials. Mitsubishi. The word is getting around.

Mitsubishi struggling to sell doomed plant due to union workers

Mitsubishi is about to end vehicle production in the US, but the company is having serious problems finding a buyer for its Normal, IL, factory that currently assembles the Outlander Sport. A major sticking point, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, is the plant's workforce of over 900 United Auto Workers members. The automaker has been trying to find another company to take over the site for months and has set November as the point to stop manufacturing there. The Normal, IL, factory is unique because it's the only plant in the country that's run by a Japanese automaker with a UAW-represented workforce, after starting as a joint venture with Chrysler. That makes Ford, General Motors, and FCA the preferred buyers because they could conceivably take over the union contract. However, the Blue Oval and the General likely aren't interested. According to plant officials speaking to The Wall Street Journal, FCA and some unnamed car companies are potential buyers, but there's absolutely nothing final, yet. Proponents argue that buying the location is cheaper than building a new one. Making matters harder is that the UAW and Mitsubishi are currently negotiating a new union contract, and the factory's next owner might have to take over the deal, according to the WSJ. The workers were ready to vote whether to strike recently, but that was averted when an announcement on the local's webpage said a tentative agreement was expected Sunday. Of course, the Big Three have been experiencing their own, similar issues with crafting deals, too. Related Video: