tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post2918721947242383459..comments2023-07-26T21:53:52.878+08:00Comments on SEAN-THE-MAN.blogspot.com: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer - Specifications-only Review and Launch Videossean-the-manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-28910594917248955042007-10-11T16:57:00.000+08:002007-10-11T16:57:00.000+08:00AnonymousThe K20 in Type Rs makes 197hp (JDM makes...Anonymous<BR/><BR/>The K20 in Type Rs makes 197hp (JDM makes over 220hp). But when it's in the Civic 2.0s, it makes 150+hp.<BR/><BR/>The 4B11 in the Lancer makes 156hp, but in the Evo X, it makes 280hp.<BR/><BR/>It's all up to which model the engine's in and its state of tune.sean-the-manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-20658655790004998112007-10-11T12:05:00.000+08:002007-10-11T12:05:00.000+08:00The K20Z makes 197 hp. not 150-160.The K20Z makes 197 hp. <BR/>not 150-160.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-22583618256191214052007-05-05T15:13:00.000+08:002007-05-05T15:13:00.000+08:00Mitsubishi Motors announces The names of two model...<B>Mitsubishi Motors announces The names of two models due for Japan domestic market release this fall</B><BR/><A HREF="http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/corporate/detail1621.html" REL="nofollow">http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/corporate/detail1621.html</A><BR/><BR/>—"GALANT FORTIS" sedan & "LANCER EVOLUTION X" high-performance 4WD sedan—<BR/><BR/>GALANT FORTIS (Exterior Study Model)<BR/> <BR/>LANCER EVOLUTION X (Exterior Study Model)<BR/> <BR/>Tokyo, 26 April, 2007 — Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has announced the names of two new models. The U.S.-market Lancer will be renamed "GALANT FORTIS" for the Japan domestic market. Also, Mitsubishi's rally-inspired, high-performance 4WD sedan will carry the name "LANCER EVOLUTION X".<BR/><BR/>The development concept for the new Galant Fortis1 calls for a "new-generation global sedan with world-class levels of safety, environmental performance and comfort". Distinguishing features include: a high-rigidity platform that delivers excellent crashworthiness; a new 2-liter engine with aluminum cylinder block that delivers high power output and returns excellent fuel efficiency; exterior styling that imparts a broad stance and sporty lines; and a spacious, well-appointed cabin.<BR/><BR/>The development concept for the all-new Lancer Evolution X2 specifies a "new-generation high-performance 4WD global sedan that allows all levels of driver to enjoy the car's speed and handling with ease and in safety". The new model features Mitsubishi's S-AWC3 traction and handling system, that integrates the control of drive torque and braking management with the four-wheel drive system to help realize highly responsive and intuitive handling in addition to outstanding vehicle attitude stability. Other examples of Mitsubishi Motors' latest automotive technology to be featured in the new model include a new lightweight and high-performance 2.0-liter turbocharged MIVEC4 engine with aluminum cylinder block and a 6-speed automated manual transmission that contributes to exceptional performance with improved fuel economy. The performance-driven design makes the car's extreme potential clear, while cockpit design focuses the driver's attention on operating his machine.<BR/><BR/>1 Latin for strong, steadfast, courageous.<BR/>2 "X" ("Ten") stands for the tenth iteration of the Lancer Evolution released on the Japan domestic market. (In other markets the car will be called "LANCER EVOLUTION".)<BR/>3 Super All Wheel Control<BR/>4 Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control System: Mitsubishi Motors variable valve systemsean-the-manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-79499044400121371552007-02-05T22:58:00.000+08:002007-02-05T22:58:00.000+08:00Mitsubishi Pins Hopes on New Compacts
07.01.2006 B...Mitsubishi Pins Hopes on New Compacts<br />07.01.2006 By Chuck Giametta<br /><br />Mitsubishi is taking a wait and "C" approach toward its future in the United States.<br /><br />"C" is code for the new family of "compact" cars and SUVs upon which the sales-challenged, scandal-racked automaker is pinning a great deal of hope.<br /><br />The 2007 Outlander is the first in a line of Mitsubishi vehicles derived from the new "C" platform.<br />Mitsubishi's first C-segment model hits showrooms in November as the redesigned 2007 Outlander compact SUV. It will be followed in early 2007 by the redesigned 2008 Lancer, a compact car that will share Outlander's basic underskin structure.<br /><br />These vehicles represent a retrenching of Mitsubishi in the United States, a return to the smaller, affordable offerings the automaker sees as its strength.<br /><br />Mitsubishi, however, is testy to the notion that its future in America hinges solely on the success of these new models. When its product development director was quoted in an industry publication saying as much, the chief of Mitsubishi Motors North America himself issued a stern rebuttal, claiming the remarks were misinterpreted and pledging the company has no plans to exit the U.S. <br /> <br />Still, much of Mitsubishi's American-market plan beyond these C models is sketchy. No Montero full-size SUV replacement is likely, and no redesigned Endeavor midsize SUV or Galant midsize sedan is probable before 2010. <br /><br />"C-segment is the first priority for us," acknowledged Shinichi Kurihara, corporate general manager--product strategy office, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. "Then we have to study what kind of (other) car we might bring into the U.S."<br /><br />Nonetheless, it doesn't take a hardened skeptic to question whether Mitsubishi will be in the U.S. to welcome anything beyond the C-segment. With U.S. sales down more than 12 percent in the first five months of 2006, and calendar-2005 sales their lowest in almost 20 years, the prognosis is not cheerful. <br /><br />High Hopes<br /><br />Mitsubishi, naturally, is optimistic.<br /><br />Hiroshi Harunari, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America and the man who issued the rebuttal, followed up with an enthusiastic letter to Mitsubishi's 545 U.S. dealers. "We have very high hopes that Outlander will be a tremendous success here as it has been in Japan," the letter said. "We wish to be clear that the continuation of our business is not directly tied to the sales success of the Outlander."<br /><br />The Many Faces of Mitsubishi<br /><br />Mitsubishi's many companies include the beverage company Kirin (top), Nikon camera (middle), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which developed the engines that powered Japan's H-IIA rocket (bottom). <br />In informal remarks to Consumer Guide(r) during the 2006 New York Auto Show, Harunari was similarly confident, and said he estimated Mitsubishi's U.S. turnaround would take five years.<br /><br />The company has its work cut out if it is to reverse what has been a dramatic deflation of its fortunes.<br /><br />Mitsubishi is one of Asia's economic giants and is actually a broad entity of independent companies and hundreds of subsidiaries.<br /><br />Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the umbrella under which functions Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and its Mitsubishi Motors North America branch. In a remarkable show of diversification, operations under the Mitsubishi banner also include shipping, electronics, banking, plastics, paper mills, real estate, and oil refining. It extends to the manufacturing of space rockets and jet aircraft, and its holdings stretch to Kirin-brand beer and the camera and optics icon, Nikon Corporation.<br /><br />It's big enterprise that makes big news. Unfortunately, not all the headlines over the past few years have been happy ones.<br /><br />A Troubled Past<br /><br />In the late 1990s, some of Mitsubishi's Japanese auto executives were charged with covering up the recall of defective products. Prosecutors accused others of payoffs to criminal racketeers. In 2004, seven former Mitsubishi executives were arrested in Japan and charged with falsifying reports about a fault that caused a fatal accident. Reacting to the scandals and mounting losses, the parent company in 2005 forced the resignation of Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s president, chairman, and vice chairman.<br /><br />Blemishes to Mitsubishi's prestige in the U.S. were less widespread, but just as damaging: The company's reputation arguably still has not recovered fully from the scandal over the systematic sexual harassment of women at its Illinois assembly plant. <br /><br />More recently, the U.S. operation lost a huge safety net as Mitsubishi's relationship with DaimlerChrysler collapsed. Mitsubishi's product partnership with Chrysler Corp. dated from the 1970s; the Illinois plant opened in the 1980s was a joint venture. By the early 2000s, DaimlerChrysler was looking to its Japanese affiliate to lead its expansion into China.<br /><br />In spring 2004, however, DaimlerChrysler declined its troubled partner's pleas for financial aid. The rift became a separation in November 2005 when DaimlerChrysler, whose stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corp. was once as high as 37 percent, divested itself of its shares in the automaker.<br /><br />History<br />Mitsubishi's U.S. milestones.<br /><br />Compounding the damage to Mitsubishi's bottom line, DaimlerChrysler retained control of the profitable Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corp. A shadow of the Mitsubishi-DaimlerChrysler relationship survives in a few joint projects.<br /><br />0-0-0 Spells Trouble<br /><br />Mitsubishi began selling cars in the U.S. under its own name in 1981. It enjoyed its strongest sales here during the early 2000s, moving more than 300,000 cars, SUVs and pickups out of showrooms three years running. That picture of health was illusory, however.<br />A good portion of the sales was low-profit fleet traffic with rental-car companies and the like. That led to an oversupply of used Mitsubishis, which drove down the price of new models.<br /><br />Even more damaging was the company's bold "0-0-0" financing program. This plan, which ended after 2002, allowed new-car purchases with nothing down, no interest, and no payments for a year or more. That attracted thousands of buyers who otherwise could not afford a new car, and it left Mitsubishi holding the bag when they defaulted on payments. It also made it more difficult to slide returning customers into new models because they often owed more on their used Mitsubishi than it was worth in trade. Today, Mitsubishi tops all brands in the percentage of owners who have so-called negative equity, according to the Power Information Network.<br /><br />The Mitsubishi brand is not doing so well in customer-satisfaction ratings, either. In the 2006 edition of the industry's most-important customer survey, the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, Mitsubishi placed twenty-third out of 37 brands ranked. <br /><br />The product lineup itself is less than rock-solid. The only entry with a year-to-date sales increase is the Eclipse, a relatively new model still surfing the crest of the notoriously fickle sporty-car segment.<br /><br />In March, Mitsubishi suffered the embarrassment of having to ask the Chrysler Group to stop production of the Raider pickup, a reskinned Dodge Dakota that failed to gain a sales toehold after seven months on the market, despite support from expensive Super Bowl commercials.<br />Mitsubishi sales chart<br /><br />Overall, Mitsubishi sales in the first five months of 2006 are off 12.3 percent from the year-earlier period. That's on top of a sobering 23.3 percent calendar-year drop, 2004 to 2005. Its Illinois plant is down to a single shift and on pace to build 90,000 vehicles this year, down from a high of 200,000 in 2002.<br /><br />"C" Also Stands for Challenge<br /><br />It's this malaise the new C-segment Outlander and Lancer are being counted on to help cure.<br /><br />The '07 Outlander is larger and more handsome than the 2003-2006 version. It boasts a standard V6 engine, which the current model doesn't offer, and it includes such features as a 6-speed automatic transmission with steering column paddle shift, plus seven-passenger capacity via a small 3rd-row seat sized for children.<br /><br />However, the Outlander could cannibalize sales from Mitsubishi's midsize Endeavor SUV, which isn't usefully larger or more powerful, and seats only five. And with gas prices an issue, some compact-SUV shoppers could bypass the new Outlander precisely because it doesn't offer a 4-cyl engine.<br /><br />Like the coming Outlander, the 2008 Lancer also faces some hurdles. As does the current version, the next-generation Lancer will include Evolution high-performance editions. But the popularity of these low-volume variants among the fast-and-furious crowd has never been enough to lift the Lancer nameplate out of the compact-car swarm. <br /><br />For its part, Mitsubishi says the goal of the C-strategy is not so much blockbuster sales, but to refocus the product line on the kinds of vehicles the company does best.<br /><br />"We have a strong history in smaller performance models, and these play off that heritage," said Jun Asami, Mitsubishi Motors North America vice president of marketing.<br /><br />Just cutting through the clutter to get the new models noticed will be a challenge, given Mitsubishi's thin marketing presence. Its spending on TV advertising fell 31.9 percent in 2005, for example.<br /><br />"Are we going to saturate the national airwaves? No, that is for GM or Toyota," Asami said. "Our media strategy this year is more rifle than shotgun," he added, and will take careful aim at target buyers. <br /><br />The Home Office Flexes its Muscles<br /><br />If Mitsubishi is to return to robust health in America, it will need assistance from its immense Japanese network. There are signs it's getting it.<br /><br />Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has teamed with the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi to tighten the parent organization's grip on its floundering automotive operation. They installed new leadership (the chairman of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is also now the chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Corp) and invested $2.6 billion in a revitalization plan.<br /><br />Japan's first mass-produced car was Mitsubishi's 1917 Model-A. In 1949, it used spare WWII airplane parts to build the Silver Pigeon scooter in Japan.<br /><br />Mitsubishi Motors North America is launching an advertising and marketing campaign to celebrate its 25th year in the U.S. The push is accompanied by new advertising, renewed dealer support, and special trim editions of some of its cars. The campaign's theme is "The next 25 years begins today."<br /><br />Any corporate resurgence depends to some degree on intangibles, and for Mitsubishi, one intangible may be a renewed sense of independence.<br /><br />Sources within the company, who would not speak for attribution, say many of Mitsubishi's Japanese executives, engineers, designers, and others feel once again in charge of their own destiny after years of sharing products with Chrysler--and especially after enduring an uneasy working relationship with the German bosses who came with the DaimlerChrysler merger.<br /><br />Mitsubishi has a proud motor vehicle heritage. It created Japan's first mass produced passenger car in 1917, and its Silver Pigeon scooters put Japan back on wheels after World War II. Its cars are perhaps the most visible public symbol of its corporate identity, carrying the three-diamond logo to all corners of the globe.<br /><br />Would such a cultural and economic powerhouse deny itself a presence in America, the world's top car market?<br /><br />"It would be difficult to characterize the corporate pride," Asami said, "but we can assure you that the employees are enormously dedicated and working hard to secure success."sean-the-manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-8100109335144396842007-02-05T22:52:00.000+08:002007-02-05T22:52:00.000+08:00DETROIT PREVIEW:
New Mitsubishi Lancer has CVT o...DETROIT PREVIEW: <br /><br />New Mitsubishi Lancer has CVT option<br /><br />11 December 2006 | Source: just-auto.com editorial team<br /><br />Mitsubishi Motors North America will launch the new Lancer line at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.<br /><br />The new compact sport sedan reaches US Mitsubishi dealerships in early 2007 and goes on sale in Europe - with a much wider choice of engines - in the fourth quarter.<br /><br />Designers said the "shark-nosed" front end was inspired by jet fighter air intakes.<br /><br />The 2008 Lancer is based on the same global platform used for the latest Outlander SUV. The body is larger than the current model, with an overall length of 4,570mm (+35mm), width of 1,760 mm (+65mm), height of 1,490 mm (+60mm) and wheelbase of 2,635 mm (+35mm).<br /><br />The design uses elements from the Concept-X shown at the 2005 Tokyo motor show.<br /><br />All US Lancer models will have a new ‘global’ two-litre 152 hp aluminium DOHC MIVEC four-cylinder engine (143 hp PZEV in California and eastern states specifying the same emission standard) coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.<br /><br />The new Lancer will also be the first Mitsubishi in North America to offer an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). When so equipped, the GTS version has a six-step ‘Sportronic’ mode using magnesium steering wheel paddle shifters.<br /><br />The US models will be available in three levels of trim: DE, ES and the sport-tuned GTS.<br /><br />“With its sharp handling and 35 year Lancer sporting credentials, it will be in Europe a new alternative for customers of desirable, heritage-proud, non-mainstream brands in the C-segment: not premium, but different and legitimate,” Mitsubishi’s European unit said.<br /><br />The European line will offer four powertrain levels (entry, mid-range, upper-range and supercar) with five different engines, including the VAG-supplied 140ps two litre diesel already fitted to the Grandis Di-D and Outlander Di-D.sean-the-manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20130311.post-76448686544418257992007-02-05T22:50:00.000+08:002007-02-05T22:50:00.000+08:00The San Diego Union-Tribune
AUTOWEEK
February 3, 2...The San Diego Union-Tribune<br />AUTOWEEK<br />February 3, 2007<br /><br />Mitsubishi pins hope on revamped Lancer<br /><br />SANTA BARBARA – When the redesigned Mitsubishi Lancer goes on sale this spring, it will mark the first time the struggling carmaker will launch a redesigned version of the car in the United States before it goes on sale in Japan.<br /><br />Mitsubishi badly needs the Lancer to be a hit in this country. Dealers sold only 23,167 Lancers in 2006, down 16.8 percent from the previous year.<br /><br />“The Lancer is going on sale first in the United States because the market is bigger,” says Hiroshi Harunari, chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors North America.<br /><br />The basics: The 2008 Lancer is the ninth generation of the car. The aim is to bring a moderately priced small car to the United States that is roomy, comfortable, safe, good-looking, sporty and quick.<br /><br />The vehicle is based on itsubishi's new C platform and its next-generation Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution design, which uses high-strength steel not utilized in the current model. The RISE design allows for better sport suspension tuning. Torsional rigidity exceeds that of the Lancer Evolution IX sports car.<br /><br />The redesigned Lancer comes in three trim lines: the DE, EX and the sport-tuned GTS. It will be the first Mitsubishi sold in the United States with a continuously variable transmission, available as an option on all three trim lines.<br /><br />Compared with the current model, the 2008 Lancer has a longer wheelbase and wider track but is slightly shorter. The new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, teamed with a five-speed manual transmission, makes 152 horsepower, up significantly from 120 hp produced by the current inline-four.<br /><br />The new engine is 591/2 pounds lighter. A rear-mounted exhaust manifold replaces the front-mounted manifold, permitting more precise and quicker steering response.<br /><br />The redesigned front suspension makes for a smoother ride over rough roads.<br /><br />Notable features:<br /><br />Sixteen-inch wheels are standard, up from 15-inch wheels. The GTS rides on 18-inch wheels.<br /><br />There are seven standard air bags, including side-curtain bags. For the first time, a standard driver's knee air bag is included. Anti-lock brakes are standard on the ES and GTS models and available on the base DE. The GTS is equipped with the same front and rear brakes as the larger Outlander SUV.<br /><br />The GTS will have an exclusive sport-tuned suspension. When equipped with the optional continuously variable transmission, the GTS features a six-step shift mode with magnesium paddle shifters on the steering wheel.<br /><br />The optional hard-disc drive navigation system, available on the GTS, can hold up to 1,200 songs. Sirius satellite radio, available on the ES and GTS models, comes with a six-month subscription.<br /><br />What Mitsubishi says:<br /><br />“The C segment is no longer just an econobox,” says Bryan Arnett, product strategy manager for the Lancer and Outlander SUV. “This is a more premium feeling and upscale vehicle.”<br /><br />Shortcomings and compromises: Because of budget constraints, Mitsubishi could not introduce the planned 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a smaller-displacement engine. But Arnett says they are looking at a bigger-displacement four-cylinder engine in the future.<br /><br />The market: The Lancer is in a crowded field that includes the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Cobalt.<br /><br />Arnett expects the midlevel ES to be the best-selling version. He believes the GTS will attract conquest buyers.<br /><br />The skinny: The redesigned car is much better. And with an estimated base price of $14,000, the 2008 Lancer will be more than $1,000 less than the current model.<br /><br />Mitsubishi dealers say the company has given them an excellent product but now needs to market the Lancer better.sean-the-manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16015387695941406581noreply@blogger.com