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The Mitsubishi Colt – Then and Now

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Over the years, Mitsubishi Motors actually had a lot more rally car and sports car models than one would think. Now mainly focusing on its SUVs, barely paying any attention to the Mirage hatchback or sedan, and keeping other models like pickup trucks (L200) and vans (Delica) overseas, there isn’t a whole lot else Mitsubishi Motors seems to be releasing. The rebadged Renault Clio is actually going to be the first new addition to the Mitsubishi Motors lineup – and here we thought Mitsubishi would be releasing its own new vehicle for the C/D segment. Nope. Along with the Mitsubishi Galant AMG, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Starion 4WD, and the Lancer Evolution, there is one other sports car that’s easy to forget – the Colt.

1962 – 1971

A nameplate that’s been used everywhere, and not just on Mitsubishi Motors models, the “Colt” first started as a line of small cars sold in Japan, produced by Shin Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (a sub-company of Mitsubishi before forming into just Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and focusing on large machines). This first rendition of the Colt, the Colt 600, only lasted three years, built as a two-door sedan with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine.

Succeeding this model were the Colt 800, Colt 1000, Colt 1100, Colt 1200, and Colt 1500. Just about each model replaced another, with the Colt 1500 becoming known as the Galant Colt. Then, the third Colt, a fastback (Colt 800) arrived in 1965 and took on a more traditional style with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive design, powered by an inline three-cylinder with three versions until late 1971.

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A Look Back at the Mitsubishi Eclipse

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealers in Miami, Mitsubishi Dealership Miami
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Mitsubishi Motors was once known as a racecar automaker. Entering rally car races and winning the World Rally Championship (WRC) multiple times with a variety of models, we looked at the Starion 4WD, the Lancer Evolution, and the Galant AMG. Although most of these have yet to be seen again, one model found a new life as a crossover. The one and only Mitsubishi Eclipse had a wonderful life, spanning from 1990 – 2012, and found a new spark as the Eclipse Cross.

1990s

Named after an 18th century English racehorse, when the first generation of the two-door, four-seat Mitsubishi sports car launched, the sporty coupe had a diverse lineup with the Eclipse, Eclipse GS, Eclipse GS-T (Turbo), and Eclipse GSX making up the group. The high-end trim GSX came with all-wheel drive (AWD), with front-wheel drive (FWD) standard on the rest of the lineup. For a power boost, the Turbo and GSX trims came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4G63 engine under the hood, able to generate up to 195 horsepower, accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than seven seconds, this engine made it to Car and Driver’s “10 Best Lift” for four years running (1989 -1992). The Eclipse was a terrific combination of form, function, beauty, and technology.

A game-changer came with the second-generation, introducing the Eclipse Spyder. Designed as a soft-top convertible, Mitsubishi consumers could enjoy the open air in this new coupe. Available in two trim levels, GS and GS-T, the standard powertrain was a 4G64 aspirated engine, whereas the GS-T of course came with the turbocharged 4G63 of the first generation.  We saw some real changes in 2003 onward.

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Revisiting the Mitsubishi Starion 4WD

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealership Miami

After talking about the Mitsubishi Galant AMG and the Lancer Evolution, it only feels right to revisit the Mitsubishi Starion 4WD. Highly sought after back in the day, the Mitsubishi Starion 4WD was the car that was never meant to be. After the Lancer Evolution won the World Rally Championship (WRC) for four years running, Ralliart decided to get back to work to making an even better rally car racer, a coupe that would be a part of a collective called “Group B rally”, known as rally cars that were some of the fastest, most powerful, and most sophisticated rally cars ever manufactured. However, the popularity for Group B cars took a dark turn after an accident during the Tour de Corse rally in 1986. For some reason, Mitsubishi Motors showed us the concept art for the Starion 4WD, and one still hopes that the rally car days are not completely over.

We talked a little about this with our piece on the Lancer Evolution. Although the last Lancer Evolition was auctioned off in America on eBay in 2016, and a special Tommi Makinen Edition was auctioned off in 2021 in Europe, Mitsubishi has rumored the return of the EVO nameplate, the same one that made the Lancer so famous and popular among rally car racers. Brought to life by Mitsubishi Motors’ Ralliart team, the high-performance team dedicated to some of its well-known racing vehicles, the EVO nameplate could make a comeback with the e-Evolution concept. There has been very little talk of it since it was first revealed, so there’s no guarantee Mitsubishi is still focused on high-performance vehicles, and may be focusing strictly on electric vehicles (EVs).

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A Look At Mitsubishi Rally Car History with the Lancer Evolution

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealer in Miami, Mitsubishi Dealership Miami

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was a rally car by the Japanese automaker that really changed the way consumers looked at the brand. Starting in 1992 and spanning over ten generations, the days of Mitsubishi sports cars have long since passed. With so much history and a legend in the world of rally cars, Mitsubishi has multiple well-known vehicles that have won titles and many races. Last week, we talked about the Mitsubishi Galant AMG, based off of the Galant VR4 (sixth generation). Only a true fan would know another vehicle was based off of the Galant VR4 when it first launched – none other than the Lancer Evolution.

It’s true. The first generation of the Lancer Evolution was built using the 2.0 L turbocharged DOHC engine and AWD drivetrain from the original Galant VR4. Using a different chassis, the vehicle was sold as a “Gran Sport Racing” (GRS) model and a “Rally Sport” (RS) model. The one and only Ralliart was responsible for the Lancer Evolution, the name behind some of Mitsubishi Motors most well-known racing vehicles. They made the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI that won the World Rally Championship (WRC) for four years in a row from 1996 – 1999, driven by rally driver Tommi Maikinen. The Galant VR4 also won a championship title from the WRC, but the four year winning of the Lancer EVO earned it a special Tommi Makinen Edition that was auctioned off in 2021 in Europe for £100,100. Back in 2016, another treasure, the Lancer EVO X was sold on eBay in 2016 for $76,400.

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Remember the Mitsubishi Galant AMG?

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealer in Miami

It wasn’t too long ago that Mitsubishi Motors sent racing fans for a whirl when the automaker revived the Ralliart team, responsible for turning the Mitsubishi Lancer into the Lancer Evolution, becoming a staple for rally cars and amateur racing fans everywhere. Like Dodge//SRT, the latter is known for taking vehicles fans already love and making them more powerful than ever before. Ralliart does the same, and shortly after its revival, the canceled Mitsubishi Starion 4WD was revealed. Sadly, it would remain canceled, and although the automaker has claimed its only focus is electric vehicle (EV) development, fans of its rally car roots are still hoping for a return of the Evolution nameplate, or even a mashup of Mitsubishi and AMG once more. Sure, the name is mostly associated with Mercedes-Benz these days, but back in 1991, AMG and Mitsubishi teamed up to make a product unlike any Mitsubishi vehicle before it – the AMG-tuned Mitsubishi Galant.

AMG, performance-enhancing folks from Affalterbach, play to the tune of Mercedes-Benz, but before 1999, the group had no ties to any one automaker. If they were willing to pay, then AMG was willing to modify and enhance any vehicle model that came their way. That’s what happened in 1991 when about 500 AMG Galants were produced, all exclusive to Japan. It’s a surprise, too, because the Mitsubishi Galant AMG was not the first time AMG partnered with the automaker? Ever hear of the Mitsubishi Debonair V 3000 Royal AMG? The partnership can be traced back to 1987, but the body was more so a Debonair with few AMG upgrades, but the name stuck.

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Closer Look at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi EV Plans

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealers in Miami, Mitsubishi Dealership Miami

Back in March 2022, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance shared their plans for 2030, and so did just about every other large automotive group. This is why competition in an industry is such a crazy thing – everyone does the same thing, but tries to do it better. Building on business plans announced in May 2020, all eyes are on Mitsubishi Motors for the next new model to launch, and electric vehicles (EVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) seem to be the next move for the Alliance. Some new information on the road to an EV lineup has been released since then, expanding a bit more on the new EV platforms and batteries under development by the Alliance.

The Roadmap to 2030

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance boasted their experience in EV Research and Development (R&D), engineering, and mass production for over ten years. With a total sum of $1,056,770,000 already invested, the Alliance has poured many of its EV resources into 15 manufacturing plants already in operation, building parts, motors, and batteries for 10 upcoming EV models. Working to develop the next generation of EV technologies and car connectivity, the Alliance intends to invest $24,305,710,000 more into its production for a total of 35 new EV models by 2030. Some of this has already begun with an investment into a new EV facility for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

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Upcoming Infotainment Technology for Mitsubishi Motors

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealership Miami

The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance shared a lot of plans for its new business roadmap, Alliance 2030. Still waiting for Mitsubishi Motors to start the new wave of vehicles, the automaker has been upgrading its current lineup for next generation models before focusing on its new flagship, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV. We also saw a lot of interesting ideas and concepts Mitsubishi Electric is bringing to the automotive world and everyday life during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show. We’re especially interested in the digital living spaces many automakers were discussing, and the future of Mitsubishi Motors’ infotainment system.

The First Generation

If you can call it “the first generation”, the first installment of an infotainment system for Mitsubishi Motors was more so an amalgamation of multiple separate devices that worked together. Able to upgrade to a 7-inch touchscreen, consumers could get the usual display an infotainment system comes with, plus 3D-mapping navigation capabilities. Music was taken care of with the available 9-speaker Rockford Fosgate premium sound system, featuring a 10-inch dual-voice coil subwoofer, Digital Signal Processing, DTS Neural Surround™, PremiDIA-WIDE Surround, and Dolby® Volume. For phone connectivity, it came down to a FUSE hands-free link system with Bluetooth. It was messy, but got the job done.

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What Makes the Mitsubishi Mirage Lovable?

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealer

The 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage has a lot more going for it than consumers may realize. Sure, the model is getting little changes when compared to the rest of the lineup, but when it comes to this hatchback, too many changes could ruin what it’s known for – superb fuel efficiency. Plus, the Mirage has received many of the upgrades that have made it into the rest of the lineup, increasing its performance on the road and interior comfort.

Performance

Every trim on the 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage is powered by a 1.2L MIVEC DOHC engine under the hood. Able to generate 78 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. Optimized with Mitsubishi Motors’ brand of variable valve timing technology (VVT), this adds to the incredible fuel efficiency of the vehicle, but more on that in a moment. Able to come with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the engineering of the Mirage isn’t just modern.

The performance of the Mirage for this generation has always been excellent, and a part of that is due to its braking power. A firm brake pedal gives the driver more control than some of the competitors to the Mirage, with responsive feedback that lets the driver know how hard to press to come to a full stop with a progressive buildup of stopping power. The standard transmission is a 5-speed manual, found only on the base ES trim, but this trim level can upgrade to the CVT found standard in the rest of the lineup, offering a fuel economy of 36 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.

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Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance Discuss New EV Facility

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealership Miami

Back in March 2022, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance shared new business plans for the next eight years, Alliance 2030. Two years after their mid-plan strategy announcement in May 2020, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is fulfilling its promises of connected-car technology system that runs on the Android Operating System, a new E-body core system for electric-electronic architecture, and self-driving technology. According to Alliance 2030, 35 new EV models will be produced by 2030, 24 models will come with intelligent vehicle and driver-assistance technologies for Level 3 and Level 4 autonomy, and a Mitsubishi model may become the first vehicle that’s more software than it is machine. In May 2022, the Alliance announced a new strategy to streamline electric vehicle (EV) development with a new electric vehicle company side project.

According to Nikkei Asia, the Renault automaker CEO, Luca de Meo, confirmed the formation of a new company with alliance partners Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors. Call it a spin off, but like the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), where Mitsubishi Electric develops technology for Mitsubishi Motors while supporting its own brand, Renault wants to create an EV unit as an independent company while still a part of the Alliance. To make it work, both alliance partners would also have to invest into the idea and the construction of a new EV facility, for starters.

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Mitsubishi Unveils 2023 Outlander PHEV at 2022 Twin Cities Auto Show

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Posted in Mitsubishi Dealer in Miami, Mitsubishi Miami

Mitsubishi Motors is currently placing all of its focus on reincarnations of every model in its lineup. Although we’re all waiting for something new, it would seem the Japanese automaker wants to release the best version of every model it can before releasing an unknown vehicle. The latest to get a renewal is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, released for the 2023 model year. Recently released in America in 2017 as a 2018 model, the vehicle has reinforced its credentials as the best-selling PHEV sport-utility vehicle in the world. With the 2023 model scheduled to go on sale in the second half of 2022, the PHEV made its debut at the 2022 Twin Cities Auto Show.

“Since its launch in March 2022, the gasoline version of all-new Outlander has been a homerun, setting sales records monthly even in the face of global supply challenges…When sales begin in the U.S., the 2023 Outlander PHEV will take its place as the flagship of the Mitsubishi fleet. It is the most advanced and best equipped vehicle we have ever sold, and it is the perfect blend of quiet and clean electric motoring, with the range and ease of refueling of a gasoline-powered vehicle.” Mark Chaffin, MMNA president and CEO

Running May 14-22, 2022, the 2022 Twin Cities Auto Show got its first glimpse at the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), this SUV is high up there on the lineup when it comes to sales and success, right next to the original Mitsubishi Outlander. Outfitted with the automaker’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system, this SUV will always be able to handle a variety of terrains and driving conditions. Plus, S-AWC offers seven drive modes that the consumer can choose from, depending on their driving style and road conditions. This gives consumers a sense of security, confidence, and comfortable driving.

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