Mitsubishi releases ambiguous teaser ahead of Paris debut

Mitsubishi has announced its Paris Motor Show line-up, and along with the world debut of the Lancer Sportback and the Dakar-ready Racing Lancer, it has provided a tease of an unnamed model/concept.

The image above doesn't give us any clear indication about what Mitsubishi will be showing off, but the new face of Mitsu is present and accounted for, along with a set of toned-down headlamps that blend the automaker's slanted lenses with round lights.

We won't know anything definitive until Mitsubishi's press conference on October 2nd, but speculation ranges from the production version of the Concept cX to the new Colt. Stay tuned and check Mitsubishi's press release after the jump.

Mitsubishi iMiEV to be priced around $37,000 at launch

We got word a couple of days ago that Mitsubishi had pulled ahead its retail sales plans for the iMiEV electric car from 2010 to mid 2009. Now we have some information about the pricing for the diminutive electric car. The little four seater will reportedly carry a sticker price in its home market of about 4 million yen or US$37,496. That would put it in a similar range to the expected price of the Chevy Volt which will hit the market a year later. Tax breaks for low emission cars in Japan should chop the end price by about one quarter to somewhere around $28,000. Now if Mitsubishi would just bring the iMiEV to the US market it would satisfy a lot of American fans.

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X - Faster, But Not As Furious

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is the rally-inspired version of the company’s Lancer economy car. It packs a strong turbocharged engine in a compact package, making it quite fast. The “Evo,” as it’s called, has grown up recently, and its raw performance has been refined to make it more functional for daily driving.

Performance

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is available in GSR and MR versions. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine generates nearly 300 horsepower. A five-speed close-ratio manual gearbox is standard on the GSR trim level with a six-speed dual-clutch sequential-shift transmission coming exclusively in the top-performing MR model; it can either operate in automatic mode or be taken through the gears manually via magnesium steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Riding on a longer wheelbase and a wider track with better front-to-rear weight distribution for added handling prowess, the current Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution includes a long list of chassis control features for added stability. Its Super-All Wheel Control dynamic handling all-wheel-drive system incorporates an Active Center Differential, Active Yaw Control rear differential a limited-slip front differential, and Active Stability Control to send the proper amount of power to each wheel for maximum grip and control across a wide range of conditions and driving situations.

The current Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution’s lightweight aluminum suspension delivers a less tumultuous ride than in past models, which Mitsubishi says makes it more amenable as a daily driver. Those who pine for flat-out aggressiveness and are willing to sacrifice ride quality will want to choose the MR version, which offers assorted handling upgrades. These include heavy-duty shock absorbers, springs, and enhanced two-piece brake rotors. Oversized 18-inch wheels and tires are standard across the line, with the MR adding BBS forged alloy wheels.

Exterior

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is visually distinguished from the rest of the Lancer sedan lineup primarily in its bolder front-end styling that incorporates large chrome air intakes and engine heat outlets with a sharply sloping hood. An oversized rear spoiler is standard on the MR and optional on the GSR.

Interior

Inside, heavily bolstered Recaro sport seats integrate side-impact airbags; head curtain airbags for both rows of seats and a knee-height airbag for the driver are also included. Both versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution offer a long list of standard amenities, with noteworthy options including a premium Rockford Fosgate audio system, a navigation system with hard-disk digital audio storage, and a keyless entry/start system.
Is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for You?

Buy the Lancer Evolution if
You want a rally-ready car for aggressive street driving or recreational racing, or just like the idea of having a quick and nimble pocket rocket.

Keep Looking if
Something more practical and more conservatively cast better fits your personality; you prefer more muscle or a svelte sports coupe.

Who Fits?
Front seat passengers will find ample head, shoulder, and legroom, while rear riders might feel cramped, particularly if they’re sitting behind two six-footers.

Closest Competitors
Audi S4, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Volkswagen R32

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X MR coming to U.S. in June

Following the introduction of the $32,990 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR, Mitsubishi will be bringing the more advanced 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR to the U.S. next month.

The Evo X MR is powered by the same 2.0 liter 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC MIVEC engine that produces 295 horsepower and 300 ft-lbs. of torque. However the MR gets the new Twin Clutch-Sequential Sportshift Transmission as standard.

Pricing for the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR starts at $38,290 and is available with the optional Technology Package for $40,840. The Technology Package includes a 30GB hard drive navigation system with music server, 650-watt Rockford-Fosgate Premium Sound System, pre-paid Sirius Satellite Radio capability and FAST Key entry.

Nikkei: Mitsubishi and Peugeot will work together on electric cars

The iMiEV, the production car based on the Nissan Mixim, and who knows what other goodies became a little bit more real today with the report in the Nikkei business daily newspaper that Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen will work together on electric vehicles. The two companies will share technology, particularly about next-gen lithium-ion batteries. Nikkei said that Mitsubishi will offer PSA information on how best to convert electricity to drive power and how to prevent overheating in the batteries. According to Reuters, the two companies may also form a joint venture to build EVs. Mitsubishi had no official statement for Nikkei, but we do know that PSA and Mitsubishi recently announced a joint plant in Russia.

Inside Line pits the Nissan GT-R against The World

Inside Line has done what all of us have dreamed about at some point in our lives. They've contacted the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and had a 1.8-mile section of twisting mountain road closed off for the explicit purpose of running some of the hottest machinery in the world in the Mother of All Performance Tests.

What machines could be worthy of such a fantastical feat? Let's start with the Nissan GT-R and follow it up with the Audi R8, Mitsubishi Evolution X MR, Porsche 911, Subaru Impreza WRX STI and Lotus Elise SC. Josh Jacquot's engaging prose is coupled with some stellar photography to make this incredible story come to life. But no serious performance test would be complete without hard numbers, so the crew at Inside Line equipped each vehicle with a Racelogic VBOX to log everything from 0-60 sprints (both from a standing start and a one-foot rollout) to timed laps of both the mountain road assault and a run around the Streets of Willow Springs. Which machine reigns supreme?

Last Mitsubishi 380 auctioned for $100,000 in Australia

There's an old saying, you only want what you can't have. It holds particularly true in the context of Australia's Mitsubishi 380. The vehicle's Adelaide manufacturing facility was recently shuttered, partially due to lack of interest in the six-cylinder sedan. However, the vehicle's cancellation announcement ended up increasing demand for the final batch of 380s to roll off the assembly line. For that reason, Mitsubishi decided to auction off the final car to its suddenly sentimental Aussie dealers. The last domestically produced 380 ended up fetching $100,000 Australian dollars ($93,364) after all was said and done, which is more than three times its MSRP. John Hughes Mitsubishi, a Perth, Australia dealership, coughed up the cash for the winning bid. Mitsubishi also gave it the honor of choosing a charity to benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Knowing that the 380 in Australia is basically a Down Under-ified version of the Galant on sale in North America, is there any circumstance under which you could imagine paying that much for a Galant?