Mitsubishi's i-Miev, which goes on sale next year, may get a gasoline counterpart.
(Credit: Mitsubishi)
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.--Mitsubishi, which already plans to import its i-MiEV electric minicar, is considering giving U.S. dealers a gasoline version of the little car.
The four-passenger car would compete against the Smart minicar. The Smart is imported from Europe, where Daimler AG builds it using a Mitsubishi engine.
The gasoline-powered Mitsubishi i already sells in Japan and Europe with a small turbocharged 660cc gasoline engine--a powerplant smaller than those in many American motorcycles.
The gasoline engine probably would be replaced with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine without turbocharging for the United States, says John Koenig, executive vice president for operations at Mitsubishi Motors North America.
The Smart has the same 1.0-liter Mitsubishi engine.
The i is just 133.7 inches long--about 2 feet longer than the Smart ForTwo--and 5 feet 3 inches high. The i is surprisingly roomy, even for adults in the back seat.
Koenig estimates that a sales plan of 1,000 cars a month probably would be enough to sway Mitsubishi to re-engineer the minicar for U.S. customers. The expense of creating a left-hand-drive version of the i already has been covered for its introduction into Europe, where it sells for about $16,000.
Mitsubishi showed both the gasoline and electric versions of the car to journalists here last week.
The automaker will introduce its global electric car, the i-MiEV, to U.S. dealers in approximately 18 months.
(Source: Automotive News)
TOKYO--Mitsubishi aims to revive its ailing U.S. operations by introducing a new SUV and a small car by 2012 and by reviewing the dealership network to weed out weak players.
"The revitalization of the American business is very important," Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko told Automotive News at the Tokyo Motor Show. "We're reviewing many things."
Mitsubishi has been hard hit by the U.S. downturn. Its sales collapsed 47 percent in the first nine months of the year. The overall U.S. market fell 27 percent.
Masuko said the U.S. game plan has these elements:
--Launching new models.
--Strengthening the sales network.
--Reaffirming the company's commitment to stay in the market.
... Read MoreAlthough the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show just kicked open its doors for the public this last weekend, industry insiders got a head start on sampling the bevy of automobiles that are debuting. One of these lucky insiders included Alistair Weaver of Inside Line fame, courtesy of Edumunds.com. Here, Alistair gives us all a teaser on the many new vehicles presented at the Tokyo Motor Show, and this is merely the tip of the iceberg.
In this video clip, Inside Line cherry shows a few more cars worthy of Web airtime. While the show seems to be short on American and European brands, there are plenty of interesting production models and concept cars to check out. Edmunds.com makes room for a couple of the forward-thinking "E-cars" that will undoubtedly be only available in limited quantities, as well as hybrid cars from Honda, Mitsubishi, and the Subaru that has doors straight out of "Back to the Future." And if you think it's all hippy-dippy cars on parade, wait till you check out the badass Lexus at the end of the clip.
(Credit:
Toyota)
Check out the following video that showcases some of the hottest green concepts (and one hot sport compact) from the Tokyo Motor Show in the round. Featured in the video are the Toyota FT-86 concept, the Honda CR-Z, the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi's PX-MiEV concept, and the Mazda Kiyora concept.
The video is narrated in Japanese, so we've no clue what's being said. However, we've reported on most of these cars already, just hit the links above for more info.
It'll give us so much extra space in our EV to do activities!
(Credit: Mitsubishi Motors)So, you're a fan of Mitsubishi's iMiEV electric car. Who could blame you? It's a quirky looking 63-horsepower electric two-seater with a 100-mile range and no tailpipe emissions (probably due to its lack of a tailpipe). Plus, it looks like its from the future! But what if you wanted more interior volume for your, oh say, environmentally responsible delivery service? Then you're going to love the Mitsubishi iMiEV Cargo concept.
The Mitsubishi iMiEV Cargo concept takes the cute iMiEV and lops off its rear half, replacing it with a caboose of a small van or a Nissan Cube. The resulting vehicle is something of a cross between the Ford Transit and a large electric bug. That doesn't sound very good on paper, but in the photos, it's actually not that bad-looking.
Insert witty junk-in-the-trunk comment here.
(Credit: Mitsubishi Motors)Mitsubishi states that the cargo floor is completely flat and that the "cube-shaped luggage compartment at the rear of the vehicle allows every inch of available space to be utilized." Power, torque, and range all remain the same as the standard iMiEV.
Of course, if you weren't a fan of the iMiEV to begin with, giving it more awkward proportions probably isn't going to win you over.
Mitsubishi, which plans to sell about 400 i-MiEVs a month in Japan starting in April, already has orders for 900.
(Credit: Automotive News)TOKYO -- In one month, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has taken 900 advance customer deposits for its i-MiEV electric vehicle.
The four-passenger car will go on sale next April in Japan. Mitsubishi began taking orders July 31.
Mitsubishi says it wants to sell about 6,000 i-MiEVs worldwide, including 5,000 in Japan, during the first year of sales. That comes to about 400 a month in Japan.
On Sept. 4, the car got an additional boost when France's PSA/Peugeot-Citroen SA announced plans to rebadge the Mitsubishi-made car in Europe starting in fall 2010 and sell 25,000 vehicles a year. That nearly doubles Mitsubishi's own sales target. The Peugeot version will be called the iOn.
Boosting volume of the lithium ion battery-powered car will be crucial to bringing down the car's high sticker price.
In Japan, the i-MiEV will cost ¥4.38 million ($47,480). Buyers can qualify for a green-car subsidy of about $15,000 from the government.
Mitsubishi already is selling the i-MiEV to fleet customers in Japan and has filled orders for all of the 1,400 units it plans to deliver by March 2010. Mitsubishi says it expects sales to reach 15,000 units in the second full year of sales. By the fourth year, ending March 31, 2014, it plans to sell 30,000 units, most of them in Japan and Europe.
The company officially hasn't made a decision on selling the car in the United States, but U.S. sources say it is penciled in for 2012.
Including the sales to PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, volume within five years is projected to reach 55,000 a year.
(Source: Automotive News)
It may not be the most sophisticated tech car available, but we really like the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. Not as expensive as the Lancer Evo, but offering some degree of its performance, the Ralliart is perfect for our favorite activity, diving into sharp corners at stupid speeds. Its all-wheel-drive system digs in for grip, and the dual clutch automated manual transmission delivers aggressive shifts. With the optional Rockford Fosgate audio system, the stereo pumps out ridiculous bass and Bluetooth phone integration is standard.
Mitsubishi is ready to put its i-Miev on the road, but this woman will have a 30-minute wait to charge up her car.
(Credit: Mitsubishi)Not to be outdone by Subaru's earlier announcement of the Stella electric car, Mitsubishi gave full details on the production i-Miev electric car, including sales volume plans and pricing.
Mitsubishi has been aggressive in pushing its electric car plans by putting its i-Miev into test fleet operations and showing it off at auto shows. The company even let journalists drive one at the Detroit auto show.
The i-Miev fits four passengers for zero-emission driving.
(Credit: Mitsubishi)Mitsubishi announced that it would begin selling the i-Miev electric car in late July, matching the timing of Subaru's Stella electric car sales. But the i-Miev will initially only be available to corporations and government groups. Sales to private buyers will not commence until April 2010.
Unlike Subaru, which will only sell 170 Stella electric cars, Mitsubishi is planning on producing 1,400 i-Mievs for corporate and government lessees. The i-Mievs will go for 4,380,000 yen, or about $45,300 at current exchange rates. Japanese buyers of the i-Miev would qualify for a $14,300 subsidy for electric vehicles from the Japanese government.
The i-Miev uses a lithium ion battery pack and a 47-kilowatt electric motor to get a range of 100 miles. ... Read More
I hope you've enjoyed all of this week's video of amazing World Rally Championship racing. I thought a good way to close this series would be this tribute video dedicated to the history of WRC and how it's changed throughout the years--how the cars have changed, and it even includes historical data at the end detailing what cars have won the title and in which year. It's great for knowledge hounds as well as anybody who just wants to see some fine automobiles kickin' up dust and sliding on the asphalt.
The weather's nice, and the kids are out of school. Time to pack up some gear and head out on the open road for summer fun. But what sort of car will hold the family and luggage for a weeklong excursion without costing an arm and a leg to gas up? We scoured our recent car reviews to find the best cars with modern tech to load up for a summer road trip.
