Mitsubishi 380 News

In nearly 140 years of the motor vehicle, history records only two Australian cars that truly left their mark on the world – even to this day.

What have been the most significant Australian cars since January 1, 2000 so far? With the first 25 years of the 21st century now out of the way, we rate the 10 most important models that left their mark, or came into their own afterwards.

Following on from our last list of future classics – featuring up-and-comers like the Ford Territory Turbo, Holden Crewman and Nissan Skyline wagon ­– here are four more emerging Aussie greats we reckon are destined for far-bigger things. A word of warning, as usual: Don’t delay!

And each week it seems the fuel price sign goes up faster than a politician's pay packet. Australians use a vast amount of fuel in going about their daily business, be it getting the kids to school, travelling to and from work, or conducting the nation's business.Each year we import an ocean of petrol, diesel and LPG that's equivalent to 63,000 Olympic swimming pools. And we're not alone, as the vast populations of newly mobile countries such as India and China take to the roads in their Tatas, Great Walls and Cherys, the world's thirst for oil seems ever more insatiable.Overlay this with war and unrest in the Middle East, the source of 56 per cent of the world's oil, and the inevitable push-pull dynamics of supply and demand can lean to only one thing: higher fuel prices.Here in Australia motorists have been feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices since January when the latest spike in oil prices first began appearing on service station leader boards.The spiralling petrol prices mean fuelling a family car like a Commodore or Falcon now accounts for 2.6 per cent of average weekly earnings. But you don't have to sit back and take it in the hip pocket. There are ways to drive down your weekly fuel bills. Here are a few of them.DOWNSIZING According to VFACTS industry statistics, this seems the most popular choice. Large cars have gone from the top-selling passenger segment in 2000 with 198,766 to the smallest passenger segment last year with 98,583 and falling at 3.1 per cent.Meanwhile, sales of smaller cars are skyrocketing. In the past 10 years small car sales have almost doubled to 239,191 while light cars have increased about 44 per cent to 137,916. You can buy a small car from as little as $11,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Chinese-made Chery, right up $35,990 for a Citroen DS3.And you won't go without. Some of the cheapest little cars these days come with a swag of safety and creature features from multiple airbags to Bluetooth connectivity.PROS: Save on fuel; do the environment a favour; easier to park; nippier in traffic; little hatches can be cavernous if you fold down the rear seats.CONS: You get cramped on long journeys; they are noisier on the highway; they're bumpier over potholes; you could feel a little silly driving a Smurf car.Our Pick: Hyundai i20 (from $15,490) is set to take over from Getz as the segment leader with Euro styling and a high level of features and safety.Others to Consider: Suzuki Swift (from $15,990), Mazda2 (from $15,790) and Toyota Yaris (from $14,990).DIESEL Like smaller car categories, the growth in diesel-powered vehicles is exponential. Since the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries began collating separate figures for various fuel types in 2005, diesel cars and SUVs have more than doubled to 125,555 last year, which is almost one in every five new passenger cars or SUVs bought today.The reason is that modern diesel engines are not only up to twice as frugal as a petrol vehicle, but they often have lower emissions because they burn less fuel per kilometre and usually have an exhaust system that traps small carbon materials.Modern diesels are also quieter and smoother running. However, diesel engines have higher internal pressures and a complex fuel system so they are more expensive to build than a petrol engine. Some car companies charge up to $10,000 more for a diesel variant, although most charge around an extra $2000.Expensive diesels are often the result of low production volumes and highly technological designs and machining costs. To reap the economic benefits you have to drive big kilometres each year and hold on to the vehicle longer.An extreme example is the Holden CD Cruze auto diesel that costs $4000 more than the petrol model. Based on RACQ's fuel running costs of 9.36c/km for the petrol and 8.41c/km for the diesel, you would have to drive 25,000km for 16 years to recoup the extra cost.PROS: Fuel economy is anywhere between 10-50 per cent better than a petrol equivalent; more torque means quicker acceleration and easier driving around town; better towing capacity; marginally better resale value; lower CO2 emissions per kilometre; diesel engines often last longer because of the more robust engineering.CONS: Fewer diesel pumps on servo forecourts means queuing at the servo; oily bowser pumps leave your hands smelly and dirty; the engines still clatter at idle and sound raucous at full revs; it takes a long time to reap the economic benefits; servicing charges can also be more expensive because of the more expensive oils required and the complicated fuel systems.Our Pick: Fiesta ECOnetic (from $24,990) is a hybrid beater even in stop-start commuting, yet it's a delight to drive.Others to Consider: Hyundai i30 (from $23,090), VW Golf (from $29,990), Subaru Forester (from $35,990).LPG It's almost worth it to convert your petrol or diesel vehicle to LPG just to get the $1500 Federal government subsidy. But you better be quick because the conversion rebate drops to $1250 from July 1 and decreases $250 annually. All rebates and subsidies are only for private vehicles.Conversions cost an average of $2800 for pre-2006 vehicles, but about $4000 for newer vehicles because of emissions regulations. If you buy a vehicle factory fitted for LPG before its first registration, you get a $2000 rebate from the Feds.However, choices of new vehicles with factory fitted LPG systems are limited. Ford has a new LPG Falcon coming in July and has factory-fitted systems for some of its utes. Holden has an Autogas dual-fuel injection system for its Commodore and will have a mono-fuel LPG Commodore later this year.Toyota has a direct injection LPG system for its 2.7-litre HiAce vans and Mitsubishi has an aftermarket sequential multi-port direct-injection system for its Challenger, Express Van, Pajero, Triton and the now defunct 380.PROS: Much cheaper fuel (about 60c compared with $140+ for ULP); government subsidies make conversion attractive; LPG prices are fairly static so you don't have to fill up on a Tuesday morning when servo prices are cheapest; lower emissions.CONS: Limited choice of new dual-fuel vehicles; only suitable for large vehicles; you lose boot space; even though they are safe they can develop minor smelly leaks; they add about 75kg (about the weight of two large suitcases) to the rear of the car effecting handling; it can be difficult finding servos with LPG in rural areas.HYBRID These are vehicles with petrol or diesel internal combustion engines paired with an electric motor or motors. The drivetrain and associated battery pack for the electric motor is more complex so therefore more costly. Like diesels, you need to do big kays before the savings at the bowser recoup the extra purchase price.For example, a Toyota Prius costs about $2500 more than a Corolla Ultima. Using RACQ's running costs, the fuel savings will take 4 years at 15,000km a year (or 2.5 years at 25,000km/year) to recoup the extra purchase price.Most hybrids switch off totally every time you stop and run on electric power only when you are driving slowly, so they are most economical in heavy traffic. The benefits are marginal on country roads and highways, although when both drive units are operating under heavy acceleration such as when overtaking, they do offer a tangible boost to acceleration.Despite the fact the technology has been around for 10 years, Hybrids are still relatively new. Today, there are 10 hybrid models on the market, but only the Toyota Prius, Camry, Honda Insight and Civic are affordable.Hybrids tend to be bought mainly by governments and big business to emphasise their green credentials. Taxi companies also like hybrids because of their fuel efficiency in urban environments. If you're open to the idea of a used vehicle, then a second-hand Prius or similar is a reasonable option.PROS: Cheaper to run in traffic; feel and be seen to be environmentally conscious; extra power under heavy acceleration; almost silent running when on electric only power.CONS: Higher purchase price; the number of models is limited but you can choose from a small Prius to a large Porsche Cayenne SUV; some look odd like the Prius and Insight.Our Pick: Toyota Prius (from $39,900) and the Honda Insight (from $29,990) at least look like futuristic hybrids, so your neighbours will know you are trying to be green.Others to consider: Honda Civic (from $34,490), Toyota Camry (from $36,990)ELECTRIC CARSThe only production electric cars in Australia are the Tesla Roadster at $241,938 and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which is available only on a lease of $1740 a month for three years for a total of $62,640. Then the car goes back to Mitsubishi. When it arrives it is expected to cost $70,000.However, prices will come crashing down in the next few years as more and more EVs become available in Australia. The first of these will be the Nissan Leaf and Holden Volt next year.The Volt is expected to cost less than $40,000 and Nissan is saying the Leaf will cost about the same to run as a Tiida, even though initial outlay will probably be close to the Volt. While tailpipe emissions are zero, most electricity in Australia comes from burning dirty coal, so the environmental advantage is reduced.Some critics say there is no advantage. Current limitations of battery technology mean range is also limited to about 160km according to the car companies, but in real life it's less, especially if you have a lead foot.PROS: Very cheap to run; no tailpipe emissions; almost silent running; aerodynamic body shapes.CONS: Expensive to buy - that's if you can find one to buy; silent running can be dangerous for pedestrians; battery disposal is an environmental issue; range is limited; long re-charging time (up to eight hours); most EVs are designed to look futuristic but just end up looking like golf carts.DRIVE ECONOMICALLYOf all the things you can do to drive down your fuel bill, this is the most pragmatic as it's the simplest and most affordable. It can be expensive to swap your trusted and much-loved family car or SUV for something smaller or with an alternative powertrain.Trade-in prices on family cars are down according to the Motor Trades Association and if you buy a new car, you are up for dealer delivery charges, stamp duty and registration. It may be cheaper to hang on to your vehicle, but modify your driving behaviour for more economical running.There are many simple things you can do: Plan trips better and make fewer trips; jettison excess weight from the car; correctly inflate your tyres and get your car serviced more frequently.Most importantly you can vary your driving behaviour by slowing down, changing up the gears sooner, avoiding heavy breaking and staying away from peak-hour traffic. You may have heard these all before, but here are five radical ideas to reducing your fuel expense burden that you may not have heard.1. Cool idea: Turning off the airconditioning will provide a slight increase in fuel economy. However, when travelling on the highway, it is more fuel efficient to have the windows up and aircon switched on than having the windows down creating aerodynamic drag. Don't leave the aircon off for long periods as bacteria will build up in the system.2. Light is right: So throw out not only the unnecessary baggage such as your golf clubs, but maybe also the spare tyre. It can weigh 15-20kg in the average car. The US Department of Energy quotes fuel use as 1-2 per cent for every 45.5kg, so that's at least 0.5 per cent saved. Conversely, NRMA tests show that loading a vehicle to its rated maximum increases fuel consumption 24 per cent. While you might be able to get away without a spare tyre around town, we recommend you always carry it on long trips, especially in the country.3. Turned off: Switch off the engine at long traffic light stops. Modern fuel-injected cars start quickly without the need for any throttle. Car makers with stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine every time the car is stopped quote fuel savings in traffic of 4-5 per cent.4. Just cruising: Use cruise control more frequently. Most cruise control systems actually put the car's engine into an economy mode and will run more efficiently than most drivers can drive as it accelerates more evenly. It is best used on the open road and not hilly terrain or stop-start conditions. While we could not find any official figures, some sources claim fuel savings up to 14 per cent.5. Re-tyre: the next time you buy tyres, choose from the new range of "eco" tyres with low rolling resistance. A California Energy Commission study estimated low-rolling resistance tyres could save 1.5-4.5 per cent on fuel consumption.

Mitsubishi Australia boss Robert McEniry says the large car market is getting tougher and an imported replacement for the now-defunct Adelaide-built 380 sedan is not on the cards. "You look at the numbers being generated now by local manufacturers for the domestic market, look at what we were being held up as for the minimum number required, you start to do a comparison ...," he says.The company was reportedly looking at the production version of the Concept ZT for introduction as early as next year but those plans have been delayed. "I think we'll see a replacement model for the 380 but not in the near future," he says.The company's SUV ranks will be bolstered by the arrival of the Triton-based Challenger in November and an as-yet un-named compact SUV, based on the Concept-cX clean-diesel vehicle first seen at Frankfurt motor show in 2007. "We're going to be pretty strong in SUV and cross-over style vehicles, our Tiguan-style car will be in 2WD and 4WD, which will give us more small passenger opportunities as well," he says.The compact slots in below the face-lifted Outlander, which will get a turbodiesel variant but not using the engine powering the Citroen and Peugeot models. "We will put a diesel in it, we were looking at using the PSA diesel, but that's too expensive at the moment. We'll wait until we get an MMC diesel in it and we'll take that, you'll start to see over the next 12-18 months diesels coming into most of our range," he says.The company's Pajero off-road flagship is three years away from an all-new model, but Mr McEniry hinted that clues to its new-generation drivetrain might be seen at this year's Tokyo motor show.Mr McEniry is also extremely determined to get even a handful of the i-MiEV electric cars on Australian soil. "If it doesn't get here there will be trouble, we are desperately trying to shoehorn some, even if it is only 5, out of overseas markets. "The demand for the thing globally is making it difficult for us, otherwise we're in the production schedules for early next year," he says.The straight-talking Mitsubishi boss says like all new technology it is initially going to be expensive. "By this time next year they're aiming to have the price down close to half of what it will be when it's first released, the real issue is in the batteries," he says.Mr McEniry says the sale of the company's former manufacturing site at Tonsley Park in Adelaide's south is progressing. "We have three options on the go at the moment, we'll probably make a decision next month or the month after - I can't give you detail on them, but it would meet our requirements," he says. "We don't get the final environmental remediation plan until the end of next month as well, that's part of a buyer's due-diligence, we're on track with all of that," he says.A timetable for the site sale wasn't being rushed through given the market conditions, but the company has seen the market conditions show some positive signs. "The market is starting to come back, we noticed it a while back, in February - we went cold for a while but there were quite a few groups who are cashed up now," he says.The company has been decommissioning the plant and Mr McEniry says it’s an eerie place to be now. "We've pulled out all the tanks, we've started part of the remediation, we're pulling down the paint plant, inside the factory from the trusses down, everything has been taken out. It's pretty demoralising when you walk through it now, that's where we're at," he says.Conjecture about the future use of the site has been considerable but Mr McEniry says the site redevelopment will be a decade-plus proposition. "I don't think there will be residential, the main option is focussed on the SA government green path, education - which may have student accommodation - no big-box stuff, new technology and light industrial, I think you'll find the front would be retail-related, offices - there are some good ideas around for it but it could take 10 to 15 years, it's not going to be a fast development," he says.The Tonsley Park Plant was originally a Chrysler operation, opened by Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies in October, 1964. The first Mitsubishi rolled off the production line following a change of ownership in 1980 and the Tonsley Park plant manufactured more than 1.1 million vehicles, including 32,044 380 sedans.

In extreme situations, owners have been warned their vehicles may catch fire.Mitsubishi was hit with the biggest safety recall for the three month period. It has written to owners of Pajeros built between 2000 and 2003 to warn them of a potential brake problem. As many as 13,400 vehicles may need to be checked.The company also recalled 4400 of its now-defunct 380 sedan, built between 2006 and 2007, which may have a faulty fuel tank retaining strap. In a severe collision the tank may be dislodged and spill fuel.Mitsubishi is also checking more than 8300 Colts built this year which may have a problem with door windows which may drop and unlock or open the door while the car is being driven.Honda has recalled 11,800 of its 2004-05 Jazz to check whether they have a faulty handbrake, while Mazda needs to look at 1770 of its B4000 utes built between 2005-2006 because the bonnet may open unexpectedly.Subaru has recalled 5380 of its Imprezas, built between 2001 and 2003 because of a faulty rear tailgate which may suddenly drop.Subaru Australia spokesman, Dave Rowley, said many of the recalls were to check for "minor or niggling" faults."We have had no incidents of anyone being injured in Australia and we found only six cars which had the faulty (tailgate strut) connection."Many recalls are done as a pre-emptive measure to avoid possible problems further down the track, " he said.Other potential faults include electrical short circuits, which in extreme circumstances, may start a cabin fire in Landrover Freelander diesels built since 2007. Landrover warns the fault may occur when the vehicle is parked and unattended.Other recalls were to check for short circuits in Fiat's Grande Punto; and a chance that the panoramic glass roof in a small number of Citroen's Picasso could be dislodged.Suzuki has warned of potential fire risk in its 3-door Suzuki Grand Vitara (2006-07) because of a possible cracked fuel pipe, while the 2005-08 Vitara diesel has a remote fire risk in a filter because of a problem with the intercooler outlet pipe insulator.Other problems include faulty rear seat belt D-loop attachments in the current Jaguar XF, and the potential for a loss of steering in Chrysler's 300C built last year because of a problem with rear axle hub nuts which could see the half shaft disengage from the wheel hub.Mercedes Benz wants to look at axles, springs and the park brake in its Sprinter or Vito vans.Jayco has recalled some of its motor homes to check and fix awning and exhaust pipe problems.Of the 1500 motorcycles recalled, safety issues to be fixed include a faulty fuel filler on Kawasaki models, a windshield which may come off Buell bikes if ridden at high speed and a rear view mirror which may fall off on certain Yamaha models.An ACCC spokeswoman said this year's figures were actually less than last year but the number has been steadily rising over the past 20 years.The ACCC says there have been 52 individual recalls this year compared to 171 last year.Full details of the recalls can be found at www.recalls.gov.au 

Gray's On-Line has this week been appointed to manage the sale of the plant and equipment and real estate firm Colliers International is working through the sale of the land and buildings.However, it will be months before anything is finalised as to who will take over the buildings, according to Mitsubishi chief, Rob McEniry.On 70 employees are left, mostly in the stamping plant, making parts to be stockpiled.The last 380 V6 went down the line on March 27, ending an era for the Adelaide-based company.Dealers still hold stock but McEniry expects very few cars to appear in VFACTS official industry figures from next month.Over its three-year lifespan just over 30,000 380s were built, well short of its projected numbers as buyers turned away from big six cylinder cars to more fuel-efficient four cylinders.Today, the brand has rebounded from the 380 meltdown and subsequent closure of its Adelaide plant.Despite fears buyers would desert the brand, Mitsubishi Australia boss, Rob McEniry, says it failed to eventuate.McEniry puts this down to Mitsubishi's strong imported lineup.“We do research on pre-2005 and post-2005 attitudes to our product and it has grown, not retreated,” he says.“We think we'll be pretty well positioned in the hot-spots of the vehicle market as we continue to grow.”Mitsubishi also has a strong dealer base, with two new dealers soon open in Melbourne and potentially another two in Sydney.“In Queensland we have five applicants for one dealer location,” McEniry says.“We're confident that we'll continue to perform reasonably well and importantly we're in a good position to ride the ups and downs.”McEniry is confident the company will exceed its 2007 figure of 65,000 sales this year.Despite a slowing in recent months, he believes the overall market should remain strong for the year.“You have to look at where the shifts are in each segment,” he says.“We're still seeing the large car segment continue down and a lot of the decline is in large cars, not in the smaller vehicles and pickups.“And we're pretty well positioned in those segments now so we actually see some opportunity.”McEniry says the arrival of the Lancer Sportback next month will be beneficial.“We think it will be well positioned in those segments that are actually growing,” he says.The Lancer Sportback is expected to be available in the same specification as the sedan, which means entry ES, mid-range VR and VRX models.A direct injection turbo-diesel is also tipped to join the petrol engines but not for at least 18 months.A Ralliart version is also expected to go head-to-head with the Impreza WRX hatch.The Ralliart models will be powered by a 177kW/343Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mated to Mitsubishi's twin-clutch Sport Shift Transmission.The Lancer sedan has carved a niche for itself and Mitsubishi's four-wheel drives, lead by the Triton and Outlander, are forging ahead. Breakout (should change to Future)Mitsubishi chief, Rob McEniry, still sees a future for a medium-large car in the company's local lineup.“That would be a really nice addition to the portfolio,” he says.Mitsubishi showed off the all-wheel drive 2.2-litre “clean” diesel Concept ZT last year and McEniry is keen that any medium-large car would be as “green” as possible to position it against mid-range Japanese and European imports.How many?2005 - 35482006 - 12,4232007 - 10,9422008 - 3205 YTDTotal - 30,018 approx 

Mitsubishi ceased production of its 380 sedan two months ago, but a special edition version remains under construction and starts its showroom debut this week. The TMR380 is everything Mitsubishi would have wanted to showcase the product. This rapid, comfortable, affordable and well-finished model may have raised enough interest to keep the 380 in production ... maybe. Where Holden has HSV, Toyota has TRD and Ford has FPV, Mitsubishi has TMR. Mitsubishi's division is the conduit to Australia for Ralliart toys, though it is on full tilt to produce a smart, quick, quiet and unobtrusive sports sedan based on the now defunct 380. Only 20 TMR380s, priced at $56,990, will be built. This week, four will be delivered to dealers in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane. Team Mitsubishi Ralliart (TMR) chief Alan Heaphy says three TMR380s are set aside in his warehouse and the remaining 13 will be completed before the end of this month. “We've pre-sold 17,” Heaphy says. “Sixty per cent of the total have been bought by collectors and I guess they'll end up in their sheds. These collectors already have cars like the R-Series and E49 . There's a lot of interest in the TMR380 and it's reassuring that it has already been picked up by collectors.” The TMR380 gets a 230kW and 442Nm version of its plain-jane sister's 3.8-litre V6. The power and torque upgrade come courtesy of Perth-based (and recently a public listed company) Automotive Technology Group. ATG is the umbrella to the research and development. It is the specialist manufacturer of Vee Two motorcycles and equipment and, pertinent to the TMR380, Sprintex superchargers. The TMR380 uses Sprintex's latest Series-IV supercharger. There have been changes to the suspension with Koni dampers, re-rated springs and a lower ride height. The brakes are enormous: Harrop-designed 370mm front and 340mm rear rotors with six-pot calipers at the front and four at the back. These rotors squeeze within the 19x8 inch ROH alloys, ringed by 225/40ZR19 Advan Sport tyres. The TMR380 is distinctive by its colour, all 20 are red, and the addition of a different upper and lower grille, rear spoiler, side skirts and badging. Inside there's retrimmed seats with the TMR logo. Now don't think this article is a dead loss because Mitsubishi no longer makes the 380. If you miss out on the few that will make it to selected Mitsubishi showrooms, TMR and/or ATG can supply all the supercharger equipment to replicate the TMR380's performance. Used 380 prices could make an aftermarket upgrade quite a bargain. One dealer has advertised 2007 380s at $25,990, less a $6000 trade-in, leaving $19,990. And a 2005 model is going for $15,990. Heaphy says the TMR won't take blokes out of HSVs but will appeal to those wanting a sports sedan that accelerates, stops and goes around corners as good as its rivals. “We've tried to combine the high quality and reliability of the 380 with a racier character,” he says. “It still seats five people. It has a big boot, it even has a full-size spare wheel that's the same as the road wheels.” TMR says the $56,990 price tag is based on the TRD Aurion, before Aurion's price was reduced. Heaphy says after the 20 TMR380s are built, he will look at providing after-market performance cars for the 380. They will include the superchargers and suspension kits. On the road the TMR380 is as sophisticated as its rivals, so it's a shame this model will never see full-scale production. Even before exercising its potential, the test car (the first TMR380 built) is far more refined than the show car of a few years ago. Back then, the car was raw, noisy and inaccurate in its steering. I put it down to being a pre-production car; Heaphy put it down to having to build that prototype in seven weeks. “It was a US-spec Galant,” Heaphy says. “We had to change the car into a 380 and then modify it into the show car. It was a difficult job.” This time the supercharger is barely audible and the car runs hard and precise through the bends. The power, pushed up 55kW and 99Nm at the same revs from the stock engine, is linear and never upsets the car's dynamics. The Sprintex supercharger pumps at a modest 0.45bar (6.5psi) boost without needing an intercooler. It performs with surprising quietness so few will pick this as a performance sedan. The transmission remains the stock five-speed auto with sequential change. Though the steering is unchanged, the re-rated suspension relays better road feel. The suspension is compliant enough so the TMR380 endures bumps without passing on any harshness to the occupants. In effect, the TMR380 is like a slightly rawer version of the TRD Aurion. And it's rarer as well.   Snapshot Mitsubishi TMR380 Price: $56,990 Engine: 3.8L/V6 230kW/442Nm Transmission: 5-speed auto  

Holden, Ford and Mitsubishi are killing off several of Australia's best-known model names — including some which have been around since the 1960s — to keep pace with changing times.After years of slow sales, Mitsubishi halted production of its Adelaide-made 380 sedan last Thursday.The 380 replaced the Magna in 2005, adopting a new name in a bid to freshen its image.Mitsubishi Motors Australia president Robert McEniry said axing the 380 was a “very difficult decision.”“However, it is an inescapable fact that there is now a deepening trend away from large cars,” he said.“We can see no path for a return to viable production levels of the 380 sedan.”Mitsubishi is remaining in Australia as a car importer.Holden has announced that the imported Rodeo utility, one of the longest-running and strongest-selling names in its class, will be replaced by a model called the Colorado this year.Holden has lost the rights to the Rodeo name, which it has used for 30 years, because its agreement with Japanese carmaker Isuzu has ended.Isuzu, once part of the General Motors empire, has been building the Rodeo for Holden but is expected to introduce its own utility model, called the D-Max, in Australia.At Ford, the once-popular luxury long-wheelbase Fairlane and LTD models have already been killed off this year, and production of the Fairmont, Fairmont Ghia and Futura versions of the Falcon is about to end.Ford auctioned its last Fairlane, with the proceeds going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, but it fetched only $48,100, compared with the list price of $58,625.It was the last of more than 250,000 Fairlanes and LTDs built between 1967 and 2008.Ford used cricket stars Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden to promote the eBay auction.A new-look Falcon series called the FG is due in April and in it the Futura name (used on and off by Ford since 1962) disappears and the Fairmont (used continuously since 1965) and Fairmont Ghia (around since 1979) will be replaced by G6 and G6E.However, the changes have sparked heated argument in internet chatrooms such as Ford Forums.A Fairmont owner calling himself Airmon said; “Shame on Ford!”Another fan, Bo0, said: “Ford can't be that stupid could they?”Ford vice-president of product development Trevor Worthington said it was “time to draw a line in the sand and move on.”   Yesterday's models Ford FairlaneThe flagship Ford has finally been axed after more than 250,000 Fairlanes and LTDs were built between 1967 and 2008Holden RodeoThe Rodeo, which has been around for 30 years, will be replaced by a model called the Colorado later this yearMitsubishi 380The 380 sedan replaced the Magna in 2005, in a bid to freshen its image. But the unpopular 380 has been dumped. 

The silver Mitsubishi 380, polished to a glistening sheen by a dozen hands, was the last to roll off the production line of the car-maker's Adelaide plant, which closes today, throwing most of its remaining 930 staff out of work. Mr Mueller performed the last rites yesterday when he slapped a quality assurance sticker on the windscreen of the final 380 sedan to be made there. The moment was bittersweet for the production workers who looked on, some teary, as a chapter of Australian auto-making ended. “It's a relief in one way,” Mr Mueller said quietly. “We have been hanging on tenterhooks for the last few years, so at least now we've got an outcome and people can get on with their lives.” The process auditor thinks he inspected about 30,000 of the 1.1million Mitsubishis that rolled off the Tonsley Park line; after the factory was taken over by the Japanese car-maker in 1980 from the US-based Chrysler company. The car that was supposed to revive the glory days of Tonsley Park — when it produced the Charger coupe and not-so-beloved Valiant for Chrysler, then the successful Sigma, Colt and Magna lines for Mitsubishi — sealed its fate by bombing with Australian buyers. If there was any bitterness among the retrenched workers, they kept it to themselves. Andy Barwick, 43, started work at the plant as a 16-year-old in 1980 when the last Valiants were made. To have the production line fall silent after all those years was “surreal,” he said. “It hasn't really sunk in that it's all over,” he added, his friend, Brian Wilson, 58, nodding in agreement. “I'm just so used to being here.” Mark Smith, 34, hopes his training as a welder will land him work at Adelaide-based naval submarine builder ASC. A quality inspector on the production line, earning a base salary of $48,000, he is resigned to a lower-paid job. Chris Peachey, 39, a leading hand in the factory paint shop, said it was time to move on. He is looking for a job in the mines, hopefully in South Australia, but he's prepared to move to Queensland or Western Australia with his wife and two children. Metalworkers union state boss John Camillo said only 10per cent of the retrenched production workers had found jobs, and he was concerned those without trade qualifications could struggle. Mitsubishi chief executive Rob McEniry paid tribute to the loyalty and commitment of the Tonsley Park staff. As for the last 380, it will be auctioned among Mitsubishi dealers, with the anticipated six-figure proceeds going to charity. Other cars in yesterday's final production run will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Vision Australia and Adelaide's National Motor Museum.