Mitsubishi Lancer 2014 News

Mitsubishi Motors Australia (MMAL) has taken out full-page advertisements in national newspapers begging for action from car owners affected by the global Takata airbag recall.Drivers and passengers of vehicles affected by the Takata airbag recall run the risk of being impaled by shards of metal that are propelled out of the airbag when deployed.It has been reported that at least 22 people have been killed as a result of defective Takata airbags, including an Australian man who lost his life in a car accident in Sydney last year. MMAL PR boss Karl Gehling suggests that while these incidents do increase awareness, many owners continue to ignore the risk.“During 2017, the publicity around the fatality in Sydney from a faulty Takata airbag inflator led to significant media coverage and a subsequent increase in customer awareness of this serious issue,” he said.“Over the past few months we have noticed the number of customers presenting their vehicle for repair has dropped significantly.”Since the announcement of the recall, Mitsubishi Motors has replaced around 136,000 defective airbag inflators from a total 235,151 in Australia.This means thousands of potentially-deadly Mitsubishi Lancer, Triton, Pajero and I-MiEV models are still in circulation.All repair work is carried out at a Mitsubishi dealership and is free of charge to vehicle owners.“In some cases we have sent up to six letters to owners to advise them of the need to replace their Takata airbag inflator without any result,” said Mr Gehling.“This owner indifference or apathy to the risks from the Takata airbag inflator fitted to their vehicle has prompted us to publicly notify all owners in the hope that it will generate greater impact and encourage more owners to action the recall.”To get the attention of the remaining affected vehicle owners, Mitsubishi Motors has purchased full-page advertisements in newspapers around the country.The advertisement shows a letter signed by MMAL CEO John Signoriello that reads:“To our Mitsubishi owners“Since the announcement of the global Takata airbag recall, Mitsubishi Motors has been working hard to replace all affected airbag inflators.“In Australia, there were 235,151 Takata beta airbag inflators fitted to Mitsubishi vehicles affected by this recall. Over 136,000 Takata inflators have been replaced so far with an inflator from another manufacturer.“For all remaining affected vehicles, there is a risk to the vehicle occupants in the event of an accident that results in the airbag inflator deploying. There is a potential risk that due to excessive internal pressure, metal fragments could shoot out towards the vehicle occupants causing serious injury or even death.“Testing by Takata Corporation of their airbag inflators removed from Australian cars has shown there is a clear risk to vehicle occupants. Due to degradation of the inflator propellant, the airbags can rupture on deployment.“We are seeking all remaining customers with affected vehicles to make a booking with their nearest dealer to address this recall, which is free of charge."The advertisement also directs Mitsubishi owners to the MMAL website where they can input their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see if their car is affected. “We urge all customers who own one of these models to verify if their vehicle is subject to the Takata recall and make a booking with your local dealer to replace your Takata airbag inflator.”Mitsubishi also has a dedicated recall phone line (1800 931 811), which can be used for free between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Cars are either being built worse -- or companies are getting better at detecting faults.a range of models made over the last 10 years replacing potentially deadly Takata airbags in 1.3 million cars in Australia. a second, airbag-related recall for the Priusreplacing potentially deadly Takata airbags in 1.3 million cars in Australia

There are plenty of deals on wheels in the race to the end of the year.The two best-selling cars in Australia -- the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 -- are in a neck-and-neck race to become Number One for the year.The Corolla leads the year-to-date tally and Toyota as a brand is trying to eclipse 200,000 sales for the 10th time -- as market leader for a record 12th year in a row.The reigning champion Corolla overtook the Mazda3 in the year-to-date tally in July by just 21 sales -- but the pair have swapped the monthly lead three times in the past four months.The Mazda3 landed the most recent punch, outselling the Corolla in November and closing the gap to top spot and now either brand could win for the year. In decades of Ford versus Holden rivalry the finish was never this close.Even if these two cars are not on your shopping list this is still good news because their discounting has dragged other brands into the battle, giving buyers more bargaining power than usual.December and January customarily make for sharp buying because dealers are trying to clear 2014-built stock.But the tight battle at the top of the charts has increased the pressure in the biggest segment of the market. Here are the best deals we found this week, in order of each car’s popularity on the 2014 sales charts.Toyota CorollaThe discounts are hard to find online but they’re available at the dealer if you go in with a reasonable target price rather than a made-up one.Toyota is trying to walk customers up to the Ascent Sport ($23,990 drive-away for manual and $25,990 drive-away for auto) but the best deal is still on the most affordable model.Aim for $21,990 drive-away for the Corolla Ascent hatch or $22,740 drive-away for the sedan. Both come with seven airbags but the sedan gets a standard rear-view camera and parking sensors.Mazda3Mazda is being discreet with its discounting and dealers will try to upsell you to the dearer models. Once again, the cheapest models are the best buying. The website says "free on-roads", which effectively means you can take the RRP and turn that into a drive-away price. Aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual and $21,990 drive-away for an automatic.Hyundai i30The Hyundai i30 hatch comes with a $1000 EFTPOS card, but you can turn that into a $1000 discount. Aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual or $22,540 drive-away for an auto -- if you don’t take the spending card. There’s also a finance offer: no deposit or repayments until 2016, but be sure to check the interest rate.Holden CruzeThe Australian-made Holden Cruze is struggling, sales are down, and it is on track to go out of production at least one year before the Commodore (when Holden will import the new generation Cruze). Which is why Holden has an epic deal: $19,990 drive-away with automatic transmission plus a five-year warranty. The only catch: metallic paint is $550, the dearest of the mainstream brands.Vokswagen GolfThe German brand wants to overtake Toyota for global sales leadership by 2018 and is dropping Golf prices the world over. At $22,990 drive-away for the manual and $24,990 drive-away for the automatic it is about $4000 off the full RRP. But the best buying is the Jetta sedan (an updated model is due early next year). The price is an unbelievable $19,990 drive-away for a manual and $22,990 drive-away for an auto, about $7000 off the full RRP.Ford FocusThe Ford Focus Ambiente sedan and hatch have been trimmed to a super-sharp $18,490 drive-away for a manual or just $19,990 drive-away for an auto -- once you take up the $1000 discount or “cash back” offer funded by Ford.Nissan PulsarThe Nissan Pulsar is the sharpest buying in the small car class: $18,476 drive-away for a manual or just $19,476 drive-away for an automatic if you ask politely. There is just one catch: Nissan wasn’t very good at clearing stock this time last year, so these deals are on 2013-built cars.Even though they’ve been sitting around for at least a year, the dealer will prep them so they’re as good as new and the three three-year warranty starts the day you take delivery. But it’ll be marked down slightly at resale time because you’re trading in a 2013 model, not a 2014.Mitsubishi LancerGiven that the Lancer is one of the oldest cars in the class (it has been with us in this guise for seven years) its discounting could be a little sharper than this: $18,990 drive-away for a manual and $21,490 drive-away for an auto -- once a $1000 cash back is taken into account.Hyundai ElantraRecently given a freshen up the Elantra can be had for the same money as the Hyundai i30 hatch: aim for $19,990 drive-away for a manual or $22,540 drive-away for an auto if you don’t take the $1000 spending card. Not the sharpest deal around but not the worst.Kia CeratoLast but certainly not least, the Kia Cerato is among the sharpest deals out there, especially when you consider the market-leading seven year warranty: $19,990 drive-away for a manual or an automatic (yes, same price for both), about $4000 off.

The Lancer Evo will not survive an upcoming liaison between the three companies that will produce an all-new Lancer for Mitsubishi and an unnamed small car to be shared by Nissan and Renault.The turbocharged and all-wheel drive package that makes the Evo so successful, with Australian sales of the Evo X continuing from $56,990, cannot be switched to the new-age compact that should be on the road by 2017.“The volume of the sales is not as high as the love and passion towards that car,” the president of Mitsubishi Motors, Osamu Masuko, reveals to Carsguide during a visit from Japan. “In Europe, actually, the Lancer Evolution in certain countries stopped this year. Other countries that don’t have that (emissions) issue will continue.”Masuko admits the Evo has done a good job of brand building for Mitsubishi, but says the company is working on a new hero as the PHEV hybrid becomes a motorsport star. “I think with the new PHEV SUV we might consider to challenge in motorsport. Last year in August we have participated in an Asian rally from Thailand to Laos.”So, what about the Dakar Rally where Mitsubishi scored many wins with its Pajero? “It’s not going to be that race, but a lot of other tough races we will consider.” Masuko is not ready to reveal details of the model sharing program with the Nissan-Renault Alliance, but says the companies are close to a sign-off.“It’s just the platform we are considering. We are studying in various scenarios,” he says. “It hasn’t been completed as a deal, but we are progressive well. It can be a different engine or body for each brand.”This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

To fend off ever-sharper competition in the small car class, Mitsubishi has sharpened its entrant with a re-specced Lancer GSR Sportback. Lancer has been around for years and the GSR Sportback adds a dash of sportiness to the lineup.It's the only Sportback in the Lancer range  and is fitted with a 2.4-litre, 125kW MIVEC powertrain, sport tuned suspension, the choice of five-speed manual or CVT automatic with sport mode and paddle shifters.The GSR gains 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, Ralliart style front grille, side air dams, rear sports spoiler and cloth sports-style front seats. Standard safety kit includes reversing camera, voice activated Bluetooth with audio streaming, climate control air-conditioning, privacy glass, smart key access, rain sensing wipers, dusk sensing headlamps and 6.1-inch full colour touch screen with iPod compatibility and rear view camera interface.The price is $22,990 for the manual, $25,240 for the CVT.  Entry level Lancer is now the ES four door sedan starting at $20,390. 

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo axedMitsubishi has confirmed it will not develop an Evolution XI to follow the current model, with a spokesperson saying there were no plans for another generation of the iconic rally legend. However while they are farewelling the Evo, there is hope for development of another performance model utilising the Japanese brand's focus on electric vehicles.2015 Holden Cruze | spy shotsGeneral Motors’ next Cruze world car has been scooped in a totally undisguised state in a Shanghai holding yard, previewing the model we’ll see as the replacement for the locally manufactured Holden JH Series II model.Schumacher’s wife building $18m home medical suiteThe wife of seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is reported to be preparing a £10 million ($17.9 million) medical facility at their family mansion in anticipation of her husband being forced out of his current hospital intensive care unit place.Carmakers get in on April Fools Day adsCar brands love April Fools Day, using it as a channel to let off some marketing steam even more ludicrous than some of their regular advertisements and merchandising. And we love it too, because no car idea is too ridiculous to consider.

Mitsubishi has confirmed it will not develop an Evolution XI to follow the current model, with a spokesperson saying there were no plans for another generation of the iconic rally legend. However while they are farewelling the Evo, there is hope for development of another performance model utilising the Japanese brand's focus on electric vehicles.“Mitsubishi Motors does not have any plans to design a successor with the current concept, as a high-performance four-wheel drive gasoline-powered sedan,” spokesperson Namie Koketsu told Automotive News. “Mitsubishi Motors will explore the possibilities of high-performance models that incorporate electric vehicle technology.”Koketsu stopped short of saying when production of the current generation of the four-wheel drive sedan would halt, but the signals from Mitsubishi for some time have pointed to its demise. The brand has unveiled plans to source its sedan product lines from its alliance with Renault-Nissan, leaving the in-house effort to concentrate on its core strengths of utes and SUVs, and its focus on expanding the electric vehicle line-up.Just a few years ago, the notion of electric motors powering a high-performance car would have seemed unlikely, but with the likes of the BMW i8, Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari -- and news that Audi has put the e-tron R8 back on the table -- it's become a reality.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

The top-two sellers will be driving the competition; an all-new Mazda3 is around the corner and Toyota will introduce an all-new Corolla sedan to sell alongside last year's champion.Good supply of the two all-new top-selling models means that everyone else in the small-car class -- representing almost a quarter of all new vehicles sold -- will have to sharpen their pencils or risk becoming old stock.To that end, the Mitsubishi Lancer will be in runout for most of the year, while Suzuki will also be pushing hard to clear the decks of its popular Alto city car, ahead of the new model which has grown in size.The locally-made Holden Cruze will also find the going particularly tough against the newer models; Holden has already admitted it loses money on each one it builds and can't limbo much lower on price.Volkswagen will likely maintain its promotional pricing on the Golf every other month as the German factory ramps up production, while Hyundai also has its revised i30 hatch and Elantra sedan twins to take to market."There's never been a better time to buy a new car," said Toyota Australia executive director Tony Cramb, intentionally repeating an old industry cliché.Low interest rates and improved consumer confidence have helped drive sales, he said.Several runout models -- particularly the Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton utes, both of which were Top 10 finishers -- have prompted unprecedented discounts.The new-car market dipped by up to 3 per cent from August to November 2013 in the wake of the Rudd Government's proposed changes to Fringe Benefits Tax rules on company cars, but the industry expects a full recovery in 2014 after December's modest rise of 1.4 per cent.The industry has forecast an increase from last year's record of 1,136,227 new-car sales, to 1,145,000 in 2014.However, Mr Cramb said new-car sales in 2013 would have been higher if not for changes to Fringe Benefits Tax rules proposed by the former Labor Government."The FBT announcement made by the former government definitely slowed down business sales … there are many companies still just making their way back to normal purchases," said Mr Cramb.He said it took the market "a lot longer than we had anticipated" to recover form the botched plan that would have quadrupled the tax on company cars."Companies have extended leases, delayed purchasing decisions, and rather than coming back once … the new Government made it clear they were going to implement previous Government's policies, there was a skepticism in the market among the big fleet companies."This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Rumours of a hybrid drivetrain for Mitsubishi’s next-generation Evolution performance flagship are gaining momentum, with a new report by Japanese magazine Holiday Auto suggesting that the next Evo will maintain its traditional turbo petrol and all-wheel drive attributes with green-friendly plug-in hybrid power.According to the report, the Evo will benefit from technology developed for efficiency-focused models like the new plug-in Outlander SUV to improve on the current model’s combined fuel consumption of at least 10.1L/100km, while boosting performance to new levels.Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari have recently proven that the words performance and hybrid are not at all mutually exclusive with their 918 Spyder, P1, and LaFerrari fastest-ever models, and it’s only a matter of time before such tech trickles down to more affordable performance models like the Evo.The Mitsubishi is not the only bang-for bucks champion in line for hybridisation, with Nissan’s next GT-R also set to incorporate some form of efficiency-boosting electrification and Honda has confirmed a similar shift for its upcoming NSX.Holiday Auto suggests that the Evo will use a similar dual electric motor layout to the Outlander PHEV, but will ditch the SUV’s atmo 2.0-litre petrol engine for a smaller 1.1 litre turbo unit similar to that used by the XR and AR concepts shown in Tokyo recently.Mitsubishi is reportedly targeting outputs similar to a 3.0-litre aspirated engine for the Evo-spec 1100cc unit, which suggests something in the vicinity of 170kW, before electric power is factored in.   Such a 155kW/L specific output would mark a significant jump from the 108.6kW/L achieved from the 217kW 2.0-litre turbo unit in the existing Evo X, and exceed even the 133.1kW/L achieved by 265kW 2.0 litre four powering the Mercedes A45 and CLA45 AMG twins.Even with the Outlander PHEV’s dual 60kW electric motors, a circa-170kW petrol engine would have the potential to trounce the current Evo X, but these could be uprated in the pursuit of GT-R rivalling performance reported elsewhere.Also key to a hybrid Evo’s performance potential will be maintaining the Outlander PHEV’s battery system location ahead of the rear axle for the benefit of weight distribution.Other reports have suggested that the next Evolution will require a bespoke platform to deal with its unique packaging and performance demands, suggesting it could lose the Lancer name for the first time in the model’s history.Such a repositioning would mirror Nissan’s GT-R, which was distanced from the Skyline nameplate for the first time when the current R35 model launched in 2007.The next-generation Lancer is set to ride on a platform shared with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but it is unclear whether this strategy extends to the mooted Evo replacement.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

If you think this looks a lot like a 2007 Lancer you're right. The pity is it's a 2014 model and despite new models from its key rivals, Mitsubishi has no small-car replacement in sight. Reflecting the move with the perennial Pajero - which is ostensibly unchanged since 1999 - the Lancer may not be replaced until 2015.The next Lancer will be based, loosely, on the Concept CA-MiEV four-door hatch shown at this year's Shanghai motor show. Once one of Australia's most popular small cars, the Lancer now holds a 4.8 per cent market share in the year to date, down from 6.8 per cent for the same period in 2012. By comparison, the Mazda3 has an 18.1 per cent market share.Mitsubishi this week announced no specification changes - other than alloy wheels for the base model and a bigger touch screen in others - to Lancer models for 2014 but at least has kept the lid on price rises. The Lancer continues with its three-level specification - ES, LX and VRX - in sedan and Sportback styles with entry-level versions starting at $19,990.Drivetrains are unchanged, with a 110kW/197Nm 2-litre petrol four in the ES and LX and a 125kW/226Nm 2.4-litre petrol four in the VRX. No diesels or hybrids are available though the Concept CA-MiEV is a plug-in hybrid using the same drivetrain as the Outlander PHEV, indicating a Lancer petrol-electric is on the horizon.The Lancer Ralliart remains on the list with a detuned version of the Evolution turbo-petrol engine, now rated at 177kW/343Nm, mated to a dual-clutch automatic. The only change from 2013 to 2014 is the addition of a 7-inch touch screen in the VRX and Ralliart, up from the previous year's 6.1-inch screen.But though Mitsubishi appears to be treading water with its familiar product range - only the Mirage and Outlander can be termed all new - the company is lifting market share. Sales are up 36.9 per cent in the year to July 30 compared to the same period in 2012, buoyed by a simplified model line-up and reduced prices on selected vehicles such as Triton and Outlander. Triton 4WD ute sales, for example, are up 66 per cent on 2012.The writer is on Twitter: @cg_dowling