To me AWD and RWD are almost equal in handling potential. With RWD it requires the highest level of driver skill to get the most out of it. As with AWD it require less skill to reach its handling limit. But with all things held fairly equal RWD and AWD will result in similar performance.

This car is good example of having similar specs to a base GSR and it cost less.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=116655

 

Mitsu has been dropping their sales in the past years due to the fact that people wants to buy more reliable cars like Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru etc( I didn't say that Mitsu is not a reliable car). The problem is marketing. Mitsu doesn't advertise their vehicle very often compared to other Japanese rivals and plus the "bad" reputation of Mitsu here in the U.S.

 

That is sadly true. When Toyota comes out with a 30k sports car that is Evo like I will most likely abandon Mitsubishi, but Mitsubishi has been improving and it will take a long time to reach Toyota's level of status, as far as I know that is unlikely. I predict Nissan status within a decade.

 

People believe it or not, but 364 for EVO sales in April is pretty good. That is a pace of 4368 sales in a year, and that isn't factoring in that they sell more EVOs in the summer and fall. So the EVO X is right on pace for 5,000 to 5,500 sales, which is right about what they are expecting to sale. Cars seem to be selling well, with Lancer, Eclipse, and Galants selling very well, but SUVs I just don't know and they seem to be the biggest cause for the drop in sales. I am not sure if they making less SUVs or just not selling many.

So here it is as far sales-

Lancer
Lancer Evolution
Galant
Eclipse

Outlander
Endeavor
Raider

 

As far as SUVs yes, I believe Mitsubishi has to put more effort in selling vehicles like The Outlander and Endeavor when there is such stiff competition.

 

These will be total failures in the near future for all manufacturers, because of the gas situation unless we stop using gas.

 

It is true, but with the introduction of Hybrid SUVs/Trucks and AFM on most V8s, they are starting to get just as good of Gas Mileage as most 4 cylinders.

And in responce to your old post, i agree the V8 scene is full of a bunch of retards, but i think what appeals to me most about the G8 is the fact that it is an import and not really american muscle. Also has a very non-muscle body style to it.

However give me an Evo with normal electric leather seats and id buy it. I just dont see the point of racing seats that i have to twist a god damn nob on to recline or any of that. Its just not practical however if i did plan on taking it to a track i would see the use for the seats but lets be realistic how many of you are actually going to take your evo out to moroso/any course so often that you need to deal with a set of uncomfortable seats 24/7

As far as their sales go, mitsu has the means to make fuel economic vehicles, they just dont release the tech here because us americans love to burn fuel like hell.

 

There is a reason why Toyota is number one. They make boring cars that get 40mpg.

In a way I see these small sales numbers as a positive. The reason why I am selling my STi to get an Evo is they OVER SELL STi's. How many 07 STi's did they sell this time last year? 15,000?

The evo is a performance car and that's simply not what the average American is buying now.

 

It seems (I and I know it to be true) that Mitsubishi has a bit of a tarnished rep in the U.S. I used to have a saying back in the 90's when I worked on imports, that I would never buy Mazda or Mitsubishi (hyundai was a foregone conclusion, of course).

This has become apparent as I write this from Northern Alberta, where there are considerable models of various mitsus running around in a town that doesn't even have any import dealers except for toyota.

I always did respect the minimalist, lightweight nature of Mitsubishi car drive trains that allowed for performance that heavier cars weren't quite achieving, but the transmission is still worrisome. I thought their mini truck was ok too, except that the 2.6 tended to crack heads and drive over its crankshaft a bit too often. On the other hand, The world spec Montero is popular as hell in Asia, I hope they do well, because I still don't care for Mazda.

Is Mitsubishi done in the U.S.? I doubt it..but then gain, Isuzu failed badly here. I'd like to see the Montero with a locker come here and any of their Halo turbo cars, because I'm not looking for run of the mill disposable cars. It has to be hard to compete with nissan and toyota assembling cars in the southern U.S. though (on pricing). I guess I'm rambling, but the point is that the whole world isn't failing and I have seen a lot of tri-star stuff in other places.

 

All manufacturers are experiencing low car sales for the past 2 years. IF anything..the only cars that are selling on their lineups are the small compacts that claim to be high MPG vehicles and hybrids. High fuel prices and the climbing prices of cars each year, comsumers are wary of getting into new vehicles.

Mitsubishi is regaining lost ground in its reputation of "medicore" vehicles compared to its japanese counterparts. You have to admit their quality, reliability and fit and finish in recent years has improved a decade ago. Mitsubishi's Outlander has one of the highest reliability records, lowest to maintain, and recommended as one best small SUV's to buy used. The Endeavor also gets the same high recommendations and matching the reliability recoard of Honda Pilot, and Toyota 4Runner, etc etc and with better handling.

Considering what has happened the past decade with the CEO controversy and their financial woes..they are still producing appealing vehicles and improving too.

The only thing I wish Mitsu would do is bring over the small vehicles like the Colt, to give them a vehicle in their lineup here in the U.S to offer for the "MPG contious" buyers.

 

I love mitsubishi stuff starting last year, I never took them seriously until now. The lancer peaked my interest and I bought one. Hell started developing parts for it. But what bugs me is that it seems like there are two Development / Marketing teams vs. One.

I can count how many different revisions they are making to the lastest generation lancer.


1. First they come out with a Lancer 2008, great (no navi system for canadians, ok fine)
2. 2009 rolls around, and they decide that the GTS needs a 2.4 L engine, like that didnt seem like a smart idea in the first year? wtf?
3. They annouce a de-tuned evo and slap ralliArt on it (can you say segment overlap)
4. Mid 2009 they announce a touring addition GTS that will have HID's and Stability and Traction Control (are u out to **** off everyone who bought a GTS in the first year?)


It just seems that they are trying to play a fly by wire game and if they keep it up they are going to get snagged on something. I already hear of software glitches in the SST transmission system. And since the RalliArt is slaved to having a SST I guess that EVO MR problem becomes a RalliArt problem. Now I hear that a 5SP manual version might be in the works, (you'd think you would have released that first)?

I would feel better if the entire operation was being run from a command center in Japan. It just seems like there is no centralized planning. This isnt a smooth process at all, I think Mitsubishi is commiting to many resources into the Lancer project and not enough into expanding the other line of cars they have.

Hello, Redesign the aging Galant, do something with that Eclipse, push advertising dollars elsewhere. If an economic down turn happens, Mitsubishi is done.

 

30mpg is not going to cut it when gas prices reach absurd levels and that's going to happen no matter what. Hybrids are mainly economical if you mainly drive in stop and go traffic where you are mainly using the electric motor, but almost nobody does that. As of now Hybrid vehicles are just as economical as combustions ones because of their cost. If car companies developed more motor technology that are not too costly and are pure electric then that would be great.

Yeah, it's pretty much an import. It's aesthetic was not originally designed for Americans. It is an Australian car.

However give me an Evo with normal electric leather seats and id buy it. I just dont see the point of racing seats that i have to twist a god damn nob on to recline or any of that. Its just not practical however if i did plan on taking it to a track i would see the use for the seats but lets be realistic how many of you are actually going to take your evo out to moroso/any course so often that you need to deal with a set of uncomfortable seats 24/7

The car is not for you end of story, just buy something else like the G8. As for me I'm mainly about performance, then looks, then comfort, and luxury is totally out of the equation. I would use this car for it's intended purpose as much as possible.

If you're talking about hybrids and the sort, of course they do, but they are not doing well enough to sell them for a good price.

They would if they can make money out of it. Americans are tired of burning oil like hell.

 

Weren't they working on something like that?

Something about an AWD coupe/3-door with a Subaru EJ25?

 

That's going to change in the next several years. They are planning of releasing the Lexus LF-A which is a luxury super car like the Nissan R35 GT-R. They also have the Lexus ISF. They are also going to do the "F" treatment to others in the lineup like what BMW does with "M" variants. They are also developing this car.http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/t...-subaru-boxer/

So, you are basically saying that you want Mitsubishi to do poorly? Why? Just so you can be an elitist snob? That's not cool.

It's has always been like that and always will be all over the world.

 

Yes.http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/t...-subaru-boxer/