got get a vw with a 1.8t then

 

No so much of a risk, since the Eclipse is continually moving upscale. Everytime they do something, they take a beating by the press, but they sell more units, so I have full confidence in them. For one, they drop the turbo Eclipses, the press slams them, the result: they sale more Eclipses then they ever have. The bring out the OZ and think it will only account for 10% of Lancer sales. It gets reamed by the press, but they account for over 20% and the buyers for the most part (except for MR ALL CAPS) love them. So now, they are considering dropping the RS. This high end Lancer would slide right into place and be embraced by the tuner market,something the 4cyl (and to some extent the 6cyl) Eclipses don't command. Even after four years, 3G Eclipse owners still don't have a huge aftermarket. Mitsu is getting into the tuner scene, and the Lancer is their baby. The Eclipse may continue to evolve until it reaches GT status and may one day compete with the 350z, who knows. So a high dollar OZ won't take too many Eclipse buyers away, it will just add the people who want a SVT Focus, Spec V, or Type-S, to the Mitsu fold.

 

Point taken. I just don't think that, while Mitsu is definitely on the rise (as the funny guy on the radio spots says, "the fastest growing japanese car company in America"), I don't think that Honda/Acura or Ford have much to worry about from them. As far as Mitsu goes, it's known as a niche company, kind of for people who want the things that the bigger companies offer, but don't want to be one of the crowd, and kind of have their own little market, the kind which "cannibalistic" could quite possibly exist in.

I do think that with the lackluster response that it garnered from the Press, the Lancer has done exceptionally well within it's class. That's really why I don't foresee a major change before, say, 4 or 5 years within the platform. It's taking longer than I had imagined for the aftermarket to shape up, and a new generation this soon would crush us. I hope that Mitsu has the good sense (and we have the good luck) for the Lancer to stay the way it is. At least until my payments end so I can trade it in for another one. I'm probably gonna be a Lancer-lifer.

 

You are so right, but that is exactly what Mitsubishi wants to change. Right now they (we) are number one in the hearts of Gen X and Y. The young people, the video game age, remeber that whole baby boomer thing we were talking about in another thread? About them not being much of a factor anymore? Mitsu knows that if they win the hearts of the young people now, they can continually upsale them into more and more vehicles as they get older. Toyota is worried right now because their average buyer looks similar to the type that might buy a Buick. That's why their coming out with those funky looking Scions. Mitsu is taking a page from Toyota's book and they want a seat for every *** out there. another SUV is on the way (Endeavor) then the Sportback and then maybe a pickup and possibly a Lexus class Diamante. Dammit, we're already feeling the effects of the Endeavor because they've already cancelled the Montero Sport Limited to minimize overlap. I already think Toyota has too many SUV's, and I'm thinking Mitsu might be pushing it with this Endeavor thing, but the Montero just isn't a factor - any way, I digress.

But it isn't a major change. The ES still amounts for the lionshare of Lancer sales and all its going to get is the corporate grill. It is designed to get people in the door in their first Mitsu, and contiually upgrade them. Even though the Civic Si isn't doing that well, Honda knows it isn't making the money off them, that comes from ex Coupes and sedans. They're just going to give the OZ some real ***** to quiet the press demons, to generate some excitement. I know all you guys must feel a little cheated but it has to happen, Mitsu can't afford to wait around they have to adapt and change quickly to capitlize on a growing market. There will always be engine swaps, and turbo kits available. And by their being a more powerful car available may entice more tuner companies into the fold and maybe a lot of the parts will be swappable to. I see only good things because of this.

 

I'm inclined to agree when you put it that way. And I have an ES, and wouldn't have it any other way, even if more ***** were available... well, I would if it were only like 17K... but anyway. I wouldn't feel cheated unless the 4G94 platform was put out to pasture this early.

 

If mitsu comes out with the 2.4L it would be a good thing. Upping the hp and tq with a bigger displacement has its ups and downs. For instance, the 2.5L in my car has loads of tq, but the thing it lacks is hi rev capabilities. As someone mentioned before, dropping a high hp engine into a econobox is not what car manufacturers really want to do. they also don't want to make any car more appealing to the buyer than any other car in thier line up. The idea of the 160 hp 2.4 is good and should prove to be a better thing than the current model which pushes out only 120hp. About econoboxes just look at Nissan's flop IMO: the 2.5LE sentra. Its basically a GXE(base model) witha better engine. it supposedly has the same weak suspension as the base model. If the better engine comes into the lancer so does a new suspension to handle the power. That should bump the price up a little, but hey if some people are willing to pay for that extra money, there will be a marke t for it. I'm just glad to see that Mistubishi is finnaly gonna put a more powerful engine in the lancer. The only reason why I didnt get one in the first place is because of the under powered engine, other wise(styling wise, and comfort) i liked it.

 

Not likely. It would more then likely make the Lancer too expensive if they made the 4g64 the standard engine and then the DOHC 4g64 as the upscale motor. Actually, I take that back, it probably doesn't cost them that much more to crank out one motor over the other, but the Lancer needs to maintain some degree of high fuel economy to make it competitive in the small car market and a 2.4 under every hood wouldn't be feasible.

I think that will be a given. With all the tuning magic availble for the lancer chassis, better handling is only stiffer strut and progressive spring away. Discs all around and a bigger wheel package I think will also be a reality. I had heard at a ride and drive that they were considering calling it a Rhys Millen Edition, but who knows...

 

The 4G64 for some reason quite expensive. It costs Australia LESS to fit the 3.5l V6 and 3.0l V6 to the Magna(Diamante) than it would to fit the 4G64...

The Lancer ES, LS, and OZ will most likely remain with the 4G94. The new model (which has been announced by ) will get the DOHC 4G64. With the possibility of MIVEC being used, fuel efficiency would not be an issue since different degrees of performance can be achieved.
In addition, it is likely the Sportback will also get the 4G64 due to the greater power needs of such models and the increased drag they create.

 

Ugghh, a 4cyl Diamante? That must be terrible. I have no idea about overseas markets but I can't possibly see a 4g64 costing Mitsu that much more then a 4g94 for USDM vehicles, all they're doing is minimizing overlap and making sure the Lancer has the best fuel economy and power it can offer. They've got it cut down now to where they are essentially only using three motors for all the cars we get here:

4G94 - Lancer
4G64 - Eclipse RS, GS, Spyder GS
Galant DE, ES, LS
Outlander
6G72 - Galant ES V6, LS V6, GTZ
Eclipse GT, GTS, Spyder GT, Spyder GTS
Montero Sport ES, LS
all Endeavors
Then you've got the 4 and 5 variants in the Sport XLS/LTD's Diamantes and Monteros.

Looks to me like they might could save a little dough and cut it down to only two engine families, but of course for obvious reasons that won't happen since the car is produced overseas and those costs are offset by MMC rather then MMMA.

 

What about the idea of making a new V6 coupe that's smaller and lighter than the 3G Eclipses, and make the Eclipse go further upscale? I'd love to see an FTO like machine here. Need to see the power levels for the the 6G72's across the range. They're not all parked at 200 are they?

 

The current Montero Sport is an old design that is fundamentally unchanged since its introduction in '97. Even though it has progressed since its humble Mighty Max origens, the engine is still not quite as capable as the 6G72 in the passenger cars. The Galant has 195hp, and the Eclipse gets 200 by using a more effecient (louder) exhaust in the GT, and the GTS gets 210 with the MVIM intake manifold. They all require premium gas, but stompt the 6G72 in the Sport with its 165hp 186 torque rating. Mitsu was able to get 220hp out of the DOHC 6G72 in the 3000GT SL. Maybe a lot more if they used MIVEC. But I suspect that would be a damn expensive engine.

The 6G74 in the Diamante, the '02 Montero and the Sport XLS and Limited gets up to 215hp in the VR-X then they bored it out using the 6G75 block for the '03 Montero and it can get up to 248 lbs/ft of torque. I hear the Ralliart Magna uses hotter cams, a lighter valvetrain and gets around 180 kw, err 241 horses out of the same 3.5L. Perhaps some sort of Frankenstein creation is in order? 3.5/8L block, DOHC head + MIVEC = 3500GT? Sounds
great but they'll never do it, at least not for a while.

Why? Simple, Mitsu doesn't compete in GT racing anymore. They had the GTO in the GT500 and the FTO in the GT300 of the JGTC but pulled out to concentrate solely on WRC and rallying with the EVO and the Pajero. Maybe one day, fi they get strong enough again with DCX backing they'll produce a GT car, but for now I think the Eclipse will hover right below the 350Z, RX-8 etc line.

The good news is though I hear they are developing a 4.0L V8 for use in the Pajero for offroading...hmmm...

 

Well, isn't the EVO now competing JGTC? In the class below the Skyline GTRs?

 

There might be a private team or two in the GT300, but they are doing it with minimal factory support. Japan's Big Three (T, H and N) are all title sponsors with Mitsu nowhere to be found...yet.

 

Alright... I didn't know you were talking about corporate participation. Understood now.

 

They had a Rhys Millen Edition with the '02 Lancers that came with an intake, exhaust, rims, wing and a front lip spoiler for an extra $2500. Hopefully they can include some better upgrades for a more reasonable price this next time around.