Also it weighs 3,417 lbs which is lighter than the X.

 

Will it handle like the X???

 

Combine the fact that it does have a seven-speed automatic (so the top gear meant for cruising is probably really tall) and the fact that it is VERY likely that the 40 mpg figure was measuring imperial gallons, and it makes a little more sense. 40 mpg (imperial) equates to about 33 mpg (US). Don't get me wrong, 33 mpg from a 355 hp turbocharged four-cylinder with AWD is awesome. But it ain't 40 mpg.

 

estimated 19/25 from what i read, just like the gsr

 

even if that 215 hp version achieves 33 mpg it would be golden, other than that 33mpg A45 sounds like a pipe dream. 17/25 according to C&D sounds realistic.
I think that this Merc crap is overrated as every Merc car is. You can think of all gadgetry and **** to be spread like its godsent, its not even quicker than 7 year old car that has 70 horsepower less and has less MPG than a car that is still MPI with single turbo(Evo IX comp), whilst Merc being bi-turbo'd with direct injection. And you're asked to pay $64k for a car that will most likely be overshadowed by atleast next gen STI by a huge margin whilst the later will be cheaper by half the price most likely. A45 is just pack of relief for Merc fans that went for Subaru/Evo for cheap performance, its most likely going to be overshadowed by what else is next in the line by evo/sti whilst later would cheaper, nimbler(mitsubishi promised smaller Evo) and with better fuel economy. Seeing how good Subbie concept is, I wouldn't even bother getting that Merc anyway, as existing cars that are 5-7 year old perform as equal as the before mentioned. Its not fanatic response but if we compare numbers, A45 isn't the brightest light in the end of the tunnel, especially for the heavy price you pay for it. Even if I adore EvoX, the fact is being fat as that car is, didn't help much, lots of fans think its worst itteration, so that speaks a lot how much awaited progress can be achieved in next gen, especiall that a45 isn't outbursting the current itterations by as large margin as it was thought.

 

actually, the exchange rate is 1.5 usd per british pound, so the a45 would be in excess of $60k. i could buy a cts-v for that kind of coin. and i'm sure that the benz ecu will be heavily protected.

 

My speculative answer is no, but we'll see, I suppose.

I read the same thing then saw 33MPG as well. I would think that it needs a small turbo since it has small displacement, therefore can't do like BMW's with the N55 motor and keep you in 8th gear on the highway with RPM's out of the turbo's response zone and thus making great fuel economy.

EDIT: The 19/25 you read was an estimate from Car & Driver from November 2012, the real figure has been out for a few weeks and it's "40.9 MPG" according to Top Gear's June 2013 review, which is just incredible.

Agreed on all counts (except perhaps your price comparison; in the UK a base Evo X GSR starts at 28k GBP which is $42k USD so I'd be horrified to look at what a X MR Touring would sell for in the UK), but my whole point with this thread is that Mitsubishi is not trying anymore. They stopped half a decade ago. The specifications on the A45 is exactly what Mitsubishi could deliver and at a much better price and probably with better handling since it won't be so clad with leather and heavy garbage.

My guess is as good as anyone else's on why Mistubishi has become so uncompetitive in this 2L AWD sport segment so I won't offer a theory on that. I'm just pointing out that technology to make another fantastic car is here, yet Mistubishi gives zero ****s.

Something really interesting I noticed is that AMG has not messed with 4 cylinder engines at all in its 45 year history until now. Except for one other instance: The 4G63 Galant AMG!

 

I believe they use imperial gallons, so 40 mpg isn't quite the same as 40 mpg here, so no point in reporting those numbers without adjusting them.

 

You trolled me with your original thread title, so I renamed it for you.

 

I always get a kick out of these threads.

US price is typically about 15-25% higher than UK price. You can't use the final sale price in the UK, you need to use the pre-VAT price which is 17% lower (UK VAT is 20%). So, a 37k GPB A45 AMG would probably end up being about $42-48k.

But the griping about Mitsubishi... priceless. Mitsubishi (NA) is a HORRIBLE car company and they have been for a long time. Their products have been 1-2 generations behind for as long as I can recall. Their good products? A low volume homologation car (Evo 1-6.5) that was nothing more than a go-fast platform. The 7-9 were closer to their street going car, and the X is still closer yet, because from the 7 on they didn't need to homologate to a race car. And therein lies the problem - the Evo 7-9 were based on horrible cars that were at least a full generation behind the other compacts. The X is arguably within a generation, but to justify a Lancer you need to embrace the weird quotient. The interior, NVH, ergo, etc are all way behind. The only selling point is styling and that's hit or miss.

Carping on VW/Audi for reliability? Comical. VW has had issues, but Mitsubishi are WAY down the list... you know, the bottom, save for some British marquees. If you disregard the Touareg/Q7 and the newest Beetle, VW/Audi look pretty good. Mercedes has been consistently above average for at least the last decade.

And since when is the Evo a reliable car?

Mitsubishi... they are what they are. They care enough to stay in the US market, but their R&D and products just aren't all that good. The current iteration of Lancer and Outlander show some promise, but making rally cars isn't in their DNA any more and the future of the Evo as a relatively cheap go-fast is probably at an end. I really don't know where Mitsubishi goes from where they are: developing the Evo as a flagship is expensive and probably money losing. Their only other products here are the upcoming Mirage (which looks horrible) and the i-Miev (a niche vehicle). Their Japanese lineup is heavy with compact vans/trucks, plus a few compact/midsize sedans.

It really would not surprise me to see Mitsubishi exit the US market in the next 5-10 years... meanwhile, AMG is doing quite well. So, yeah.

Bring on the A45 AMG!

 

Commenting on the emboldened text, I think it's hard to say without looking at what their engineers are planning for the XI. What I can say for sure is the Evolution XI is the last attempt at the segment. If they don't sell well then everyone currently alive on the planet will never see another evolution produced.

Toyota, Nissan and Honda have absolutely owned in the past 20 years and by the grace of god and tax payers GM/Ford/Chrysler have been able to survive, with Ford even posting great results last quarter and hot hatchbacks, which normally were foreign manufacturer dominated segments, are getting solid competition from domestic cars. Then there's the truck segment and SUV segment where the Grand Cherokee and F-150 have done great compared to the foreigners.

My main point here is this: Where is Mitsubishi in all of this?

Mercedes is making better "Evo" category cars with the A45 as an example (if you can stand the 'MR Touring' price level, it, on paper, is an excellent "Evo") and Ford, Jeep, Honda, Nissan, etc. are making better "Outlander" category cars and Chevrolet is making better "Lancer/Galant" category cars and so on. So Mitsu appears to be way, way behind the pack.

My secondary point is: What is Mitsubishi doing with all their cash and engineers?

I really don't know the answer to the second one.

 

I think the short answer is that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries views Mitsubishi NA / the North America market as an afterthought.