Autoblog

Mitsubishi has a plant in Normal, Illinois that's capable of churning out 240,000 vehicles per year, if the demand is there. Currently, the plant produces the Galant, Eclipse and Endeavor CUV, a model mix that doesn't even spur enough excitement to drive the plant to its 100,000 vehicle per year break even point. Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko would like to shuffle the models produced in Normal, focusing less on the Galant and producing more cars for global sale. For instance, vehicles like the Lancer or Outlander could be built in the Illinois plant instead of the Galant. Since those vehicles are offered worldwide, the hope is that building them in the U.S. for export to other markets would bump the plant's volume past 100,000 vehicles per year on the strength of demand elsewhere. Mitsubishi has only been able to sell 80,000 vehicles in the U.S. this year, and Masuko wants more small cars to meet growing consumer desire for fuel sippers. One thing seems certain is that the Normal plant won't be idled, having just been given a four-year extension with a UAW labor deal.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Mitsubishi's new trapezoidal grille design is spreading throughout the lineup, and the Outlander looks to be the next vehicle that gets struck with the corporate underbite. At least now the Lancer won't be the only Mitsu wearing a grille cribbed from the '57 Chrysler 300. The new front fascia will include angry-eye headlamps and appears to be the only external change to the Outlander during its mid-cycle freshening. A gaggle of engineers were rumored to be fussing over the cars that spy photogs snagged in the Western US desert, which may mean powertrain changes. Can we cast our vote for an Evo powertrain under the new sheetmetal?

[Source: World Car Fans]

Larger and more powerful than the model it replaces, Mitsubishi has aimed its Outlander at bigger game. Where last year's model had Subaru dead in its sights, the 2007 model is taking on Toyota's RAV-4 and Honda's CR-V.

So what makes the Outlander shoppable against those two best-sellers? They're about equal on options and pricing, but the Toyota is less fun even with its V6 option, and the four-cylinder Honda doesn't even offer a third row seat, no matter how useless those extra seats are in these smallish CUVs.

The Outlander's looks have moved away from the "toughwagon" genre dominated by the aforementioned Subies towards the sporty mini-ute segment. Its side windows are tall, but the rear-leaning back window adds a look of speed. The standard roof rack, while practical, also improves the Outlander's looks with a bit of shine on top. A roof spoiler and 18" wheels help accentuate the car's sporty intentions.

Click for hires photo gallery

We brought you the Citroën version earlier, and aside from the new face, this ride's essentially identical. Say hello to the Peugeot 4007, which will make its debut in Geneva with its sibling, the Citroën C-Crosser. Like we said, the two are interchangeable, so that means each gets everything their source vehicle, the Mitsubishi Outlander, offers. Like the Citroën, the new Pug is powered by a 2.2L HDi diesel putting forth 160 hp (156 hp EEC).

Unlike the Citroen, the Peugeot is saddled with a face only a mother could love. The giant mouthlike grille with its pronounced vertical elements looks like it'd be more appropriate on a plankton-slurping baleen whale than an SUV. Also, note the added grillework behind the little hood-mounted lion badge. Suffice to say that we're generally unmoved by the styling up front. You can check it (and the rest of the car) out in detail via the attached gallery.

An interesting aside on the name: The "00" names are reserved for Peugeot vehicles that are different and/or original, and outside the standard model range. The only other Peugeot that falls into this category is the nifty, sliding-doored 1007 city car.

[Source: Peugeot]

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• Attack of the Clones: New Citroën C-Crosser photos, info

Mitsubishi Motors North America will give the U.S. market its first glimpse of the all-new 2007 Outlander "crossover SUV" at the New York International Auto Show.

The new Outlander lineup features the debut of the new 3-liter MIVEC V6 and a host of technology-oriented features befitting its "crossover" orientation. Read the official press release after the jump.