The Mysterious World of Mitsubishi

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A hooded figure is shown with a Mitsubishi logo for a face, after leaving a used car dealer near you.

The automotive world is full of surprises. Take, for example, the Phoenix-like rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise again of electric vehicles (maybe this time the idea will stick). Or recent revelations that some manufacturers, such as Jeep and Ram, have been placing “Easter Eggs” in our vehicles, leading drivers to crawl around their vehicles, looking for the hidden T-Rex or the secret game feature. But one amazing revelation amongst auto enthusiasts is more astounding than any of these predictions or secrets – experts recently did some research into the industry and discovered that Mitsubishi is still producing vehicles. Now, spotting a Mitsubishi at a used car dealer near you is hardly a phenomenon. There was a time when an estimated 6 out of 10 mid-level corporate drones chose a Mitsubishi as their daily driver, making it the most popular vehicle amongst drivers who self-identify as bored and unimaginative. “Make: Car. Model: Reddish,” pretty much summarizes the Mitsubishi experience of the early 2000s.

Now, if you fancy yourself an automotive aficionado, you might have a very different image of Mitsubishi. When you see the three diamonds, your mind probably goes towards tearing up the streets of Tokyo – just remember that when people are staring at your beat up old Lancer plastered with stickers and sporting a giant wing bolted to the trunk, they are merely wondering how you possibly passed your annual inspection.

But while we all had our backs turned, distracted by more popular manufacturers scrambling to reimagine the SUV over and over again, it turns out that Mitsubishi has actually continued building new vehicles. So, while you are excited, wondering what great innovations you have been missing from this storied Japanese company, let’s dive into the current Mitsubishi lineup. It is filled with diverse choices like the Outlander, the Outlander Sport, and the Outlander PHEV. If that’s not enough variety for you, then consider that it also has the Mirage and the Mirage G4. Okay, so maybe Mitsubishi needs to work on the whole name thing.

Not only is Mitsubishi still “a thing,” in popular vernacular, but the vehicles actually look pretty cool. Take the Mirage, for instance – all this micro hatchback needs to star in the latest Fast and Furious movie is a cool wrap and some lowering springs. It even has a slick five-speed manual transmission straight from the factory, so you know it’s a real sports car. Can’t you just imagine Dom stepping out of this cute little four-door after a race to talk smack to his opponents? Yeah, Mitsubishi still has all of its former glory.

But the surprises don’t stop. If you want a real Eclipse to make your street racing dreams come true and haven’t been having much luck finding one at your nearest used car dealer, you can still get one brand-new from your local Mitsubishi dealer – just ignore the “Cross” at the end of the name. We’re not sure why that’s there anyway. Just like the old models, the new Eclipse offers plenty of power from its standard turbocharged engine and confident handling thanks to its trade-marked All Wheel Control drive system. This beast is ready for the races and only needs a quick tune and some stickers to keep up with your friends during some “spirited” driving.

But these amazing vehicles are just the beginning of everything Mitsubishi has to offer. If you are looking for a fancy hybrid so you can show off to your neighbors that you are doing your part to save the environment by purchasing a new car, then Mitsubishi has something for you. The Outlander PHEV hit the market in 2013 – that actually makes it the oldest PHEV SUV on the market even though you never knew it existed before you read this article. Maybe Mitsubishi needs to get with the times and figure out what advertising is…

Anyways, even though the collective consciousness only recalls Mitsubishi vehicles from the late 1990s and the early 2000s, it appears they’ve been around for over 100 years, and with their current diverse and exciting lineup, we’re sure they’ll be around for 100 more – if they can just get anyone to remember that they do, in fact, exist.

Now, spotting a Mitsubishi at a used car dealer near you is hardly a phenomenon. There was a time when an estimated 6 out of 10 mid-level corporate drones chose a Mitsubishi as their daily driver, making it the most popular vehicle amongst drivers who self-identify as bored and unimaginative. “Make: Car. Model: Reddish,” pretty much summarizes the Mitsubishi experience of the early 2000s.

Now, if you fancy yourself an automotive aficionado, you might have a very different image of Mitsubishi. When you see the three diamonds, your mind probably goes towards tearing up the streets of Tokyo – just remember that when people are staring at your beat up old Lancer plastered with stickers and sporting a giant wing bolted to the trunk, they are merely wondering how you possibly passed your annual inspection.

But while we all had our backs turned, distracted by more popular manufacturers scrambling to reimagine the SUV over and over again, it turns out that Mitsubishi has actually continued building new vehicles. So, while you are excited, wondering what great innovations you have been missing from this storied Japanese company, let’s dive into the current Mitsubishi lineup. It is filled with diverse choices like the Outlander, the Outlander Sport, and the Outlander PHEV. If that’s not enough variety for you, then consider that it also has the Mirage and the Mirage G4. Okay, so maybe Mitsubishi needs to work on the whole name thing.

Not only is Mitsubishi still “a thing,” in popular vernacular, but the vehicles actually look pretty cool. Take the Mirage, for instance – all this micro hatchback needs to star in the latest Fast and Furious movie is a cool wrap and some lowering springs. It even has a slick five-speed manual transmission straight from the factory, so you know it’s a real sports car. Can’t you just imagine Dom stepping out of this cute little four-door after a race to talk smack to his opponents? Yeah, Mitsubishi still has all of its former glory.

But the surprises don’t stop. If you want a real Eclipse to make your street racing dreams come true and haven’t been having much luck finding one at your nearest used car dealer, you can still get one brand-new from your local Mitsubishi dealer – just ignore the “Cross” at the end of the name. We’re not sure why that’s there anyway. Just like the old models, the new Eclipse offers plenty of power from its standard turbocharged engine and confident handling thanks to its trade-marked All Wheel Control drive system. This beast is ready for the races and only needs a quick tune and some stickers to keep up with your friends during some “spirited” driving.

But these amazing vehicles are just the beginning of everything Mitsubishi has to offer. If you are looking for a fancy hybrid so you can show off to your neighbors that you are doing your part to save the environment by purchasing a new car, then Mitsubishi has something for you. The Outlander PHEV hit the market in 2013 – that actually makes it the oldest PHEV SUV on the market even though you never knew it existed before you read this article. Maybe Mitsubishi needs to get with the times and figure out what advertising is…

Anyways, even though the collective consciousness only recalls Mitsubishi vehicles from the late 1990s and the early 2000s, it appears they’ve been around for over 100 years, and with their current diverse and exciting lineup, we’re sure they’ll be around for 100 more – if they can just get anyone to remember that they do, in fact, exist.

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