Autoblog

The donut is one of the more worthless automotive exercises on the planet, but for some reason doing them gives us undeniable joy. One gentleman in the UK has perfected the donut to the point that of world record status. Russ Swift is already famous for automotive feats like the fastest-ever J-turn and the Guinness record for tightest parallel park. Now Swift has added the fastest time to complete ten donuts. Hit the jump to view Swift complete ten 360-degree turns in an Evo over a mere 16.07 seconds. As an added bonus, the folks at Guinness also added video of Mr. Swift's other record-setting automotive feats, which may be cooler than the donut record itself.

[Source: Zercustoms]

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]

It was only a matter of time before Mitsubishi's British engineers tired of relentlessly beating the FQ300 and FQ360 versions of their homegrown Evos. So it's no surprise that after a 400-hp version of the Evo X successfully campaigned in the Britcar Championship, Mitsubishi finally gave the go-ahead to its crack team of in-house tweakers to produce a road going version for public consumption. The FQ400 is on its way.

If the Mitsu team holds true to the original ADR Motorsport-developed Evo, expect a new turbocharger, exhaust manifold and fuel system, along with a reworked ECU to make use of the extra boost and petrol. Naturally, output will be related to the FQ400's name, with 400hp being delivered to all four wheels through a manual gearbox. A top speed of 170 mph and a 0-60 time of around 3.5 seconds shouldn't be too hard to achieve, and with a reworked suspension, upgraded brakes and some aerodynamic enhancements, Lambo owners should think twice before cutting the FQ400 off at their first track day at Silverstone. Pricing hasn't been released yet, but expect the Mitsubishi Evolution X FQ400 to crest the £45,000 mark when it goes on sale next year in the UK.


[Source: AutoExpress]

Toyo has tapped a handful of tuners to produce six SEMA creations to highlight its range of track-ready and dirt-friendly tires. Unfortunately, we've already seen the 800 hp, Bentley Continental-based Tetsu GTR, but joining that rolling abomination to tasteless consumption are a handful of rides that better represent what SEMA is all about.

To begin with, Bulletproof Automotive is trotting out a customer-owned Nissan GT-R, wearing limited edition (and GT-R specific) BBS LM-DBK-P wheels wrapped in Toyo's 20-inch Proxes R888 tires. An Amuse Super Tough Titanium exhaust, Endless monoblock six-piston front and rear brakes and a smattering of carbon fiber aerodynamic parts round out this track- and show-friendly package.

Vivid Racing will be joined by several other firms bringing tuned Mitsubishi Evolution Xs to the show, but Vivid should stand out with its Porsche GT3 RS paint job, 18x10-inch AME Tracer 02 wheels and 650 hp on tap. We'll be on hand in a few weeks to find out how Vivid went about freeing those extra 350 ponies.

Additionally, an unnamed sixth vehicle will be accompanied by a 2009 Toyota Tundra CrewMax SR5 built by Two Brothers Custom Trucks, along with Choppin' Block Custom Fab's four-door 1931 Studebaker Model 54, riding on a custom air suspension, Centerline Smoothie wheels and powered by a Chevy 350 fed by a trio of two-barrel carburetors.

Hit the jump for all the details and stay tuned for our SEMA coverage beginning the first week of November.

Click above for high-res gallery of Lancer Sportback Ralliart

Rounding out the Mitsubishi Lancer line this year is the new Lancer Sportback, also in extra spicy Ralliart flavor. It's everything you love about the Lancer plus the space, versatility and convenience of a wagon – the first time since the '80s you'll be able to have your cake and haul it, too. If it weren't for the spoiler, which is aptly called the "rear wing", and the subwoofer in the trunk, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was just another cool little wagon. But thanks to the Lancer Ralliart's turbocharged 2.0L MIVEC engine producing 237 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque and Twin-Clutch SST transmission, you'll soon be able to get those groceries with gusto. And it's the only wagon we know of with an access hatch to the central differential. All the details can be found in Mitsubishi's official press release after the jump, and live shots of the Lancer Sportback and Sportback Ralliart can be viewed in our high-res gallery below.

Even for utilitarian transport, the Colt is a fine looking vehicle – Mitsu's new grille is a one-size-fits-all beautifier, and there are some nice details around the car. The dip in the headlights isn't original, but it's executed with a flavor of its own. Inside it's plastic city and several bolts of cloth, but again, while there's nothing exactly special about it, there's nothing that would make you go "Ugh." The Colt Ralliart edition (above), however, is a treat. The details outside don't change much save for a wheel finish and a larger tailpipe, but the massively bolstered leather seats completely remake the interior. Check out the press release on the new Colts after the jump, and the galleries below: one of live shots, the other a massive folder of press shots that even includes some vintage Colt rally action.

The LA Auto Show is once again hosting its annual Design Challenge in which automakers are asked to let their minds wander and think freely about what future vehicles might actually be like. Last year's theme was green, but this year designers are being asked to imagine what motorsports will be like in 2025.

Mitsubishi's answer will be the MMR25 Rally Racer, a way out there concept that draws upon the automaker's long lineage of successful rally racing to create a sand crawler like we've never seen before. We've only got a sneak peek for now, so there's no telling what exotic or outright fictional engine powers the MMR25, but expect it to be just as crazy as those multidirectional wheels.


[Source: Mitsubishi]

Mitsubishi told us way back in June that it would debut the five-door Lancer Sportback and Sportback Ralliart at the Paris Motor Show in October. They were close, as images of the two models have surfaced on the web today just a week before the big show in Paris. The new Sportback model adds all the versatility of Subaru's similarly shaped 5-door Impreza models, which should be a big hit in Europe where they'll go on sale first. The base Lancer Sportback models will come with your choice of a 1.5L or 1.8L four-cylinder or 2.0L turbodiesel, and the Sportback Ralliart that serves up a side of practicality with your main course of performance, will be powered by a 2.0L MIVEC turbocharged four-cylinder making 237 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque. It will also come with Mitsubishi's new Twin-Clutch SST transmission, an Active Center Differential and all the go-fast goodies found on the sedan version. The Lancer Sportback should hit European showrooms this fall, and we're cautiously certain it will end on sale in the U.S. as well where Suburu already offers the Impreza in both sedan and five-door hatchback versions.



[Source: NetCarShow]

Our hunch that Mitsubishi would bring a redesigned Colt to the Paris Motor Show after it released a teaser earlier this week has been confirmed when the automaker inadvertently (?) posted a banner ad of the new sub-compact on its webpage.

The new Colt benefits from the familial angry-eye headlamps and trapezoidal grille, although both elements have been toned down to better suit the Colt's smaller proportions. The compact cruiser is available in both three- and five-door body styles, with an upright backside that should maximize cargo space. A range of miserly mills power the current Colt, ranging from 1.1- to 1.5-liters, along with a 1.5-liter DI-D diesel. We expect some of these engines to carry over to the new model, and a cabrio version is probably right around the corner.

If Mitsubishi wants to do battle with the Yaris, Fit, Versa and... ahem... Aveo/G3, we might see the Colt come Stateside. But we're not quite ready to hold our breath.


[Source: es.autoblog.com]

This weekend, Mitsubishi will return to the circuit with a race-prepped Evolution X competing in the 24-hour Britcar Championship and piloted by former BTCC ace James Kaye, along with two other unnamed drivers. The Evo has been given its competition work-over with the help of ADR Motorsport, the same firm that currently campaigns two works Mitsubishis in the British Rally Championship. A number of undisclosed tweaks have pumped up the 4B11T/C, delivering around 400 hp to the Evo's all-wheel-drive system.

If the ADR Evo meets expectations, Mitsubishi would consider making a dedicated Evo X series. According to Paul Brigden, General Manager for Ralliart, "Mitsubishi UK has not been involved with circuit racing for many years, so this new initiative is a great opportunity for us."

Racing will get underway on Saturday, and Kaye plans to compete in the full 2009 Britcar Championship, along with a handful of other endurance races throughout the year. Press release after the jump.