Time for a roundup of auto news items and industry updates that have come my way lately.
Mitsubishi Mirage rates well
Mitsubishi wants us to know that their Mirage econo-box has recently received three “best of” awards in Canada for pre-owned cars from Vincentric, a Canadian research firm that gathers data on car automobile ownership and operating costs, among other things.
According to Mitsubishi, the Mirage offers the best value in the passenger car, hatchback subcompact and subcompact segments of the used market.
These awards are based on cost of ownership and current market value of the car over a five-year ownership.
New Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross coming
Mitsubishi also wants us to be aware of the new Eclipse Cross, a compact crossover SUV that “fuses a coupe-like style with SUV capabilities.”
Among other things, it features plug-in hybrid drivetrain technology and will debut early in the new year.
Ford offers new hybrid powertrain
Ford just released a bit of info on its 3.5-litre Powerboost hybrid powertrain.
“It is the only full hybrid powertrain available in a pickup,” Ford says.
Developing some 430 horsepower and 570 foot-pounds of torque, the Powerboost will be available in the 2021 model year F-150 lineup and utilizes a lithium-ion battery pack.
Ford apparently conducted extensive testing of this powertrain in the Mojave desert in Arizona, among other places. The new 2021 F-150 hits the market right about now.
Ford quarterly sales strong
Still with Ford, the company recently announced its quarterly sales numbers and they are good: sales are up some 8.5 per cent, with the F-150 accounting for the biggest increase.
The new 2021 Bronco
Ford also says that sales for its Lincoln division are the best they’ve been in 40 years, with the Aviator luxury SUV being the star of the show.
Ford has sold a total of 84,062 units thus far in 2020 in Canada, with the vast majority of these being trucks of one type of another.
And if you decide to visit a Ford dealership, you may be interested in the Sasquatch Package in the new 2021 Bronco. It will feature a seven-speed manual transmission.
Nissan offers emergency response electric option
Nissan has a new emergency response vehicle concept ready to go, based on the all-electric Leaf.
It features weatherproof plug sockets to power various devices needed for victims during the recovery process.
It can also function as a temporary portable power source to supply homes and businesses with electricity during non-emergency situations, says Nissan. Some of the devices it can temporarily power include an electric jackhammer, pressure ventilation fans, intensive car medical ventilation, 100-watt floodlights and my favourite: a 10-litre soup kettle.
At this point, the environmentally correct Leaf emergency response vehicle is only being contemplated for use in France.
Rogue leads Nissan sales
Nissan has also just released its annual sales numbers.
A total of 29,790 Nissan vehicles have been sold in Canada so far this year, with the Tennessee-built Rogue SUV boasting the best sales performance – 8,550. The diminutive Kicks crossover is second.
New Acura MDX prototype
Acura, Honda’s upscale division, is debuting a new MDX this week. The fourth-generation of the upscale SUV will “usher in new levels of Acura design, performance, technology and craftsmanship.”
Honda also wants to point out that the MDX was the first three-row SUV ever built on a unibody platform, and over 100,000 of them have been sold over the past two decades.
Limited edition Honda Civic Type R
Limited edition Honda Civic Type R
Honda has also released a new limited edition Civic Type R.
The 300-plus horsepower hot rod of the Honda lineup will now be offered with special Phoenix Yellow paint, limited edition BBS forged alloy wheels, badging, a specially tuned chassis and reduced weight.
It will have a starting price of $54,600.
Ted Laturnus writes for Troy Media’s Driver Seat Associate website. An automotive journalist since 1976, he has been named Canadian Automotive Journalist of the Year twice and is past-president of the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).
The views, opinions and positions expressed by columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of our publication.
