The core model within the Shogun family is available in two sizes – long and additional long – and is obtainable in some thirteen variations; contained in these are a few interesting transmission options, notably a clutchless manual which makes light work of shifting down and up the five ratios.

Permanent four wheel drive make sure that this latest generation continues the go-anywhere trustworthiness of earlier Shoguns, along with a newly-developed active suspension system creates surprisingly good on-road handling and stability.

The LWB Elegance model comes packed with extras including navigation along with a CD auto-changer.

Designed specifically for the European market – allegedly in the behest of DaimlerChrysler – Outlander may be the vanguard of a new selection of sports utilities planned within the next couple of years.

Targeted at the Nissan X-Trail and Suzuki Grand Vitara end of the market the Mitsubishi Outlander is really a solid, well-made machine.

Developed in the Airtrek already for sale in Japan, but restyled for Europe in California. The vehicle is offered with just one engine, the 2.4 litre petrol.

Interestingly this isn’t a Shogun-based machine, but rather is built on the development of the Evo chassis. This explains why handling is preferable to might be expected.

Usually known through the simple tag of Evo, this can be a car by having an enormous following, specifically in the younger sector of the marketplace for high performance cars.

The vehicle is less radical in execution than its earlier incarnation (which appeared as if it has ram-raided an area speed shop) and underneath the still-bold body styling is really a surprisingly compliant car.

Four wheel drive, a 260PS engine that may be tuned to create double that power, and handling that’s instantly responsive make to have an exhilarating experience for the driver.

Passengers might complain in the hard ride – but only when they can gather sufficient breath to talk. The debates about that is best – this or even the Subaru Impreza – will go on for a long time to come.

Developed from the show car displayed in 2001, Grandis is really a futuristically-styled take on the multipurpose vehicle. 5 door, seven seater machine continues to be newly developed make up the ground up, and also the launch model emerges with only one engine a 2.4i four driving out with the front wheels; a diesel 2.0 turbo unit arrives in 2005.

The styling is radical, with a lot of curves (not every one of which are within the right places, when the views of some critics should be heeded) and also the original way of thinking continues within the car, with a pleasing variety of curves ahead of the front row audience.

Mitsubishi did hard to combine low interior noise, a great ride, and enjoyable driving behaviour. There’s rumoured to become a four wheel drive version not far off, using the intelligent system found beneath Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution.

Developed for the American market (but bought from other countries including Japan) Eclipse emerges as whether coupe or a convertible. Power develops from a range of engines beginning with a 2.4 four cylinder and topping out having a 3.0 litre V6 turbo.

In most case the transmission is really a four speed auto. Quality of ride is good, but this trades off sharpness of handling – this really is acceptable in the united states, but European drivers will be dissatisfied.

Slightly over-fussy styling ads towards the sense this is not a genuine replacement for the old 3000GT which was so popular everywhere it had been sold or even the now departed FTO, that was another globally-popular car from Mitsubishi.

When there was a mis-named car, this really is it; when it comes to charisma it’s in the same league being an empty cornflakes packet.

However the machine provides unexciting, functional and reliable transport within the fiercely-fought mid-sized sedan sector of the market.

It seats four in reasonable comfort, and it is available with a good range of petrol or perhaps a single diesel engines. Its savior is that it’s very good value, both to purchase and run – merely a relatively high insurance risk (the price of spares being responsible) jars from the otherwise efficient, but dull, package.

Mitsubishi never seemed capable of getting the saloon car sector of the range right; perhaps total withdrawal from that sector, focusing on small cars and SUVs instead, may help ease the corporation’s financial woes?

Mitsubishi’s contender within the all-important city car class is all-new for 2004. Colt was previously a size bigger, but Mitsubishi has decided how the time is right to maneuver down to the so-called B segment.

This at any given time when all other B-Class cars appear to be getting bigger. Colt is really a cleanly-styled car provided with three petrol (1.1, 1.3 or 1.6) and one diesel (1.5) engines, and for the very first time the option of a six speed automatic sequential transmission.

A higher level of standard equipment along with a suspension system that’s been specifically tailored for the European market must ensure that the brand new Colt is warmly received.

Mitsubishi is definitely an embattled brand, apparently being battered from every side. There are intends to close one of the Japanese manufacturing plants inside a cost-saving exercise.

A current withdrawal of funding by DaimlerChrysler might yet prove fatal, and also the management may also be pilloried for allegedly covering up a defect recall programme, which in turn has already established an immediate and negative impact on the brand’s domestic sales.

Part of the reason behind Mitsubishi’s financial woes are considered rooted within an over-ambitious model development programme; there appear to be in excess of hundreds of variants of Shogun, its sports utility vehicle, which means that the company is competing strongly against itself.

The one bright light coming comes from ever-stronger sales in the united kingdom and in Australia. But will that be sufficient in order to save the marque?

Mercury’s first compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) isn’t particularly compact by European standards, but to Americans accustomed to truck-sized SUVs it is small.

Offered with whether 2.3 litre four or perhaps a 3.0 litre V6, with an intelligent four wheel drive traction system, the Mariner is made for weekending in the lakes or even the Hamptons.

Mercury Mariner is not especially fast and come balancing on stilts, however the result of this compromise is predictable handling on the highway with perfectly adequate performance on dirt tracks and across fields. Consistent with its appearance the inside design is quiet and understated, a thing that previous didn’t come easily executed in American SUVs.

Another case of recycling for emerging markets, Sable was produced with the eighties and nineties in the united states, and then production was transferred south to Mexico, to supply an executive-sized car for your market.

A considerable car powered with a six cylinder engine, with soft-action automatic transmission with a suspension system geared more to comfort rather than precision of cornering, Sable supplies a lot of car for any modest amount of cash.

Comfort and convenience for the occupants reaches the top of the agenda, just above the reliability and easy maintenance that originates from using a proven package of parts.

To British drivers the model name Montego reprsents the worst of the British Leyland dog days. To Mercury buyers it’s something else entirely – a brand new family of sedans and crossover vehicles (overtly sporting estates than don’t quite squeeze into the old American ethos of station wagons) which are blessed with clean, uncluttered looks – though still using the familiar vertical louvre grille – covering an essentially good mechanical package.

All wheel drive is really a first for Mercury which appears to be moving into competition with Audi and Volvo were built with a hand in the design of the car, which implies better than expected handling and gratifaction. The beginning of an excellent new adventure for Mercury.

Time was when Mercury provided buyers with up-scaled variants of Ford models. Then for some time it became a budget-priced performance brand in the Ford stable.

The Cougar, for example, was a not-altogether successful reinterpretation of the notch-back or convertible Mustang coupe. These days it’s more concerned with being simply another strand of the Ford empire providing uninspiring cars to mainstream-minded drivers.

Using tried-and-tested parts to construct solid, reliable cars has paid dividends for Ford: the marque is really a consistent high scorer in owner satisfaction surveys.

A move from the marque’s original home of Dearborn to Irving, California, is just just starting to have an effect on the products offered; this means more chrome compared to equivalent Ford product, although not as much as its stablemate high-end brand Lincoln.