I was checking out Motor Trend's website and they have a list of the upcoming model changes from all manufacturers for the next few years. They mention here http://www.motortrend.com/future/index.html that the next generation Neon will be based on the Mitsu Lancer platform. Maybe then it will be a decent car.

 

hehe, might as well

they better keep those circular headlights though, if they change it, they'll lose the signature design that made Neons (in)famous?

 

You got a point. Those headlights are like a trademark.

 

Something else on that list that was interesting was that Subaru is going to bring a slightly de-tuned WRX-STi with 260HP to the US in like 2004 or 2005. The Lancer EVO will be here next Spring with 260HP. I guess Subaru wants to see how many of those Mitsu sells before comitting the car to this market.

 

if the next neon will share platform with the lancer:

Lancer Evolution (VIII?) --> Lancer --> Neon --> AWD Turbo Super Neon????

 

You never know....they are trying to make it a street beast with the new SRT.....That would be a logical progression. Especially if Ford comes out with an AWD Cosworth Focus.

 

I dunno - but I HATE the Lancer - I think it's the ugliest little car - at least the one that's selling now.

The one in the magazine pic (the black one with the projection headlight kit) is okay, but I think the styling of that car just plain sucks, no matter how it performs.

Oh - and Chrsylers have been Mitsus forever. That's an old parternship - my '88 Lebaron had a Mitsu turbo 4 cyl, and the old Laser was the same as the Eclipse back in the day. So a Mitsu-based Neon would come as no surprise.

~HH

 

Personally I don't like the new Lancer either. The new EVO is OK but the previous models are my favorites.

 

You know what's weird? I saw an STi here in the Bay Area. It was the typical subaru blue, had subaru in small print on the left side of the trunk (as opposed to S U B A R U all across), STI -- Subaru Technica International -- written in red on the side and the calipers were painted red. At the time, I didn't realize the STi model isn't supposed to be in the U.S., but I hadn't seen it before, so I went to look it up, but I couldn't find it anywhere and realized it isn't in North America. I don't remember it specifically being left-hand drive or anything, it was possible it was right-hand drive but I figure I would have remembered that.

 

i believe the lancer out now uses the dodge engine.
but i could be wrong, i heard it in passing

-Jason

 

Except for the 3.0 V6, your 88 Lebaron had a 100% Chrysler motor in it. It was the actual turbocharger that was made by Mitsubishi. Even on those cars if it was an intercooled model, it got a Garrett turbo instead.

The Dodge Stratus coupe and Chrysler Sebring coupe are Mitsubishi Eclipse's in disguise.

 

Did it have the trademark WRX foglights? The REAL STi has plastic covers over them. That's probably the most noteable difference, (along with the lack of a spoiler.) Not the covers the standard 2.5RS has, but these actually wrap around the sides of the bumper and feature the STi logo. SCC had one on the cover back in June...

 

Subura released (or is releasing before the end of 2002) The WRX S202. This beast has 320hp and Many STi upgrades, including Brembo brakes, a mega strong Viscous coupling and adjustableLSD's. Only 200-300 were being sent to North America, and they are all accounted for. I think it was only available in yellow, but not that cheddar yellow, a more exclusively ugly lemon yellow

 

Umm, no that's not true. The current Dodge Stratus coupe and Chrysler Sebring coupe are based on a Mitsu platform, and they use Mitsu engines.

Check it out, it even says on the Dodge website is uses Mitsu engines.

Daimler Chrylser in fact owns a 34 percent controlling stake in Mitsubishi, so product sharing will most likely increase.

 

i beleive the current lancer uses a mtsu engine, not a dodge engine...the hyundai elantra also shares the same engine