Mitsubishi is trying to reinvent itself with its SUV debut on Amazon

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Mitsubishi’s email invitation for the Outlander debut included a photo of an oversized Amazon shipping box standing in a driveway. The carmaker has not announced any other plans to partner with Amazon to market the Outlander or any of its other models.

As part of a larger effort to refresh its line-up, Mitsubishi introduced a completely new version, one of the most popular models in the US. Slightly larger than before, the new Outlander features new grille, headlamp and taillight designs that emphasize the SUV’s extra width.

With traditional auto shows and other live events canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, car manufacturers are looking for ways to impress when they unveil their latest products. Several car manufacturers, including Ford F., have introduced cars to Facebook. Honda HMC unveiled the redesigned Civic on Twitch, a social media platform for gamers.

Mitsubishi once had a strong brand identity based on performance and an enthusiast base, but that was a long time ago, said Akshay Anand, an auto industry analyst at Kelley Blue Book.

“The 2021 Mitsubishi is not the 1995 Mitsubishi when they were a little more behind the brand,” said Anand.

Collaborating with Amazon, he said, could help pay attention to a major brand disclosure.

Mitsubishi spokesman Jeremy Barnes pointed to the new Outlander and other updated and improved models as proof that the brand is on the reverse.

“We will have one of the most updated showroom setups in the entire industry in the coming months,” he said.

Mitsubishi has been part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance since 2016, a group in which each of the three car manufacturers has a share in others. The companies work together to develop new models. The Outlander 2022 is the first Mitsubishi model designed and developed in collaboration with the alliance.

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is offered with an optional two-tone interior.

The new SUV, which has three rows of seats, is wider and more spacious than the current Outlander SUV. Interior trim options include two-tone leather treatments and diamond-stitched leather patterns. The Outlander has a 2.5-liter petrol engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission designed to operate as an eight-speed transmission under certain conditions.

The Outlander will be available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions.

The new SUV will also feature a range of driver assistance systems, including Active Lane Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, which allows speed limit signs to be read and displayed in the vehicle, and Trailer Stability Assist, which keeps the vehicle under control while towing. a trailer.

The 2022 Outlander will go on sale in April, with prices starting at around $ 26,000.

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