Mitsubishi Mirage European Version to Debut in Paris

Mitsubishi’s new focus towards green(er) vehicles will, of course, be seen at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, where the company will show its intentions in multiple ways, one of which will be the release of the European-spec Mirage.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is an A-segment vehicle that made its debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, but this is a global vehicle, so it will hit the European, Australian and other markets in February next year.

The Mirage, which might get a new designation on certain markets (it could, for example, be called Colt in the UK), is powered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder petrol unit that uses MIVEC variable distribution and a Start-Stop system to reduce CO2 emissions to 92 grams per km. The vehicle should get a few different details for the European market, but we’ll have to wait until later this month to see them.

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Mitsubishi ASX Facelift Revealed ahead of Paris

Ahead of the model’s European market debut at the Paris Motor Show 2012, Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi unveiled the 2013 ASX crossover, the facelifted version of crossover which has already gone on sale in North America and Japan.

The European ASX was fist shown more than two years ago, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. From summer 2012, production of the Outlander Sport (the US-market name for the same car) has begun in Normal, Illinois.

Looking at the single photo released by Mitsubishi Europe, we’d say the US and European versions are the same.

The facelift gives the ASX a new grille design and restyled bumper. The European engine lineup includes a 1.6-liter petrol and a 1.8-liter diesel, thus differing to the US and Asian lineup. It’s not yet clear what sort of performance or efficiency enhancements are going to be made.

However, for the US version, Mitsubishi chose to slightly improve efficiency while improving ride comfort and re-tuning the CVT.

autoevolution will be attending the Paris Motor Show 2012, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.

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2013 Ford F-150 Pricing Released

Ford has recently announced the pricing for the 2013 Model Year F-150, with the pickup getting a slight price increase over the model it replaces. However, the Blue Oval has not released the 2013 pricing for the special models, such as the SVT Raptor and the F-150 Limited.

The range starts at $24,665, with this including a $995 destination charge. The figure can also be translated into a $170 increase compared to that of the 2012 model. For the moment, the most expensive model is the F-150 FX4, which can be yours starting from $39,760.

For the 2013 model year, customer can choose from the following engines: a 3.7-liter V with 302 hp, a turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 Ecoboost unit producing 365 hp, a 5.0-liter V8 that places 360 hp under the drivers’s right foot, as well as a 6.2-liter V8 that churns out 411 hp. All powerplants use a six-speed automatic gearbox.

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Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Gets 305 HP 3.7-Liter V6

Police departments are being offered a new engine option when buying a Ford Taurus-based interceptor from Ford. It’s the same 3.7-liter V6 that’s already available with the Explorer-based Police Interceptor SUV.

This is the third engine available to the Taurus, sitting between the the 285 hp 3.5-liter V6 and the 365 EcoBoost turbo V6.

The new V6 engine is a twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) unit and comes with the promise of 25 mpg highway and 18 mpg city (EPA-rated).

"The horsepower and torque ratings are the highest of any naturally aspirated V6 engine offered for pursuit-rated sedans," Ford says.

“This combination of great performance and top-notch fuel economy means law enforcement agencies won’t have to compromise power or fuel efficiency while getting the job done,” said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.

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Ferrari 458 Italia Becomes All-Black via ADV.1 Wheels

US specialist Advance One Wheels wanted to stage an all-black play session with an Italian supercar, so it abducted a Ferrari 458 Italia and forced it to wear some of its shoes.

Now, ADV.1 Wheels wants to share the results with us and has published the adjacent image gallery on its website. A black example of the V8-powered Prancing Horse was fitted with ADV5.0TS wheels, which use a black finish (Captain Obvious reporting here).

The slim spokes allow us to take a good look at the generously-sized carbon-ceramic rotors and a strong element of contrast is brought by the grabbers, which are finished in yellow. The wheels are part of ADV.1’s Track Spec series, as their designation tells us, so serious weight reduction was also an aim here.

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Ferrari Driver Shot in the Testicles, Takes 458 into Emergency Room

When a yellow Ferrari 458 is driven straight into the emergency room, people will gather around to see what happened, but we don’t think anybody expects to see the driver covered in blood, which was also spilled on the car, due to the fact that he had been shot in the testicles.

This is exactly what happened last Sunday at the Cardarelli hospital in Italy, with a 31-year-old, Antonio Sarno, being the man we are talking about. He had been shot in his testicles and legs, which his female passenger had been shot in her foot.

According to the two, this was the result of a failed carjacking attempt, which started with the sitting a a traffic light at about 2AM and being surrounded by a group of armed motorcyclists, who demanded the keys to the car. Sarno didn’t want to let this happen so he tried to make a run for it, but this determined the robbers to use their weapons. One bullet broke the window of the V8 supercar, while the others reached the two people.

There are no public details about the driver’s condition, while his passenger should get out of the hospital in two weeks from now.

However, the two said that they couldn’t remember the street where the story took place, so the police took their story with a pretty big grain of salt - the yellow 458 was taken into custody for investigation.

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2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Updates

Toyota has announced the upgrades for the 2013 model year FJ Cruiser, with the vehicle receiving just a few changes. It all starts with the Trail Teams Special Edition, which gets a new two-tone exterior finish.

The Trail Teams Special Edition brings together the Off-Road Package with custom interior pieces. However, the standard color, Radiant Red, was ditched in favor of a new one, Cement Gray, while black is used for the door handles, bumpers and front grille,

The suspension uses special Bilstein dampers, a rear differential lock with Active Traction Control system, underbody protection elements, as well as 16-inch Toyota Racing Development (TRD) wheels with 265/75ZR16 All-Terrain BF Goodrich rubber.

The 2013 FJ Cruiser range now offers standard power mirrors and there’s a new exterior color, Magma Red. The FJ Cruiser keeps its 4.0-liter V6 that delivers 260 hp and can be ordered in four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive versions.

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