There was a time when so many of the world’s automakers cranked out awesome pieces of automotive treasure one after another. Remember when you could buy a Mitsubishi super sedan to go up against a super sedan from Subaru? Apparently, Mitsubishi remembers.
Yesterday’s Morning Dump included a story about Mitsubishi President Keisuke Kishiura’s love of cars. Rad Barchetta:
Models such as the Lancer Evolution, Diamante, and Galant are very important cars for Mitsubishi Motors, and we consider them treasures.
Makes sense, since they buried them.
The Bishop wrote about how Slate could offer more value for not much more money. I very much agree with V10omous here:
The best way they could have added a lot more value for not much money is with a stereo and power windows.
Goose:
Power windows are at least an available option. It just seems crazy to me to not axe the manual windows all together, save some P/N management and inventory issues, and go with power windows only. I’ve got to imagine the cost would be minimal to the company, if not even save money.
TK-421:
See, manual windows appeal to me.
V10omous:
Every single person for whom that’s true is either over the age of 80 or can be found in this comment section.
Matt also wrote about how the Toyota RAV4 sells so fast that Toyota made up a new metric to measure it. TheDrunkenWrench:
On a long enough timeline, every vehicle (that people want) becomes a Rav4, apparently.
I love how Stellantis is like “V8s in everything! It’s what the people want!” with 148 days of inventory, and Toyota goes “Get a hybrid or get fucked” and consumers are stabbing each other to get an allotment.
Finally, Jason wrote another 2CV update. Stephen Walter Gossin has such a sweet comment:
This is so fantastic. I didn’t own it long enough to put the top down (after installing the replacement top), so seeing it now makes me so happy.
This car just keeps on bringing smiles and not just to Jason and Otto.
Jason really is the perfect owner for this 2CV.
Canopysaurus:
Roll, roll, roll your roof,
Gently to the rear.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
It’s happy motoring from here.
Have a great day, everyone!
Top graphic image: Mitsubishi
On the rollup window debate, there has to be some merit to the costs of power windows. There are still a number of vehicles in europe that still offer manual windows on the rear at low-ends of the trim range, implying that it’s done to reach price targets (and not so much about convenience for the driver).
There is absolutely a market for crank windows. It’s easier when there’s only 2 windows as well.
However, is the market share in the US big enough vs. people just wanting power windows?
Chevy only really made the Canadian market bargain basement “$9995” Spark available in Quebec, cause they were the only demographic that would actually buy a base model stick shift. They simply didn’t sell elsewhere in the country.
Lowered cost doesn’t mean much if it doesn’t move units.