Road and Track "The Lightest Car in America Will Shock You" by Fred Smith 06.21.21

[Tuques]

Road and Track published an article "The Lightest Car in America Will Shock You" by Fred Smith dated June 21, 2021. Good to see the remarkable light weight design get a bit of respect.

link

[davidricardo86]

"no tangible connection to auto racing, and no grand history of performance to build on"

I disagree. Mitsubishi has a long history of auto racing and performance. The Mirage has fuel economy and reliability performance, not racing of course. What it was designed to do, it does it very well.

Otherwise it speaks positive about the Mirage.

[dspace9]

This post reminded me to write a letter to the editor of R&T. I'm an ex-subscriber to the magazine. So I just did my letter to the editor finally. Letter has been stewing in the typerwriter for a few months now.

I was annoyed because they changed the subscription terms, cancelled my yearly subscription without notice, and didn't even ask me to renew on their terms.

I made sure to mention how Mitsubishi Mirages are so great.

[george]

"no tangible connection to auto racing, and no grand history of performance to build on"

I disagree. Mitsubishi has a long history of auto racing and performance. The Mirage has fuel economy and reliability performance, not racing of course. What it was designed to do, it does it very well.

Otherwise it speaks positive about the Mirage.

+1 on this one, especially in rallying. The Pajero was awesome in Dakar. Miss those times.

I don't get reviewers at all. As I've mentioned in my introduction post - a Dacia Sandero base model costs more than the almost fully equipped Mitsubishi Mirage (Space Star) here. And, maybe not on par with "premiumship", but it goes hand to hand with the interior functions of an Audi A4 I recently had the chance to drive in.

The Mirage has a Touchscreen? Check. The Audi? Naah, a premium option. Android Auto, Apple Car Play? A premium option. Mirage? Free. Audi A4 cost? 40.000 euros. Mirage? Some 11.000 euros.

I get that you can get a more premium feel, but with the depreciation and amortization, especially on premium cars - I don't get why people bash on "economy" cars that have infotainment, heated seats, automatic headlights and wipers, an excellent fuel economy.

[dspace9]

Many critics have been panning the Mirage for years. Worse in the USA and to an extent less so in Canada.

But R&T pointed out one thing I agree with. The Mirage being a "radical" car in the American car market-place today. We don't have A1's and Citreon's or Dacia's at all here, unfortunately. So a new Mirage is a rare species of mouse, on the freeways of big CUVs and trucks in the States.

they have a point there. But that's as it. Many a journalist has missed it for years with Mirages. A car which is best-served with no AC, hatchback, and manual tranny. In my books

[BecauseRaceCar]

My 2015 DE weighed in at exactly 2040lbs empty save for the stereo modifications. I will be sure to upload those once I wrap the sub panel on the hatch. Now I don't feel bad about the weight I've added to improve the overall mirage experience.