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Mitsubishi readying Outlander refresh

Mitsubishi has a big secret to keep under wraps when it comes to the looks of its refreshed Outlander crossover. Our spy shooters recently caught it testing in Germany, and the CUV had enough buckles, straps and snaps covering up the front end for the vehicle to fit in at an S&M party for cars. The rear was hidden just as thoroughly, too.
Given the areas that Mitsubishi's engineers are obscuring, it seems safe to assume that the Outlander is getting a heavily revised front end with redesigns for the grille, front bumper and possibly hood. The lights might be reshaped too, judging from these photos. The changes are just as hard to spot at the rear, but you can make out the shape of the taillights. They appear more rectangular than the current model, and the bumper looks more angular, as well.
This is likely our first glimpse of the of the major restyle for the Outlander that Mitsubishi execs told Autoblog about in July. The interior is also getting an update to improve interior material quality, we were told. The revisions are supposed to coincide with the launch of the PHEV model in the US at roughly the same time.

Mitsubishi scores record global operating profits

In the minds of many auto enthusiasts, Mitsubishi has become an afterthought. It has transformed from a company known for its turbocharged, all-wheel-drive rally machines into an automaker with a very boring lineup. Maybe we are being unfair, though. While the company doesn't have much of a performance presence anymore, the Japanese brand is doing quite well financially.
According to Reuters, Mitsubishi Motors had an operating profit of 123.4 billion yen ($1.2 billion) worldwide for the fiscal year that ended in March. That's twice as much as last year and a new all-time record for the Japanese automaker. It's even paying dividends to investors for the first time in 16 years, and its expected profit of 135 billion yen ($1.3 billion) in the new fiscal year matches a goal it had set for itself to achieve two years from now.
The automaker currently focuses much of its efforts on Southeast Asia, which accounts for about a quarter of its sales. It will put even greater attention there in the coming years with more local production, according to Reuters.

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport gets modest styling, powertrain enhancements

Mitsubishi sales continue to show progress in 2014. In fact, sales were up 54.17 percent in the US in May compared to last year. In hopes of keeping those numbers in the black, the Japanese automaker is introducing some mechanical upgrades to the Outlander Sport, its best-selling model, for the 2015 model year.
The biggest change for the 2015 Outlander Sport is its improved CVT that offers better fuel economy. Front-wheel-drive models with the upgraded CVT get an estimated improvement of 1 mile per gallon across the board to 25 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined; all-wheel drive models get an estimated 1 mpg better on the highway and in the combined rating, bringing the numbers up to 24/30/27 mpg. Mitsubishi claims the new transmission is the equivalent of fitting the Outlander Sport with a seven-speed automatic. The five-speed manual is still also available on the front-wheel drive ES trim, rated at 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. All models also get electric power steering, and the company reports that the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is enhanced as well, but still makes the same 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque from last year.
The 2015 Outlander Sport also sees some very minor aesthetic improvements. The audio panel inside now has piano black and silver trim, and the SE trim comes with LED running lights. Also, the interior gets thicker glass in the side windows and more noise insulation for a quieter ride.