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Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. stated on Tuesday its U.S. auto sales increased in June on stronger demand for its cars and sport utility vehicles. They said its overall sales rose by 30.1% to 13,014 vehicles from 10,004 in last year’s June. Adjusted for one more selling day in this year’s June, sales rose 25.3%.

Mitsubishi said its car sales grew 18.9% to 8,384 units on stronger demand for its Lancer and Galant models. SUV sales more than doubled to 4,338 units due to stronger demand for the Outlander, making a 67.2% sales drop for its Raider truck line to 292.

Overall this year sales have grown 20.6% to 70,357 vehicles. Adjusted for two more selling days in this year’s first half, sales have grown 19%.

Cars.com, in conjunction with DriversEd.com, America’s leading drivers education resource and solution, have identified the 10 most common mistakes teen drivers make, and identified their choices for the best new cars for teenage drivers.

“There are a number of factors that lead to an increase in accidents for teen drivers, including inexperience, dealing with emergency situations, distracted driving and the inclination to show off for friends,” said DriversEd.com founder Gary Tsifrin. “By recognizing these common mistakes, we hope that teenagers will be able to avoid the risks associated with being a teenager behind the wheel.”

The most common mistakes are:
Being distracted behind the wheel: Cell phones, CDs, food and even text messages can pose serious distractions to drivers. In some cases, drivers will even text message their backseat passengers. Distracted driving contributes to 80 percent of collisions.

Taking too many risks: Actions like ignoring traffic signals or school zone signs and changing lanes without checking blind spots are all considered “risky behavior.” The difference between risky behavior and distracted driving is that risky behavior is deliberate, while distracted driving is often the result of ignorance.

Speeding: Most drivers occasionally speed, but teens do so because they don’t have a good sense of how a car’s speed can affect their response time. On average, teens drive faster than all other drivers as a whole. They will exceed speeds on residential roads that they interpret as empty because they haven’t had any close calls there. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that speeding factored into roughly one-third of all fatal crashes in 2005 when teenagers were behind the wheel — some 50 percent more than it did in fatal crashes for 20- to 49-year-olds.

Overcrowding the car: Teens frequently overcrowd their cars, cramming five or six into a cabin meant to seat four or five. Worse yet, the extra passengers often result in teens driving more aggressively. The distractions of carrying too many passengers can have serious consequences as well.

Driving under the influence: When teens drink and drive, they’re even less likely to practice safe habits like seat belt usage: Of the 15- to 20-year- olds killed after drinking and driving in 2003, 74 percent were unrestrained, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Because teenagers are too young to drink legally, they’re also less likely to call their parents to come get them when they shouldn’t drive.

Following too closely: Maintaining a proper following distance is a critical step in preventing accidents. At 60 mph, a typical car needs between 120 and 140 feet to reach a full stop. Most SUVs require an extra 5 to 10 feet on top of that. Consider that 60 mph translates to 88 feet per second and it’s easy to see why maintaining a proper following distance is a critical step in preventing accidents.

Driving unbuckled: A 2003 survey by NHTSA reported that 79 percent of drivers ages 16 to 24 said they wore their seat belts regularly, while 84 percent of the overall population did so. Approximately 21 percent of young drivers do not wear their seat belts regularly. Many young drivers have a sense of invincibility that also factors into teen speeding. Fortunately, many cars today have seat belt reminders that flash warning lights or chime until belts are secured. Call them annoying, but they help keep occupants buckled.

Not being able to handle emergencies: Knowing how to avoid an accident comes with driving experience. Young drivers can only learn so much in the classroom, which leaves learning maneuvers like straightening out a skid or how to apply the brakes correctly to real-world experience. Speeding and distracted driving only make things worse, as they compound the lack of experience by putting drivers at higher risk of encountering an emergency situation in the first place.

Driving drowsy: Drowsy driving affects an unlikely group: the so-called “good kids.” That means straight-A students or those with a full plate of extracurricular activities. Overachievers have a lot of pressure. If they’re playing varsity sports and are also preparing for an AP English exam, and if they’ve been going since 7 a.m. and now it’s midnight and they have to get home, they don’t think, “I’m too tired to drive.”

Choosing the wrong car and not maintaining it: Too often, a combination of tight budgets and high style leads teens to pass up important safety features for larger engines and flashy accessories. A teen or novice driver will opt for a cool-looking sports car rather than a car that’s really a safer choice. Then, if they sink all their money into it, they might be remiss in maintaining it.

Cars.com has several new-car recommendations for teen drivers based on a variety of criteria, including safety, price and size. “We kept in mind that many parents are more concerned about safety, while their child is looking for style,” said Cars.com managing editor Patrick Olsen. “This list offers new-car choices in various body styles and a wide range of prices likely to meet the needs of parents and teens.”

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/18/052314.html

By Bob Gordon
The Auto Channel

As I approached my latest test car; a 2007 Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart, I started humming the Frankie Avalon 1959 song hit “Bobby Sox to Stockings”…which some of you original Rock and Rollers might remember (although it’s getting harder and harder for this vintage R and R pioneer to remember stuff) is a song that describes when a girl goes from wearing Bobby Sox to Stockings and she starts trading her baby toys for boys, she’s old enough to give her heart away…well this song popped into my head because I must have missed the transformation of the Mitsubishi Galant from an also ran compact into a competitive sports sedan. As I opened the trunk to stow my luggage, its transformation was even more evident in the more than competitive large spacious trunk. Although the placement of the CD carousal unit mounted at the top front center of the trunk eliminated some of the wide open spaces.

As I opened he driver’s door and entered the car I noticed the really cool fit and finish… from what looked like a composite dashboard that surrounded white faced instruments, which were generously sized and allowed even an old rocker to easily see …to its eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with controlled lumbar support, a great feeling sport-wrapped leather steering wheel which included audio controls, its leather seating surfaces, baseball-stitched leather shift knob aluminum pedals, and heated front seats…all made me smile…

Caterpillars to Butterfly’s; Ugly Duckling to Prom Queen; ….well you get the idea, the Galant has become a competitor in the crowded and popular family sedan segment…maybe not a slam dunk but worthy of consideration and as I always preach…DRIVE IT before making any purchase decision.

And DRIVE IT you can…the Ralliart model with its 3.8-liter, 258-horsepower MIVEC V6 under the hood, a five-speed Sportronic® transmission that offers adaptive shift control and clutchless manual shift mode (very handy coming down hills); anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), tire pressure monitoring system and P235/45R18 94V tires, gave me everything I asked it to do.

Oh yeah, I was so busy waxing poetic that I clean forgot (see I told you so) that my driving would take place in Colorado. Driving as they say “up the hill” to Vail…during my week with the Galant I never felt that I needed any more power to do what I need to do…and I averaged 27 MPG for the trip…not bad for a lead-footed up and down the mountains kind of guy. I must admit that although the manufacturer recommends premium grade fuel I cheated and pumped in regular, and noticed no difference in power or response…because it was summer I never had the chance to see how well it would perform in the normal snow and ice of the mountains.

One of my pet peeves is with car makers that offer a nav system that is so complicated and so non-intuitive that it never gets used …well the Navigation Package in the Ralliart was easy to operate and easy to understand…and was fun to use. The installed Mitsubishi multi-communication system with DVD-based navigation is a full-map type with seven-inch color touch-screen panel that acts as your choice of an in car concierge or tour guide…or just silent map librarian.

So if you are looking for a new sedan, make sure that the made in Illinois USA Mitsubishi Galant Ralliart is written down in ink on your short list…and remember don’t buy without a thorough test drive of many hours… a new car is like a new couch… it has to do more than just look good…make sure that it fits your lifestyle and your seat.

IRVINE, Calif., June 21 — Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/) and Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research today announce the results of the ‘Driving Performance’ portion of its consumer automotive perceptions research study, Brand Watch. According to the latest results, Toyota and BMW each claimed two number-one spots for best driving performance: Toyota takes the top spot in both the Minivan and Non-Luxury SUV segments, while BMW was singled out for top honors among Luxury SUVs and Luxury Sedans.

Domestic brands sweep the Truck segment when it comes to driving performance in Brand Watch, with Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge placing first, second and third, respectively. Domestic brands previously had been singled out as consumers’ top picks for Interior and Exterior Styling in the Truck segment. Import brands dominate across most segments when it comes to driving performance, claiming the top three spots in every vehicle segment except trucks and also with the exception of Ford placing third among Non-Luxury SUVs. Porsche claimed the top spot in the Convertible/Sports Car segment, a category in which performance is the most desired characteristic.

Toyota, Honda, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each garnered three top-three finishes in various categories, displaying consumers’ overall perception of those brands having the best driving performance. Nissan and Lexus garnered two top-three finishes each.

“BMW’s top rankings in the Luxury Sedan and Luxury SUV segments demonstrate that it has a lock on performance characteristics in the luxury category according to new-car buyers, an instance where brand image and the consumer brand perception are in perfect alignment,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Meanwhile, pickups are the last bastion of domestic dominance and that dominance is strong with Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge sweeping the top three spots for performance with not an import in sight.”

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/21/052629.html

The 2008 Mitsubishi DE Lancer is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 3 trims, ranging from the DE to the GTS. Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I4, 152-horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.