2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Gains 2.4L Engine

2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Gains 2.4L Engine
Colorado, Canyon to get Updated Tachometers
Bugatti Veyron to Take Final Bow at Geneva Motor Show
Fast & Furious 7 Full Trailer Released
What Really Goes On at Dealerships Part II
Lexus RC F to Serve as V8 Supercars Safety Car

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Mitsubishi is pumping up its Outlander Sport crossover vehicle. The 2015 model will now offer a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 20 extra horses compared to the standard 2.0-liter unit.

All told this larger MIVEC four-banger cranks out 168 hp, which is a welcome bump. The new 2.4-liter engine should address one our major gripes with this vehicle, the fact that it feels pretty unresponsive.

This powerplant will be offered in two different trim levels, the 2.4 ES and 2.4 GT. The former starts at $21,295 and features a black bumper for visual differentiation. The higher-level GT version kicks off at $23,595 and comes with welcome extras like a power driver's seat, aluminum pedals and side-view mirrors with LED turn indicators.

The 2.4 GT model can also be equipped with an optional premium package that adds a kickin' nine-speaker Rockford Fostage sound system, a panoramic glass roof and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The GT touring package adds leather seating surfaces, a navigation system with a seven-inch display screen and other goodies.

Every Outlander Sport is backed by Mitsubishi's five-year/60,000 mile fully transferrable limited warranty and 10 years/100,000 mile powertrain protection.

Discuss this story on our Mitsubishi Forum.

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Colorado, Canyon to get Updated Tachometers

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Chevrolet plans to quietly fix a mistake it made in the mid-size Colorado and Canyon.

General Motors advertises that models equipped with the 3.6-liter direct injection V6 makes 305 hp and 6,800 RPM, but the tachometer those trucks are equipped with shows a redline at 6,500 RPM. James Bearing sent an e-mail to several automotive outlets after noticing that the Colorado he recently bought seemed to advertise the ability to make more power than it actually does. In the message, he said Chevrolet hadn't responded to his inquiries.

Today General Motors truck spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in an e-mail that "the graphics on the cluster of the trucks are slightly off. The redline is 6800, which is where the rev limiter is set. We are updating the graphics on future trucks."

Wilkinson also included a copy of the power curves from the SAE certification that the Colorado underwent, but didn't say exactly when GM will implement the correction.

Stephen Elmer contributed to this report

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Bugatti Veyron to Take Final Bow at Geneva Motor Show

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The clock is ticking. Bugatti will reveal its 450^th and final Veyron super-ultra-stupendous-luxury-performance car at next month's Geneva Motor Show.

This series-ending machine is expected to be a special bespoke version of the Grand Sport Vitesse model. Appropriately given its importance this model will likely feature a unique paint job and additional carbon fiber elements. Likewise, the car's interior ought to be enhanced as well.

Naturally this end-of-the-line Veyron will be motivated by an engine for the ages, more specifically the company's legendary 8.0-liter W16 that delivers an organ-bruising 1,200-hp and more than 1,000 lb-ft of peak torque.

But as amazing as this machine is it's run its lifespan; remember it was first introduced back in 2005. As it bows out Bugatti will now be able to focus its energy on creating a worthy successor. The follow-up act to the Veyron will supposedly be called the Chiron; it's rumored to have 1,500 horses and maybe even electrically driven turbochargers.

[Source: GT Spirit]

Discuss this story at our Luxury-Lifestyle Forum.

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Fast & Furious 7 Full Trailer Released

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If you're a speed junky and fan of Universal Pictures' Fast & Furious franchise you'll be happy to know the production house just released a trailer for the seventh installment of this popular series.

Like past segments of the franchise this one is loaded with fast cars, beautiful people and plenty of automotive action. The three-minute trailer has more explosions, broken glass and firearms than a World War II movie.

SEE ALSO: Paul Walker Killed in Car Crash

Of course Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and the late Paul Walker lead this motion picture's cast, though there are plenty of other celebrities in it as well. Check out the official trailer below and look for Fast & Furious 7 in theaters and IMAX on April 3, 2015.

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What Really Goes On at Dealerships Part II

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Whether they deserve it or not, dealerships often have less-than-favorable reputations.

Historically both the crooked tactics and unsavory characters they've employed have led to fractured relationships between dealers and the customers they were supposed to serve.

Highlighting some of the nefarious things that can – and have – happened we published a story not long ago exploring some dealership horror stories.

But not all car buying experiences are negative. In the interest of fairness, we've decided to follow up with this post, one that aims to explore the positive side of dealership experiences. To see what really goes on in modern showrooms and to get some tips on how to find the right dealer, we reached out to two experts in the field. Curiously they're located on opposite sides of the country.

Top-Tier Treatment

Joseph Wade, new car sales manager at Schaeffer BMW in Wilmington, North Carolina said the whole car-buying process is "about building a relationship with the customer." Continuing he said, "It can't all be about the transaction."

"We try to become a concierge to our customers," said Wade, a person who is there to answer any questions an owner may have and to help them in every way possible.

To ensure drivers are comfortable with their new BMWs Wade said the automaker has a special training course called the Encore Program. Basically customers are invited back to the showroom with their car. The vehicle gets detailed and a full tank of fuel while the owner receives special training to help understand the technology in their vehicle. Wade also mentioned this gives the salesperson another touch point with the buyer and allows them to really build a relationship.

After all, Wade said they're responsible for how happy their buyers are because the automaker sends surveys out. "It's a series of questions and BMW holds us accountable for a very high level of customer satisfaction."

BMW is a top-tier luxury brand; their customers have high expectations. When asked if buyers can get superb treatment from dealers selling more mainstream brands Wade said, "It is absolutely not out of the realm of possibility."

No. 1 in the World

Moving to the America's opposite coastline, Terry Miller is the general manager of Galpin Ford in Los Angeles, California. They've been the No. 1 blue-oval store in the world for the last quarter century. In order to remain so dominant they're clearly doing something right, and have been for decades.

"At Galpin we love cars … we love doing what we do," said Miller. "I wake up every morning loving to come to work [even] after 28 years." We should all be so lucky, to as thoroughly enjoy what we do for a living as he does. His enthusiasm, which was apparent during my telephone interview with him, is part of how they keep people coming back for more.

Miller said this attitude "creates a lot of that loyalty" and accordingly they often deal with generations of customers, as repeat buyers come back for another Ford and word of mouth brings new folks in the door. "Our reputation has a lot to do with our success," he said.

Undoubtedly a friendly staff is key, one that listens to potential buyers and doesn't pressure them. "Everybody's mindset is, we want to take care of the customer," said Miller. When asked about shady transactions or other underhanded activities that dealerships are sometimes known for he said, "We don't put up with anything like that." He also said, "Trust is the key," and it's something they aim to build with every buyer.

"My father was in the car business back in the '50s and '60s; the business was a lot different," said Miller. "I don't think back then they had the same mindset," and that could be a big reason dealers have such sullied reputations, even today.

Secret Sauce, Clandestine Condiments

"A car purchase is a lot of money regardless of the economic standing of the customer. If it's $15,000 or half a million, it's a lot of money," said Wade. "It's an emotional purchase, too," he said, and every buyer deserves to feel good about what they've bought.

It's not easy delivering the best customer experience possible. Having a well-trained staff is critical. Wade said, "It comes down to the quality of the people the dealership hires. And that's true of every industry."

Selling cars is stressful and challenging, which Wade said results in a lot of turnover. "The salespeople get caught in the middle … [it's] not for everyone." They're trapped between management that needs to sell as many cars as possible as profitably as they can and customers that want to pay as little as they can get away with. "It's a very high-stress business."

Employee turnover in the car-sales world can be high but it's not an issue at Galpin. Miller for example has been there nearly three decades. "We have tenure here at the dealership," he said and consequently turnover is "very, very low." Encouraging people to stay, "We promote all of our employees from within." It's probably safe to assume happy employees lead to happy customers.

Steering Clear of Trouble

So how can you – the car-buying public – avoid getting "knocked over the head" by a devious dealer? Wade offered some sound advice. "One obvious way is to check out the reviews online," but he cautioned you shouldn't just read the first two or three comments because most people won't go on a review site unless they're disappointed, which can skew the results.

After this Wade said the best thing to do is visit a dealership you're considering. Look around, see how it's run and take note of how the staff acts. He said customers can pick up on tension if any is present.

Wade also suggests you, "Talk to people that are already doing business [with the dealership]," he said. "Maybe even talk to a customer that's waiting in service." These people are generally having a bad day, inconvenienced by vehicle issues or maintenance. However, if they're happy with the way the dealer's treated them, then it could be a store worth shopping at.

Additionally it can be prudent to chat with the sales manager or even general manager of a dealership. Wade said, "Do your research in person just as diligently as you'd do research online."

Of course finishing your homework is no guarantee of a perfect experience. If you do end up with a salesperson you don't like it's ok to break things off, though Wade said, "That doesn't necessarily mean you need to go to a different dealership." Chances are they can easily find you another sales rep to work with.

Situations like these are "not common," said Wade, noting that it happens very rarely at their store. "But industry-wide I don't think it happens enough." He said a lot of salespeople think they can handle any customer or situation but, "It's simply not true."

Proven Results

At Galpin the product of their customer-focused mentality is strong sales and repeat business. "We are above the national average as far as customer satisfaction [is concerned]," said Miller.

Because of its success they can do things other stores are unable to. "Most dealers can't deliver the kind of service to the customer [that we can]," Miller said, though he made it clear he did not want to boast about this. "I really feel uncomfortable; I don't want to say anything negative about other dealers," though he did say that Galpin simply does it better.

Likewise Wade said, "We try to make it an experience." If you treat people right, "You get a customer for life … [and] that's huge."

Check out our Tips and Advice section.

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Lexus RC F to Serve as V8 Supercars Safety Car

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Lexus will have a presence this year in the V8 Supercars series.

Unfortunately it won't be because the Japanese automaker will be competing, but perhaps this is a sign that it's interested in joining the series. For now, we'll get to see the new RC F serving as a safety car for the series while the brand's GS 350 F Sport will be an official course car and the IS 350 F Sport will be a medical car. All three cars will be featured at each of the 15 V8 Supercars Championship events this year with Lexus Australia chief executive, Sean Hanley, saying that the partnership with the series is a fitting match for the brand.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Lexus RC F Review

Currently, the V8 Supercars Championship series only allows sedans to compete though a rule change for the 2017 season could allow Lexus to compete with the RC F as a factory team.

"V8 Supercars is the world's leading touring car series and our involvement as supplier of vehicles reflects the new energy in our brand and our dynamic model lines," Hanley said. "This partnership is also the perfect opportunity to show Australian motorsport fans the new RC F, which is just as suited to driving on a track as it is on the road."