Mitsubishi let fly with its first round of press shots of its new Lancer, a car the company hopes will revive its sagging fortunes like a Cialis-spiked meatloaf at the St. Raymond's Home for the Aged. Based on the Concept X unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo motor show, the new Lancer is larger than its predecessor and shares an architecture with its Outlander SUV sibling, as well as the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass -- the product of a joint venture between Mitsubishi and its former benefactor. A new 2.0-liter, 152 hp MIVEC four will provide power, while a standard five-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed SportronicR CVT transmission with paddle shifters (in some trim levels) provide swappage. It'll also form the basis for the latest turbofied Evo X, which will get a new active-braking system and about a billion horsepower. We'll see the wraps come off at the Detroit show next month.
