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Mitisubishi's Outlander Sport defines the crossover segment

    
The Mitisubishi Outlander Sport (2013 edition) fits in well at the University of Washington Arboretum. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is akin to seeing someone who reminds you of someone you used to know, but can’t place in your memory. In this case, that’s because what designers call the “face” comes courtesy of its cousin, the Lancer. In fact, the Outlander Sport might be considered a Lancer set up for off-road use, since its underpinnings also come from the Lancer.

Configured to ride a bit higher in the saddle, the Outlander Sport is a perky looking little rig – shorter than its sibling, the Outlander proper by 14.5 inches, at 169.1inches -- that fits right into that recent automotive  niche known as the “crossover.” The term was devised by some product planner as a way of differentiating small sport utilities that have more in common with automobiles than the traditional body-on-frame behemoths that were the favored rides of many Americans, prior to gasoline hitting four dollars a gallon, in the summer just before the fall of Lehman Brothers.

The hatchback rear of the Outlander Sport has a bit of a forward slope consistent with the theories of German aero dynamist and engineer Wunibald Kamm. Call it a kammback-hatchback. No word on what the drag coefficient of the Outlander Sport might be, as a result; but it certainly looks right.

There's 20.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats (21.7 cubic feet, sans sub-woofer), plenty enough for at least one cat carrier. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  The interior is comfortable and most everything falls readily to hand; however, the sightlines from the driver’s seat aren’t good and the rear-view camera, that actuates when the Outlander is put into reverse is very much needed.

The navigation system screen becomes a rear-view mirror,when the Outlander is shifted into reverse. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

While the Outlander is a front-wheel drive vehicle, there’s the ability to electronically change it into all-wheel-drive by using a “driving mode” selector, while the ignition switch or the operation mode is on. By pressing the drive mode selector, the drive mode can be changed from 2WD, 4WD auto or 4WD Lock. The drive mode is displayed as an interrupt display within the instrument panel. After being actuated, the information screen returns to its prior display.  If that sounds confusing, be assured that after using it to go back to two-wheel drive, from four-wheel drive, it becomes as easy as using an ATM.

Vehicle dynamics on a round trip between Seattle and Tacoma, Washington seemed to compare favorably with the likes of the querulous looking Nissan Juke or the mini-utility Subaru Forester. The suspension architecture underneath is MacPherson struts, up front, and multiple trailing links, in the rear; both are assisted by stabilizer bars, 22 mm diameter, up front and 16 mm, rearward.

The only negative noted seemed to be a lot of road noise. A friend who’s a longtime service technician who came along for a ride noted it, after a short drive that included a loop from his shop, onto the freeway to test acceleration and back to the shop. Whether that’s something to do with the shock settings or underperforming engine mounts (as a friend in the San Francisco bay area who recently road-tested an Outlander Sport seemed to feel), is speculation. It’s about at the level which many front-drive automobiles used to evidence, back when manufacturers were still trying to dampen out the effect of having an engine and transmission, up front.

While too many consumers might not be aware of it, Mitsubishi has been building dependable, long lasting four cylinder engines for the American market, since its Astron series of engines debuted in rebadged Dodge Colts in the late 1970s. (The same in-line four cylinder engine within which Mitsubishi utilized Frederick W. Lanchester’s counter-rotating shaft, anti-vibration system and dubbed it the Silent Shaft; later to be used, under license, by Porsche for its three-liter, in-line four cylinder engine.) In fact, the Astron four-cylinder engine was competent enough to survive usage, in various Mitsubishi models, for 25 years.

The two-liter, four-cyinder DOHC (double-overhead cam) engine in the Outlander Sport produces 148 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 145 lb./ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.(Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  The engine bay of the Outlander Sport contains a DOHC (double overhead camshaft), 16 valves, normally aspirated, all-aluminum four-cylinder engine producing 148 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 145 lbs. /ft. at mid-range (4,200 rpm). It’s plenty enough to power the Outlander Sport’s 4,343 pounds (gross vehicle weight) to freeway speeds, while achieving 27 mpg (noted in real time, thanks to the trip computer). Best of all, in these days when most of us have become fiscal conservatives, it runs on unleaded regular gasoline (87 octanes).

The Outlander Sport can be ordered with either a five-speed manual transmission or a CVT (continuously variable transmission); the latter allows shifting in what’s usually called “manumatic” mode and Mitsubishi calls “Sportomatic.” Moreover, for those who want to channel their inner F1 driver, paddle shifters pop off the steering wheel stalk.

When put into the left side of the shift-gate, the Sportomatic CVT transmission allows manual settings,up and down, six speeds forward; towards the plus symbol for upshifts and back to the negative symbol for downshifts. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  Off-road testing was limited to the dirt roads of the University of Washington Arboretum; however, when you consider that there’s a four-wheel drive setting which allows for a locked differential, the Outlander can be considered a serious off-roader.

The Outlander Sport seems to be a decent alternative to more expensive crossovers, such as the Honda CR-V. The Outlander is easier to park, in the city, since it is fully 9 inches shorter than the CR-V; and it also offers a manual transmission, which the CR-V doesn’t.  The tested version was the Sport SE AWC, which had an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $23,695.00 and was loaded with optional equipment that cost $4,050.00; those options included a navigation system with the aforementioned back-up camera at $2,000.00; a 710 watt Rockford Fosgate sound system and Panoramic glass sunfoof (part of the Premium Package at $2,050.00). Final tally, with destination/handling charge of $825.00, was $28,750.00.

A sub-woofer in the rear cargo area is part of the 710 watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system, that's part of the Premium (option) Package. It does reduce storage a bit; but it might not matter if you're in the demographic intended for a sub-woofer. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  Equipped with a manual transmission, the Outlander Sport starts at $19,995.00. If you don't have a problem with using a clutch pedal and don't require a plethora of options, the basic front-wheel drive Outlander Sport ES offers a good alternative. -- Terry Parkhurst

 

Truck and tractor auction proves lucky for bidders

 

    Auctioneer Jeff Stokes works on selling a 1978 Seagrave hook-and-ladder truck; it sold for a bid of $3,100. Final sales price was $3,410, with buyer's fee. (Photo above (c) by Terry Parkhurst)     

  One of the most interesting auctions of the past summer took place on the first Sunday of June. About 300 registered bidders and spectators jammed inside a building at the Marymount Event Center in south Tacoma, Washington to bid on a collection of over 100 vintage tractors, trucks and a few classic automobiles.

The location was especially fitting, considering that the Marymount holds the LeMay Family Collection. The LeMay family’s pater familias, Harold LeMay, assembled an eclectic collection of automobiles, trucks and even tractors, before he passed away in November of 2000, at age 81. Now, Doug LeMay, Harold’s son, heads up the family’s collection. There is also a museum in Tacoma, called the LeMay Museum, also known as America’s Car Museum ® and it is a separate entity; although the family has donated vehicles to the museum and loans out others.

Harold LeMay made his money in garbage collection. He began collecting scrap, while still in high school, and then selling it. It was the Great Depression and a person had to be resourceful. After high school, he bought his first garbage route, fixing up beater trucks to make his business go. It grew into LeMay Enterprises and became one of the top five hauling, disposal and recycling companies in the United States.

The Marymount Event Center reportedly holds 500 vintage vehicles, consisting mostly of automobiles, but also trucks, buses and motorcycles. Some of them of those being auctioned were left over from the family’s collection. It was felt that rather than restore them, it was time to let them go to someone else.

The auction was staged by Lucky Collector Car Auctions, a company formed last year by Doug LeMay and Evan McMullen, owner of Cosmopolitan Motors in Seattle, Washington. Three auctioneers worked the crowd, trading off during the three-and-half hours it took to conduct the auction: Jeff Stokes, Dan Schorno and Ryan Massey. Not all bidders were in the audience. A table, off to the side of the docket, had people handling phone bids (through Proxy-bid).

The first 9 lots were small collections of model fire engines, tractors and miscellaneous trucks, most of which sold for a hundred or two hundred dollars. It was the auctioneers’ way of getting the crowd wound up; but the crowd was ready to go when tractors started being offered.

It started slow as a 1946 Case VAC tractor sold for a bid of $100; the final sales price was $110, as all sales were subject to a 10 percent buyer’s fee. Shortly thereafter, a 1945 John Deere sold for a bid of $5,500 (final sale price: $6,050).

This 1950 Mineapolis Moline RTS tractor sold for $1,485.00; including 10 percent buyer's fee.  (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhust)

  But it was the trucks that the crowd really wanted to see. When a 1917 White flatbed rolled it, it ended up with a final bid of $8,000 (final sale price: $8,800).

A 1956 Willys JEEP station wagon was in very good shape and brought a lot of attention when it was driven to the docket; selling for a bid of $5,800 (final sale price: $6,380). Since some of the trucks weren’t running, or were so big they couldn’t negotiate the limited space inside the building (which held collector vehicles, stacked three high), they were sold in place, with only a photo for bidders to go by.

That’s how a 1940 Dodge VF20 four-by-four, military truck sold; although it was reported as being somewhere, lined up outside, if anyone wanted to see it in person. The photo was enough for bidders to jump in and one got it for a bid of just $3,750 (with a final sales price of $4,225.00).

This 1941 Ford fire truck, fully operational and in good running condition, sold for a bid of just $6,200. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

A very clean and running 1941 Ford fire truck was driven inside and stopped short of the auctioneer’s podium. It ended up selling to Mitch Silver, who heads up Silver Auctions in Spokane, Washington, for a bid of just $6,200 (sales price, $6,820 with buyer’s fee).

The story behind a 1955 Bristol double-decker bus was especially interesting. It had gone from the family collection to the LeMay museum; however, a double-decker bus is hard to store in a museum and so the management of the museum decided to sell it at this auction. That led it to be bought back by Doug LeMay for a bid of $17,000 and a final sales price of $18,700 (with buyer’s fee).

Auctioneer Jeff Stokes does ringman duty, working the crowd for bids on a 1955 Bristol double-decker bus.(photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

  A 1914 American LaFrance fire truck that had been assigned the name “Apparatus #1,” when it served as the first fire engine for Seattle, was driven out by Doug LeMay. It had been capable of projecting 800 gallons of water per minute – better than a fire boat the City of Seattle also had at the time. In the many years before it was finally decommissioned in 1955, and sold to a private individual in 1955, it spent some years in service as needed; while other years, it was “held in reserve.” That was probably because of its ability to pump so much water.

Doug LeMay, son of the late, noted vehicle collector Harold LeMay, positions a 1914 American LaFrance fire truck onto the docket. (Photo (c) by Terry Parkhurst)

  After several minutes of spirited bidding, it was bought by a member of the Last Resort Fire Department museum in Seattle, for a bid of $12,000 ($13,200, final price with buyer’s fee). As an anonymous former firefighter, when offered a microphone, said, “It’s going where it belongs, so we can remember fellow firefighters. It seems like a lot of money, but the price is subjective.”

The truck that surprised even the auctioneers was a 1932 Kenworth that wasn’t running. Evan McMullen said that “PACCAR contacted us about this truck.” There appeared to be about four bidders in the crowd and one on the phone. It ended up selling for a bid of $17,000, with a final sales price of $18,700 (when the 10 percent buyer's fee was added to the final, winning bid).

Bidding slowed down after that, and most sales were less below a thousand dollars, such as a 1952 Ford Big Job fire truck, in seemingly good condition, that sold for just $550 (final sales price with fee included). Notable exceptions were the 1988 Kenworth T800 tow truck that sold for $58,300 (including fee); a 1929 Ford AA tow truck that sold for $4,950 (including fee); and a 1926 Ford TT flatbed  truck, sold for $3,300.

Most of the trucks were sold at no reserve, but a few remained unsold, at the auction’s end; but overall, this was a successful auction for both buyers and sellers, with an opportunity to see and buy some interesting examples of trucking and farm history. -- Terry Parkhurst