The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will enact new fuel economy regulations for 2011 vehicles which will ultimately result in a win-win-win situation for the environment, economy, and drivers. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) introduced an 18 MPG regulation for passenger vehicles only when enacted by congress in 1975. While slight amendments have been made to CAFE standards over the years, the newest reform will reflect the most drastic change in their 30-year history with a 35% increase in fuel economy for cars and trucks combined. This amendment will enforce Bloomington IL new car dealers to obtain 37.8 mpg for passenger vehicles and 28.8 mpg for trucks by the year 2016.

The 2016 CAFE standards will perhaps have the biggest impact on the environment, which will benefit from the reduced greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide. The Union of Concerned Scientists says that approximately 5 pounds of global warning pollution are produced per gallon of gas. Basic math will confirm, the higher the fuel economy of a vehicle, the less pollution produced.

The next win that the 2016 CAFE standards will award goes to the economy. Increased fuel economy standards will save the U.S. 1.1 million barrels of oil a day, much of which is foreign oil. The decreased foreign oil will help cut the $1 billion dollars spent per day to import petroleum products and moderate the amount of reliance placed on foreign nations.

The CAFE regulations will also be advantageous for drivers. While the cost of a vehicle that can reach the set forth fuel economy standards will more than likely cost extra, such an increase will be compensated with the reduced fuel costs. The increased cost that CAFE standards add to vehicles is estimated to be around the $1,000 – $2,000 range and will actually be offset with the reduced fuel costs that are estimated to reach $4,000 in a vehicle’s lifetime.

While the new CAFE guidelines seem extreme, Bloomington IL car dealers acknowledge that a greener future is only a possibility with such regulations enforced. And the additional benefits that come with such a reform don’t hurt either.   

Mitsubishi has some big goals for the upcoming years. The car company aims to double its sales it the United States in the next three years, according to John Koenig, Mitsubishi North America Executive Vice President. The reason for this aspiration is that Mitsubishi sold just under 54,000 vehicles last year, a disappointing decrease of 44.5% when compared to 2008. How do they plan to accomplish such a goal? Mitsubishi has created an extensive plan for the brand, starting by redesigning their models to resemble the stylish Lancer and prepare for the unveiling of the new 2010 Outlander. Consumers should definitely visit Bloomington, Illinois car dealers and other Mitsubishi dealerships nationwide to find the new models in their lots later this year.

Additionally, two more new models are expected to appear in Bloomington, IL new car dealerships as well, although this is unconfirmed by Mitsubishi at this time. One of the new vehicles being introduced is a smaller crossover, rumored to be similar to the Honda CR-V and Toyota Rav4. Considering that the compact crossover market has significantly grown over the past few years, Mitsubishi will attempt to stay in the competition by providing a new compact crossover model for consumers. The other new model to be introduced is a new subcompact model to slot in underneath the Lancer, to keep up with the sub-compact market. Rumor has it that the Colt will return to resemble a style similar to the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and also other newcomers such as the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2. Sales representatives at the Bloomington, Illinois car dealers will surely have more information about the new models as it becomes available.

Another area where Mitsubishi could use a little more improvement is with the Galant mid-sized sedan, said to be in desperate need of remodeling. Koenig admits that one cause of a decline in Galant sales is a lower demand by rental car agencies, indicating that the model is unpopular among consumers. Nevertheless, officials at Mitsubishi remain optimistic and are confident that their sales goal is easily achievable, seeing as the company was able to sell 128,993 units in 2007. The Japanese automaker also plans to focus more on advertising to enhance perception and desirability to help double sales within the next three years. In the meantime, consumers will need to visit Bloomington, IL new car dealerships to learn about the progress that Mitsubishi will achieve.

New Mitsubishi dealers and used car Bloomington IL dealers have great deals on new and used models. For instance you can get a 2010 Lancer ES CVT for only $179 a month with 36 month lease or a Lancer Sportback with 0% APR for 48 months.

Other models in on the deal are the Lancer Evolution, Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor, Galant, Outlander and, my personal favorite, the Outlander ES for $239 a month for 48 months. In Bloomington IL buy used cars or new from a friendly Mitsubishi dealer who offers only the best pricing.

Mitsubishi is holding this rally to give its customers the best year-end deals around and for those wanting to buy new or used car Bloomington IL has these great deals on many models. My biggest dilemma is choosing between affordable models. Although the Outlander ES is my favorite because it’s kind of a crossover vehicle. (I do love my SUVs, but don’t love the cost in running them.) I really would love to have a Spyder in my driveway. Not very practical for hauling the kids to practice, though, so . . .

When I visit a Bloomington IL new car dealer my first concern is for price – I mean how many of us are working two or three jobs now just to pay the bills? When I find a dealer and a car company that makes driving affordable, I have to stick with it and in Bloomington IL buy used car or new, I find the best band for my buck at the Mitsubishi dealer.

Mitsubishi is stepping up its game in the next year to help boost its sales and target the desires of potential car buyers. To do this, they’ve chose to focus on the booming business of fuel- efficient vehicles, specifically hybrids- both electric and plug-ins- and overall smaller vehicles.

One of the upcoming additions to the Mitsubishi lineup is a slight alteration to the standard crossover vehicle, the Outlander. This time they’ve added a word in its name that brings a whole new element of driving to the mind of car buyers: “Sport”. This Outlander Sport model is set to hit the U.S. market- while simultaneously being sold worldwide- in the fall of 2010.

Not many details have been released about these changes coming to the standard Outlander that you can currently find at your Bloomington car dealer but we can only assume they’re going to speed up the performance, literally, and possibly take up less space on the road with a more aerodynamic design. Sounds similar to the concept cX model released in 2007, huh? Sure does- and we’re pretty sure that’s the sole inspiration for this new Sport.

Though we don’t know much about this new Mitsubishi that will be arriving at local Bloomington car dealerships in 2010, we know a few things. The new Sport is to be built on the same platform as the Mitsubishi Lancer sedan. In addition, it will be powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, with drivers being able to choose between front or all-wheel drive. In my experience test driving cars at Bloomington, IL car dealers, I’ve learned that nothing is quite so satisfying as a compact, peppy SUV on a car frame. The bumps become afterthoughts, while the storage space and big-vehicle capability remain.

Refreshing our knowledge of the current Outlander that I’ve test driven at Bloomington IL new car dealerships, only assuming the Sport will up the ante, we can first focus on the safety features. First, to show off, the Outlander was named a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This reassuring title is attributed to its extensive passenger protection: dual-stage front SRS airbags, front seat mounted airbags and back front and side- curtain airbags. In addition, the Outlander comes equipped with standard ABS (anti-lock brakes), ASC (Active Stability Control) and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). These fancy names make it sound real safe, right?

The current Outlander, seating 5-7 passengers, achieves a 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway average. We’re hoping the Sport does improve on this sector, as their goal is to perfect the fuel-efficient side of their vehicle production.

All we can do is wait. It’s going to be a long year until we’re able to see how Mitsubishi will surprise us with the birth of one of its most popular model’s fraternal twins. Until then, come into to your local Normal Mitsubishi dealer, O’Brien Mitsubishi, and test-drive any of the new or used models. See you next fall Outlander Sport!