Latest news with #Magna
The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Discovery at Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall ‘baffles' archaeologists
Excavations at the Roman fort of Magna near Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland in north east England have uncovered some very large leather footwear. Their discovery, according to some news coverage, has 'baffled' archaeologists. The survival of the shoes is not, by itself, miraculous or unusual. Excellent preservation conditions caused by waterlogged environments with low oxygen mean that leather and other organic materials survive in the wet soil of this part of northern England. Many years of excavations by the Vindolanda Trust at Vindolanda, just south of Hadrian's Wall, and now at Magna, have recovered an enormous collection of Roman shoes. These finds have provided us with an excellent record of the footwear of soldiers and the civilians who lived around them. The shoes from Magna stand out because many of them are big. Big shoes have also been found at Vindolanda. However, of those whose size can be determined, only 0.4% are big. The average shoe size at Vindolanda is 9.5 to 10.2 inches in length, which is between a modern UK shoe size 7 to 8. Big shoes make up a much larger share of the shoes at Magna. The biggest shoe is a whopping 12.8 inches long, roughly equivalent to a modern UK size 12 to 14. This shoe collection raises an immediate and obvious question: why did people at Magna have such large shoes? The possible answers to this question raise more questions and bring to the fore a central component of archaeological research: a good debate. Emma Frame, senior archaeologist for the Magna excavations, suggests: 'We have to assume it's something to do with the people living here, having bigger feet, being potentially taller, but we don't know.' This idea of bigger feet, bigger people, makes a good deal of sense, though it would suggest that some of the military community at Magna were very tall indeed. And, as the Roman cemeteries of Hadrian's Wall have been little excavated or studied, we have little information about how tall people were in this part of the Roman world. Other ideas might be worth entertaining, too, however. For example, could these be some kind of snowshoes or winter boots meant to allow extra layers of padding or multiple pairs of socks to be worn? A letter, preserved by similar conditions to the shoes at Vindolanda, refers to a gift of socks and underpants that was sent to someone stationed there, presumably to keep them warm during the cold winter nights. We also know from other evidence that Syrian archers made up one of the units stationed at Magna. These men would not have been used to the frosty climate of northern England. Could these large shoes be an attempt to cope with the bitter shock of a British winter? Or instead, could these shoes have a medical purpose, perhaps to allow people with swollen feet or people utilising medical dressings to wear shoes? It's important to note, I am not claiming to have the answers. I'm simply putting out some hypotheses which could explain the extra-large shoes based on other evidence we have and potential logical explanations for such large footwear. These kinds of hypotheses lie right at the heart of the archaeological method. Fresh archaeological discoveries are made every day, and they often make headlines with phrases about 'baffled archaeologists.' While this language can spark public interest, it also risks giving a misleading impression of the discipline. In reality, the work archaeologists like me and thousands of my colleagues around the world do is grounded in careful, evidence-based analysis. The challenge lies not in our lack of expertise, but in the nature of the evidence itself. Much of the distant past has been lost to time, and what we do recover represents only a small fragment of the original picture. We're not so much 'baffled' as we are rigorously testing multiple hypotheses to arrive at the most plausible interpretations. Interpreting these fragments is a complex process, like piecing together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle with many of the most crucial pieces (like the edges) missing. Sometimes we have exactly the right pieces to understand the big picture, but other times we have gaps, and we have to put forward a series of different suggestions until more evidence comes to light.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Yahoo
Unified Police standoff in Magna ends with surrender, suspect in custody
MAGNA, Utah () — Officers from the Unified Police Department were involved in a standoff with a man who was barricaded inside a home in Magna Saturday night. Around 5:38 p.m. Saturday, Unified Police responded to a call for a protective order violation in the area of 2800 South Spencer Avenue in Magna. PREVIOUSLY: Man arrested after starting fire, assaulting residents who tried to stop him, charges say The suspect, a man, allegedly showed up to the residence of the individual who had filed the order against him, before proceeding to break and enter into the residence, according to Unified Police. The victim the suspect was after escaped, but the suspect barricaded himself inside their residence. Upon police arrival, the suspect began threatening to shoot at them. Police struck the suspect with multiple non-lethal rounds, eventually causing him to surrender. He was detained and sent to the hospital for potential injuries caused by the non-lethal rounds. PREVIOUSLY: Man arrested in connection with active shooter standoff in St. George The scene was cleared around 7:22 p.m. No further threats to the surrounding area were identified. No further updates are available at this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Advertiser
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Why the Mitsubishi Outlander's Australian chassis tune took so long
Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan," he said. "What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers." The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. "When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers," he said. "As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. "They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed." Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. "In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards," he said. "The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that." Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to "come and see". "That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan," he added. When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. "What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune," he said. "We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. "So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward." The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September. MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to bring Australian chassis tune MORE: Everything Mitsubishi Content originally sourced from: Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan," he said. "What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers." The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. "When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers," he said. "As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. "They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed." Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. "In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards," he said. "The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that." Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to "come and see". "That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan," he added. When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. "What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune," he said. "We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. "So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward." The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September. MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to bring Australian chassis tune MORE: Everything Mitsubishi Content originally sourced from: Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan," he said. "What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers." The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. "When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers," he said. "As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. "They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed." Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. "In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards," he said. "The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that." Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to "come and see". "That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan," he added. When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. "What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune," he said. "We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. "So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward." The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September. MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to bring Australian chassis tune MORE: Everything Mitsubishi Content originally sourced from: Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan," he said. "What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers." The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. "When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers," he said. "As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. "They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed." Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. "In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards," he said. "The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that." Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to "come and see". "That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan," he added. When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. "What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune," he said. "We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. "So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward." The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September. MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to bring Australian chassis tune MORE: Everything Mitsubishi Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Why the Mitsubishi Outlander's Australian chassis tune took so long
Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. 'If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan,' he said. 'What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers.' The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. 'When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers,' he said. 'As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. 'They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed.' Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. 'In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards,' he said. 'The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that.' Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to 'come and see'. 'That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan,' he added. When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. 'What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune,' he said. 'We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. 'So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward.' The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September.
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Why the Mitsubishi Outlander's Australian chassis tune took so long
Mitsubishi Australia launched its current-generation Outlander in 2021, but it has only just blessed its most popular model – and the nation's third-best selling mid-size SUV – with a local chassis tune. At the launch of the upgraded Outlander, the Japanese auto brand said the delay in undertaking its most comprehensive product development program since it ceased car manufacturing in Australia in March 2008 was due to recent global events and plenty of customer and media feedback. Among a host of other equipment and detail updates, the headline act of the 2025 Outlander is a suspension and steering package developed in Australia, specifically on roads south of Adelaide, where previous Mitsubishi models including the Magna and 380 were also partly developed. As you can read in our review, the result is a car that steers more precisely and rolls over less in bends, yet is more compliant over bumps and more stable in a straight line, while also being more refined inside thanks to reduced noise and vibration levels. Mitsubishi Australia product manager Tony Dorrington said the global pandemic delayed local development of the Outlander, but also allowed more time for owner and press feedback of the pre-update model. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'If we think back to COVID times, a lot of the Outlander's development was done during COVID. That really prevented that collaborative effort. Japanese [engineers] couldn't travel here, we couldn't travel to Japan,' he said. 'What really prompted it was the feedback that we got from [media] and from our customers.' The Outlander's local chassis tune involves recalibrated electric power steering and revised suspension including smaller-diameter front anti-roll bars to suit the retuned steering, plus new front and rear shock absorbers, and different front and rear spring rates, in conjunction with increased cabin insulation and revised body materials and reinforcements to create a quieter and more comfortable cabin experience. Mr Dorrington said Mitsubishi Australia's work in developing the Outlander's new steering and suspension setup had been well-received by its Japanese parent company, prompting its rollout in many other global markets. 'When we became a core market for [Mitsubishi Motors], they came here and did a lot of road surveys. Out of that, they acknowledged that developing a local tune for Outlander would be really beneficial for our customers,' he said. 'As I'm sure you know, Australia is probably the toughest proving ground in the world. In the end, [Mitsubishi] acknowledged that what we had done locally would be applicable for the rest of the world. 'They took cars to the US and Europe and got them to evaluate them, and they agreed.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert Mitsubishi's local CEO Shaun Westcott said Australia's roads are a perfect testing ground for new models, and a stretch of Inman Valley Road from Yankalilla to Victor Harbor had also been used to test previous Mitsubishi models like the South Australian-made 380 in the early 2000s. 'In fairness, and I don't want to be disparaging about Australian roads, but they're – and I don't want to say they're below world standards – they're actually below world standards,' he said. 'The cars were typically developed for European, American markets, but once we had the car in-market, developed during COVID so limited options to test it in Australia, we identified through [initial feedback] where people picked up on some of the harshness that was coming through the suspension and things like that.' Mr Westcott said the feedback from media and customers was relayed to the brand's headquarters, which showed interest in why Australia's conditions were unique, prompting a simple suggestion from the local division to 'come and see'. 'That really started a significant development program to the point now that Japan has actually replicated an Australian road, they came and scanned a section of [Inman Valley Road], and rebuilt it at our Tokachi testing ground in Japan,' he added. Supplied Credit: CarExpert When asked about whether Australia would play a role in the development of future Mitsubishi models, product strategy and product relations general manager Bruce Hampel said the lessons learned from Outlander would be carried forward. 'What they've found… and the proof point of that is that they intended to do this as an Australian-only tune for Outlander but it ended up turning into the global tune,' he said. 'We've found that in other companies as well that if you get it right in Australia, it actually works quite well globally. 'So as they've now learnt that and they're embracing it more and more, getting a deeper understanding of the Australian market conditions and the customer preferences, we're expanding that into all the product lines going forward.' The next Mitsubishi model to feature an Australian-developed chassis tune will be the Outlander PHEV, which is due to launch locally in September. MORE: 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander to bring Australian chassis tune MORE: Everything Mitsubishi
