Mitsubishi's Midsizers To Battle On Till 2013?
Mitsubishi is set to release a “mid-term” global business plan in the coming weeks, and the company says it will use that opportunity to resolve the lingering questions about its Normal, Illinois plant. Automotive News [sub] reports that four midsize (PS) platform vehicles currently built their will give way to a “new family of vehicles” based on the firm’s compact (GS) platform that currently underpins the Lancer, Outlander and Outlander Sport. The only problem: Mitsu’s midsizers will have to struggle along until April 2013, by which time the model changeover will be complete. Mitsubishi Motors North America has dismissed the report as “speculation,” but frankly, wouldn’t you be more surprised to see a new “family” of compact Mitsus in less than two years? Meanwhile, breakeven at the 240k unit capacity Normal plant has already been lowered to 70k units, but only about 27k vehicles were built there last year. With less than ten percent of Mitsubishi’s global sales volume coming from the US, maybe it would be better if Mitsu simply called it a game… but instead the firm is “planning” to quadruple sales volume. And hey, why not?
More by Edward Niedermeyer
Comments
Join the conversation
I've said it before: "Mitsubishi" translates into English as "I couldn't get bought on the Honda." While Mitsu once offered some very compelling products, for the past 10 years it has served as nothing more than a refuge for the credit-challenged. Not a great rep to (re)build a brand image with. Let it die.
I didn't realize they made anything other than the Lancer evolution, you mean they still make the Eclipse, and what is a galant? Even the EVO is hurting these days. It's ok Mitsubishi take your subpar products elsewhere.
Turn the ignition on a 2011 Galant...it makes the same uninspiring, tinny crank-over noise as an '03, a '97, etc. Irrelevant, meaningless brand with zero desirablity. Their only 'wanted' vehicle is the Evo and 98% of the fanbois will never afford it.
The Galant was out-classed even when it was brand new in 2004 and offered V6, leather, high-end audio.....so how do you think it stacks up seven freakin' years later??? The only powertrain offered is the 'global' 2.4L 4-cylinder (160hp) and 4-speed automatic.... Given a choice between the Galant and a Chrysler Sebring, I'd have to think about it...and probably find something sharp to impale myself on before I had to get behind the wheel of either!!! With great cars like the Mazda6 and Suzuki Kizashi struggling to find customers, this is the last thing anyone needs! I wonder how many Galants sold in 2010 and how many were to retail customers? The Outlander V6 is the only tolerable vehicle in the whole pathetic lineup...and it's hardly the best in its particular class, just doesn't suck as bad as everything else does.... I would much rather see Suzuki survive and Mitsubishi pull out of the U.S. Then the only place we'd see these crap-mobiles is if we ventured into trailer parks, government-assisted housing developments or Buy-Here-Pay-Here used car lots (weekly payments, naturally)!