Former Home of Diamond-Star Motors Now Home to a Mystery
An abandoned assembly plant in Normal, Illinois, could once again become a beehive of car-building activity.
Opened in 1988 as a collaborative effort between Chrysler and Mitsubishi, the plant served as headquarters for a great 1980s corporate relic — Diamond-Star Motors. In its heyday, the facility dutifully cranked out Plymouth Lasers, Mitsubishi Eclipses, and Eagle Talons, before Chrysler lost interest in the 50-50 deal.
Turned over to Mitsubishi in 1995, the plant soldiered on after Diamond-Star Motors bit the dust. What followed was a parade of forgettable nameplates — Mitsubishi Mirage, Eagle Summit, even the Dodge Stratus Coupe — before a final shutdown earlier this year eliminated the last of 1,250 jobs and production of the Outlander Sport.
Now, the 2.4 million square foot plant could soon be home to a shadowy new tenant.
According to Reuters, Detroit-based Rivian Automotive has agreed to purchase the plant and reopen it within five years. Going by Rivian’s website, the only thing we know for sure about the automotive venture is that it’s “coming soon.”
The company, which hasn’t confirmed the purchase, bills itself as an automotive technology venture interested in sustainable mobility. At the helm is CEO RJ Scaringe, who formed the company in 2009.
Still, Normal mayor Chris Koos says it’s a done deal. He told Reuters that Rivian plans to employ a workforce of 500 when the plant reopens in 2021, with that number eventually growing to 1,000 employees. State and local economic development agencies claim Rivian will invest $175 million into the operation by 2024.
In a release issued yesterday, Sean McCarthy, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce, said, “The auto industry is the fourth largest employer in the state, and this investment gives Illinois a significant presence in the emerging electric vehicle market.”
Though it sounds like a garden-variety mobility technology startup, Rivian seems to want to produce actual vehicles, though it hasn’t mentioned any potential partners or suppliers. What those (clearly electric) vehicles might look like is anyone’s guess. Assuming this gets off the ground, the rolling stock would likely form part of a ride-sharing service.
Electric vehicle and mobility startups are common, but there’s industry brains behind Rivian’s effort. Among them: Lawrence Achram, a former Chrysler vice president, and Larry Erickson, a former designer at General Motors and Ford.
Naturally, the town of Normal has high hopes for the return of factory jobs. However, as we’ve seen with ventures like Faraday Future, the distance between plant announcements and a production vehicle is a vast. RJ Scaringe appeared in the news media back in 2011, promising a Florida-built mid-engined sports car (with an affordable price tag) by 2013.
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As a car nut, I still vividly remember when the all-new Laser, Eclipse and Talon were THE hot cars of the day. Yeah, I really wanted one. I recall that a friend of a friend got one in the first year. Oh, and in the early '90s, got a ride in a co-workers Talon.
A '91 Laser RS was my first new car and it was a great little car. The only thing I didn't like about it were those stupid automatic seat belts ...