Mitsubishi News

mikevegas06 · December 2010

Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will set up a 50-50 joint company next year to develop minicars that may become strategic models sold globally.

The minicar would be available for sale in 2012 under the agreement, while Nissan will supply a light van and wagon to Mitsubishi in Japan. Mitsubishi will sell a sport-utility vehicle to Nissan in the Middle East, the automakers said today in a joint statement.

This agreement is important for Nissan as it supports our expansion in emerging markets, meets immediate capacity needs overseas and enables us to grow our minicar business in Japan, Nissan Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said in a statement.

The partnership gives the manufacturers greater economies of scale while allowing them to enter market segments with less investment. The two carmakers already cooperate by supplying minicars, with engines no larger than 660cc, and commercial vehicles. Nissan, which makes the Leaf electric car, and Mitsubishi, which sells the i-MiEV, are in talks about possibly cooperating on electric vehicles, the automakers said.

The alliance of the two automakers seems to be a good one as we can expect more cooperation in electric vehicles going forward, said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at consulting company Carnorama in Tokyo.

Ghosn today said that no details have been decided on electric car cooperation with Mitsubishi Motors. Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko today said it is possible that the minicars could become a global strategic model.

Market Reaction

The alliance seems to help Mitsubishi Motors, and the market reacted ahead of the press conference, said Kenichi Hirano, general manager and strategist at Tachibana Securities Co.

Mitsubishi Motors surged 8.5 percent to 128 yen at the 3 p.m. close of Tokyo trading, the biggest gain since Dec. 3, 2009. Nissan shares gained 0.3 percent to 809 yen.

Nissan currently produces the Lancer Cargo commercial vehicle for Mitsubishi, which in turn builds the Minicab, Town Box, eKWagon and Pajero Mini models for the larger carmaker.

Mitsubishi Motors plans to build Nissan's Navara pickup truck at its factory in Thailand and the automakers are evaluating a plan to collaborate on manufacturing and engineering for a new one-ton pickup, they said today.

The expansion of the agreement will complement each other's regional characteristics and product lineup and the one- ton pickup and minicar projects will be the best solution to strengthen each other's competitiveness, Mitsubishi Motors' Masuko said today.

Mitsubishi has a partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroen, while Nissan and Renault SA share projects with Daimler AG, the world's second-biggest luxury carmaker.

The Nikkei newspaper reported the Nissan-Mitsubishi agreement earlier today. The companies' statement was released after markets closed in Japan.

--With assistance from Takako Iwatani in Tokyo. Editors: Kae Inoue, Dave McCombs.

http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LDENKY6K50XW01-7CO3QCO- GCOGBRP5UMOLTUOEE7H

fushigi · December 2010

Funny. Mitsu working with Nissan who's in bed with Peugeot and (news to me) Daimler. Yet Mitsu makes some cars for Citroen. Actually, the Outlander is available from both Peugeot & Citroen (http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/11/2010-mitsubishi-outlander-en-fran- cais.html).

GM's Geo lineup, Subaru building Toyotas, companies cooperating on engine development, etc. The meaning of a vehicle's brand is becoming more and more diluted over time.

Too bad this news doesn't seem to affect the Normal plant.

iluvmysephia1 · December 2010

what is to become of the Normal plant? Does this news affect the Normal plant and it's operations in any way, or down the road a piece? This appears to be good news overall for Mitsubishi as the sharing aspect with Nissan should only help them to concentrate their resources more effectively for the world's future automotive needs.

fushigi · December 2010

I could only see this affecting Normal if they brought some of that production here. But doing so just doesn't make sense; the market for that size vehicle i the US is very small and not likely to become significant.

We simply need Mitsu to come up with an all new Galant platform and tool Normal for it. Keep the Endeavor on it but maybe shrink the Eclipse to run off the Lancer platform.

elgatoloco · December 2010

Tonight ( Dec. 15 ) UAW Local 2488 ( Mitsubishi Normal assembly plant ) reported the results of a vote changing the current contract. The vote was 709-Yes as opposed to 206-No. The basics are that the union workforce agrees to give up the $1.67 they received in September 2010 and return to $24.00 an hour ( $28.50 for skilled trades ) ). The contract would also be extended from August 27 2012 until August 27 2015. The no-layoff clause will stay in effect. MMC now has until April 4th 2011 to announce a new model for the plant or the higher wages will remain the same. Callbacks from the 2004 layoff will receive around $16.00 an hour while new-hires will start at around $14.00 an hour ( if anyone is called back or hired ).

So...MMC got exactly what they wanted with this vote, by an overwhelming margin to boot. Will they reward the workforce with a new platform or not?

Also, I haven't been able to confirm this but it has been rumored that Mitsubishi Ned Car is being closed.

iluvmysephia1 · December 2010

will be the re-vamped Galant for the Normal plant. You guys have done your part to open the door to continued NA Mitsubishi automobile production, now it's the Big Boy's turn to chime in.

I too doubt that the new minicar collaboration talked about with new partner Nissan will be tooled and ramped up for the Normal plant. I wish Americans were more minicar friendly but they're just not.

elgatoloco · December 2010

As far as the Big Boys go..If they don't announce a new platform on (or before) April 4th then the wages will remain the same so why go to the trouble to even request a UAW ratification vote on wage reduction unless something is in the works?

On the Global Small Car front I believe the new Thailand plant will probably be able to fulfill demand, at least in the beginning of 2012 - 2013, and who knows what kind of production deal might come down the pike with the recently announced tie-up with Nissan. Chance of producing Mitsu Global Small Car here in NA are slim to none. I think it's possible MMNA might get a shot at the upcoming PX-MiEV. MMC claims that the PX plug-in hybrid SUV is now in its final development stages and if they do have a new Galant in the works they are doing a pretty good job of keeping it a secret.

North America was not even mentioned in the press release concerning Mitsubishi / Nissan collaborations but Nissan is building a li-ion battery plant in Tennessee I believe. Maybe there will be some production / re-badging / platform sharing going on here with electric cars. I do think that if I can eventually buy a Mitsu i car at Best Buy then I should be able to get the full line of Mitsubishi TVs there as well for crying out loud.

mikevegas06 · December 2010

Seems like Mitsu would re-tool Normal for the Lancer platform. That would allow the Lancer/Outlander/Outlander Sport to be built here and avoid import taxes. Such a move may allow the Eclipse and Galant to survive, although the Endeavour is now redundant due to the Outlander family.

Also, the Ralliart cars could be built at that facility since the official Ralliart branch is dead. The Outlander Sport will most likely get the Ralliart treatment as well since it has the 4B11 engine.

Lastly, my opinions are free and most likely wrong. Ha!

iluvmysephia1 · December 2010

no, your opinions have good merit, especially since the Lancer does well as opposed to other NA-offered Mitsubishi products. And since the platform links to the Outlander/Outlander Sport, too, it makes even more sense.

fushigi · December 2010

I agree it'd make sense for Mitsu to make the cars most sold here @ Normal. Unfortunately the retooling costs for bringing a new line to a car factory are pretty high (usually north of $100 million) and probably not justifiable given that the Lancer-platform based cars can be built in Japan without incurring those costs. It's almost certainly cheaper to import them than to retool at current sales volume.

I don't know what would make the most sense for Mitsu to do with Normal, but the Galant and it's platform cousins need a big modernization.

Perhaps Mitsu & Nissan could expand their relationship like Mitsu & Chrysler used to have; move the Galant to the (next gen) Altima platform and co-produce Nissans & Mitsus @ Normal. Mitsu gains a platform & Nissan gains manufacturing capacity.

Really, since car companies share costs & tech so much nowadays practically anything could happen. Subaru could sell it's Lafayette plant to Toyota (since some Toys are already made there) and take control of Normal or do a relationship/tech exchange.

Mitsu & Suzuki could merge US operations. Bring Kizashi production to Normal & rebadge it as the next Galant. Both companies benefit. Thought the resulting sales would still be under 1% US market share.

Something's gotta happen. I can't imagine Normal to be profitable as it stands.

mikevegas06 · December 2010

Had no idea that a re-tool cost so much.

Maybe Mitsu and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen could make better use of the facility (Normal) like they're already doing in Russia and Europe.

VW just bought Suzuki late this year. I doubt if any Mitsu/VW joint ventures will happen.

Well, the next few months will be exciting when it comes to the Normal site.

Again, I'm just speculating.

stever · December 2010

Had no idea that a re-tool cost so much.

And it could be more, depending on how you count stuff. Ford supposedly spent $550 million to transform its Michigan Assembly Plant to build the Focus. Amazing chunk of change.

Don't Nissan and Mitsu already have some kind of joint venture tie-up? Since Nissan is headquartered in TN now and Normal isn't that far away, maybe some platform sharing could happen (or let Nissan have the excess capacity, since Nissan seems to making money lately).

iluvmysephia1 · December 2010

Kizashi to the Normal Mitsubishi plant and re-badge it as the next Galant. Body dimensions of the Kizashi and Galant aren't really that far off so using the same chassic makes sense. Mitsubishi, what ya gonna do with Normal, buddy? It's gonna be a blast to watch and participate in chatting about. I was really digging my '08 Lancer GTS tonight in rainy upon snowy weather here in NE Nevada. What a solid, great rig the Lancer GTS is, and it was prompting thoughts of trading in for another Mitsubishi in about 3-4-5 years (the Lancer has 64,915 miles on it right now), possibly for another Lancer GTS, an Outlander SUV or an Outlander Sport. These people build very good rigs and I still love the jet-fighter grille. I think Mitsubishi is smart to keep it for an overall look for new and different types of vehicles they build, the look absolutely rocks da house.

fushigi · December 2010

Thanks; I didn't know about the VW/Suzuki deal.

I'm just of the opinion that Mitsu's best bet to take advantage of Normal is to partner. Not sure who with at this point.

fushigi · December 2010

I agree the Lancer platform is solid. I see them pretty frequently around here. I don't like that the current (10 or 11) Lancer has hard plastic for the area inside the window where many people rest their arms. The Outlander & OSport are padded there.

Sat in a Cruze LT (not loaded) at the mall yesterday (got a $10 Macy's gift card for giving them our info). Not a bad interior. I had enough headroom though it would be real tight with a sunroof. Also, the curvature of the roof was such that driver's seat entry requires a little ducking. Still, it's a solid competitor to the Lancer and will be on my wife's short list when she decides to replace her '01 Elantra. She's already said no to the OSport as she doesn't want us to have 2 CUVs.

iluvmysephia1 · December 2010

on our '08 Lancer GTS there's hard plastic up above and inside, below the windshield where a lot of us like to rest our arms. It isn't really comfortable so what happens with me is I put my arm down lower on the door, down from the power window buttons and such. Works out fine. It is felty but not cushiony, but I am pretty used to it and it works out well overall.

At least our '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS has a center console to rest our right arm on while driving. Love that! I was taking a casual look at the 2011 Ford Fiesta sedan and hatch and I like what I see, only the Fiesta looks a bit small inside, and, there is no center console to rest our right arms on! Just cupholders, plug-ins for i-Pods and different things. The Fiesta is electronically well up-to-date, depending on the model selected, but that lack of center armrest would bum me out to the max. I don't really see room to add your own armrest in the '11 Ford Fiesta, either.

Hey, is the Mitsubishi i ICE egg-car coming to the U.S.? If not, what small car is coming here, if any? As it is the Lancer is the smallest Mitsubishi offered here until the i-MiEV comes, and they're gonna call the i-MiEV the i in the States, right? The all-electric one will just be called the "i", have you guys read that too?

mikevegas06 · January 2011

Didnt realize that Mitsu considers the Sportback a separate model from the Lancer. I think one of yall mentioned that a few months ago. So it seems as though you are right, it must not be selling well at all since I dont recall ever seeing it called out in the sales posting.

Outlander, Lancer, Outlander Sport Fuel Mitsubishi Gains In December

http://media.mitsubishicars.com/releases/581a8676-bb5c-8d38-4492-1d514d2372b8

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today reported December sales of 4,874 units, an increase of almost 12 percent compared to December 2009. Mitsubishi sales for the year (Calendar Year 2010) were up more than 4 percent.

"We were delighted to see increases in almost every aspect of our retail business in December," said MMNA President & CEO Shin Kurihara. "Customers are returning to Mitsubishi showrooms in large numbers, and the sales results indicate that they like what they see."
2010 was Mitsubishis first annual sales increase compared to the prior twelve months since 2007, and the monthly increase represented the largest percentage increase for December sales since 2001.
Sales of the all-new Outlander Sport continued to grow dramatically, increasing more than 41 percent from November.
Other December sales highlights include:
 Outlander sales were up more than 13 percent for the month up more than 21 percent for the year.
 Lancer sales were up more than 16 percent for the month and represented the highest December total since 2007.
 Lancer Evolution sales were up more than 95 percent for the month and represented the largest single month of sales for the vehicle since April 2009.
 Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor, and Lancer Sportback also showed sales increases compared with December 2009.

fushigi · January 2011

Mike, thanks again for continuing to post the press releases. Besides fueling some discussion among the Mitsu fans it's good to point out how good or bad Mitsu - and every automaker for that matter - is doing.

I've tried a few times but access to good, detailed sales data seems harder than it should be. Rarely I've found charts listing sales data (monthly, yearly) for all manufacturers let alone some way of comparing sales by model. Sure you can get Top 10 lists but that just scratches the surface.

For instance, sales are up for the year and that's good. But how does Mitsu's 4% rise compare to other smaller players, the big guys, and the industry as a whole? If Mitsu is up 4% but the market is up 10% then they're still falling behind the competition in terms of market share.

(BTW, nice to see sales, esp. Outlander, are up compared to December '09 when I made my contribution to their numbers.)

mikevegas06 · January 2011

Fushigi - no problem.

And, I agree, Mitsu's increase is well below the industry average. My rig is rather old and I need to step up and add to Mitsu's sales numbers in the near future.

You make a good point about granular sales data not being readily available to us common folk. I'm surprised that Edmunds.com doesn't publish that info...

oldfarmer50 · January 2011

"...Lancer Evolution sales wer up 95%..."

Probably due to that Top Gear segment. I swear, I was tempted to go buy one after seeing that show.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2011

Oh yeah, did you see the EVO kick that Lambo's butt. Awesome!

I've driven quite a few older EVOs, and it's just like they say it is----but you know, for a street car, it would be kinda rough to use everyday. It's pretty harsh and spartan, or at least was a few years ago. My MINI's ride is plush in comparison, and that's pretty scary.

nippononly · January 2011

"We were delighted to see increases in almost every aspect of our retail business in December," said MMNA President & CEO Shin Kurihara. "Customers are returning to Mitsubishi showrooms in large numbers,

Another 500 customers is large numbers? :confuse:

Mitsu's increase appears to be well below the industry average for December, and even more below the average for the year. But at least they are doing better than Toyota in percentage terms! ;-)

fushigi · January 2011

Well, don't confuse showroom visits with buyers.

Traffic at dealerships is trending up and that's driving some sales. It's a good thing in general to get more people coming through the dealership doors. Even if each visit doesn't translate into a sale it does indicate brand awareness is rising. And that's a good thing for a brand with a small market share.

fushigi · January 2011

Hosts - I don't see where to submit it as a forum suggestion, but please add the Outlander Sport to the possible vehicles.

After all, you do have one in the long term fleet. And, interestingly, I've seen a couple of OSports on the road already even though I've yet to see a Cruze or new Elantra in the wild.

Thanks.

stever · January 2011

Good idea and the request is in. Since it's a different model, there's a little back-end tweaking that needs to be done, and the holiday may slow the creation down a little.

For those that missed it, here's the one in the Edmunds' fleet:

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC Long-Term Test

fushigi · January 2011

Thanks, Steve.

I haven't talked to her about it yet, but I'm pretty sure the owner of our local pizza/Italian place traded her Endeavor for an Outlander Sport. Mitsu is running a $199/mo lease deal.

elgatoloco · January 2011

I think the reason Lancer Sportback sales are static could be the fact that it is available in only two trims. You can opt for the hi-performance turbo Ralliart, or in my case, the GT version which has the larger 2.4 engine, ground effects, etc..etc..

Quite a few of the Lancers' I see on the street are the basic ES trim. if the Sportback was available in a no-frills version then the sales would probably be much higher. I am really enjoying my Sportback. I have put a few graphics on it to pretty it up some and considering some minor performance upgrades (exhaust system ) this summer if I have the $$$. Have to make sure I don't screw up my warranty though. I still get a lot of looks when I drive it so the fact that it's a bit of a rarity on the road doesn't bother me at all.

elgatoloco · January 2011

Wierd !!

After my oh-so insightful post on Sportback sales I decide to check out the Mitsu auto website and what should I see but a Lancer Sportback available in ES trim.

When did these become available ???

Well, if Sportback sales improve a bit now I guess my thesis is correct, if not, I have no taste.

mikevegas06 · January 2011

elgatoloco...

hahaha. I got a good laugh out of your last post.

2011 is the first year of the ES trim for the Sportback.

mikevegas06 · January 2011

Mitsubishi to build new family of vehicles in U.S.

Mitsubishi will assemble a new family of vehicles at its Illinois plant within two years, a source familiar with the company's plans said.

The vehicles will be based on the platform underpinning the Outlander and Outlander Sport crossovers and Lancer sedan, the source said. Those models are assembled in Japan.

Mitsubishi's plant in Normal, Ill., builds the Galant sedan, Endeavor crossover, Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder. Those vehicles will be phased out by the company's 2013 fiscal year, Japan's Nikkei reported.

When production of the new models will begin is unclear. Mitsubishi sold 55,683 vehicles in the United States in 2010, up 3 percent from 2009.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110117/CARNEWS/110119914#ixzz1BO0nekcy

oldfarmer50 · January 2011

goodbye Eclipse

fushigi · January 2011

IMO it's overdue to retire the Galant/Eclipse/Endeavor platform. The platform dates from when, 04? And when it debuted it wasn't class-leading.

As to retiring the names, that'd be a shame. Endeavor could go as it never truly caught on and larger SUVs won't help Mitsu meet future CAFE requirements.

But I'd really like to see the new vehicles get Galant & Eclipse names. Those names are well established, especially Eclipse. Eclipse needs to be a 2-door Evo, though, with the high-end trim offering a turbo 4 and optional AWD.

As a side note, Mitsu also needs to get MPG numbers up for the bread & butter vehicles. Start using DI like GM & Hyundai are doing.

stever · January 2011

It's up:

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Thanks for the suggestion!

oldfarmer50 · January 2011

"...Eclipse needs to be a 2-door Evo..."

I agree 100%. Even though I like the room in my last generation Eclipse I think it's just too big and heavy to appeal to the boi racer crowd. The Lancer is very roomy and if you could put the Evo mechanicals in a stylish 2-door body, I would be a buyer.

In the Top Gear episode where the guys raved about the Evo's performance they also called it "ugly".

"...start using DI like..."

I seem to remember reading that Mitsu introduced DI (direct injection) years ago, long before it became the rage with competitors. That, and turbo technology should make for some very fast fuel efficient cars.

Why Mitsu hasn't incorporated all those elements in their car may be just a cost thing. Maybe they should rethink that now.

fushigi · January 2011

I haven't read up on it but it's my understanding that the "old DI" tech had a tendency to allow buildups of some sort that would impact performance and/or reliability. The DI Hyundai, GM, etc. are using now supposedly won't have that problem.

I'm not sure what the difference is. Maybe advances/changes in oil. Maybe a refinement to the DI tech itself. Maybe a hardware redesign. *shrug*

Regardless, the benefits seem to be there in terms of higher engine output & potentially better economy. I'd be surprised if an ICE car could remain competitive without it in the next few years.

mikevegas06 · February 2011

Mitsu posted increased sales for January.

Outlander Sport Sparks Mitsubishi's Fast Start For The New Year
Tue, Feb 01, 2011 - CYPRESS, Calif.

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today reported January 2011 sales of 5,714 units, an increase of 37 percent compared to January 2010.

"We are pleased with the steady growth in sales of our Outlander Sport," said MMNA President & CEO Shin Kurihara. "As we expected, the impetus provided by this all-new crossover SUV has gotten our year off to a very good start."

Outlander Sport sales were 1,065 in January, which is an increase of 10 percent over the prior month (December 2010). Outlander Sport sales have grown in each of its four months of sales since its introduction last October.

Other January sales highlights include:

January sales represent Mitsubishi's highest monthly sales total since August 2009, and the second highest sales total in more than two years
Galant sales were 2,549, up 80 percent from January 2009.
Lancer Evolution sales were up more than 18 percent from last January

fushigi · February 2011

That's a (relatively speaking) lot of Galants. No mention of Outlander & Lancer, though, which implies that the Sport probably stole some of their possible sales.

Regardless, that's a huge jump compared to last January and, should that monthly sales volume be sustainable, would lead to a healthy jump in sales for the year.

elgatoloco · February 2011

Officially official as of 9:00 AM CST Friday February 4th. MMNA president Shin Kurihara visited the Mitsubishi assembly plant in Normal Illinois to announce that the Outlander Sport model will be the new product to replace the Galant, Eclipse, Spyder and Endeavor. Production should begin in mid 2012 with approximately 50% of build slated for export to Russia, the Mideast and South America. Desired production is 50,000 units per year.

Mr Kurihara was accompanied by several guests including Illinois Governor Pat Quinn ( who forked over $29,000,000.00 in financial incentives courtesy of the Illinois taxpayers ) and UAW president Bob King.

Hopefully a lot of questions concerning performance upgrades and engine options will be answered soon.

fushigi · February 2011

Article: http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2011/02/mitsubishi-to-produce-outlander-sport- -in-illinois.html

mikevegas06 · February 2011

Glad that the plant is gonna be re-tooled. Maybe we'll get a Ralliart version of the O Sport soon.

iluvmysephia1 · February 2011

is an SUV worth Jones-sing over. Really. I want one. In Red. Like Sammy Hagar Red.

oldfarmer50 · February 2011

"...Desired production is 50,000 units per year..."

I read that the Normal plant has a capacity of about 250,000 units. It would be nice if they produced more that one model there.

fushigi · February 2011

In my mind I'm OK with bringing the O Sport to Normal. It runs on the Lancer platform so as long as that platform is being made there it would be very easy to also make Lancers and Outlanders should the need for them outstrip the Japan plant.

50K units a year is still just a single shift for Normal so they'll have plenty of potential to grow should the market reward them with the sales.

fushigi · February 2011

http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/worldrecords/index.do

"ONE DAY. TWO CUVS. FIVE GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS.

To demonstrate Mitsubishi's All-Wheel Control technology we set out for some unforgiving terrain in Alberta, Canada, with our Outlander crossover family. We came home with a handful of official Guinness World Records."

300 m - The greatest distance by a vehicle in reverse on snow in 30 seconds - Outlander Sport
56.2 m - The shortest braking distance by a vehicle on ice (30 mph to 0 mph) - Outlander Sport
3 laps - The most vehicle figure-of-eights on ice in two minutes - Outlander
1:11 min - The fastest vehicle slalom relay on ice (1/4 mile) - Outlander & Outlander Sport
19:31 sec - The fastest driven square lap in a vehicle (gravel, 100 ft. x 100 ft.) - Outlander

To me the most impressive are the figure 8, slalom, and the ice braking. The ice braking looks especially boring,

, which is exactly how you'd want it to be. And the figure 8 & slalom show how the AWC system can benefit in everyday winter condition driving.

mikevegas06 · February 2011

Hey fushigi. Good post. Quite entertaining. Let's see if Mitsu uses any of this info on their website. For all of the negative reviews published, there are good ones too. But Mitsu doesn't take the time to use any of the good reviews on their website. And comercials - ha! I barely ever see one.

fushigi · February 2011

I'm getting the opinion that Mitsu does more with regional advertising than national. Here in the Chicagoland area they seem to have a commercial running relatively often. The commercials are rarely for Mitsu as a whole and instead feature a specific vehicle. Usually the most recently upgraded/introduced.

The dealer I bought from also does a fair bit of radio advertising.

Next week I'll give my Chicago Auto Show report on them.

fushigi · February 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWk0Out3bM

Interesting. They talk about extra precautions they're taking when crash-testing EVs.

mikevegas06 · March 2011

Outlander Sport Model Continues to Fuel Mitsubishi February 2011 Sales

CYPRESS, CA - March 1, 2011: Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today reported February 2011 sales of 6,893 vehicles, which represents a marked sales expansion of more than 72% in comparison to the 4,019 total vehicle sales reported from the same month in 2010.

With Outlander Sport sales increasing each month since it was launched last October, this demonstrates that our American customers appreciate a value-priced/well-equipped vehicle that is stylish, versatile while also delivering impressive fuel economy and electronic All-Wheel-Control, said MMNA President & CEO Shin Kurihara. Thus far, the Outlander Sport sales mix has been over 50% well-equipped All-Wheel-Control models which exceeds our expectations for this equipment level. With the addition of increased sales from other models in our lineup, the February sales are an indication of the excellent work performed by all of our employees and our dealer partners.

The new 5-passenger Outlander Sport was named Best Compact Crossover for the Money for 2011 by the prestigious U.S. News & World Report based on such important criteria as overall value, appeal within its vehicle class and five-year total cost of ownership data.

Mitsubishi also announced that the popular Outlander Sport CUV will begin production at the companys world-class manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois by the middle of 2012.

Other February sales highlights include:

Highest monthly sales since October of 2008
Outlander Sport sales of 1,290 units
Lancer Evolution sales up 17.9% from February 2010

fushigi · March 2011

Good numbers for Mitsu and I'm glad to see the more expensive (and probably more profitable) AWD version of the OSport is selling beyond expectations.

What I'm liking is that the Sport's numbers appear to be new customer draws. By that I mean overall sales volume is up significantly and OSport sales don't appear to be stealing sales from the regular Outlander or any other Mitsu model. Put another way, year-on-year sales would have been up even without the addition of the Outlander Sport to the lineup.

stever · March 2011

"AutoCar UK is reporting today that Mitsubishi is killing the Lancer Evolution -- a blow to its image which will be hard to overcome. Although the rumor remains unconfirmed by the company's U.S. PR team, there's little financial reason to keep it around.

According to the AutoCar report, the decision is part of a brand makeover destined to turn the company boring green by focusing on EV technology."

Mitsubishi EVO X Rumored Dead (Straightline)

Mitsubishi News

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles