Geez..

I'm not so sure Mitsubishi is ready to enter the 'high-line" market with a model like this..


You know, it reminds me of the old body Diamante's with Height Control, Surround Sound Stereos and more..

and the Montero SR Model Sport Utility..AWESOME truck.

Those cars were great! And weren't cheap either back in the mid 90's..

Of course, I'm not so sure VW is ready to enter the high-line market either but we will see..

Their new W10 will be an interseting vehicle..(Phaeton?) But lookit how much it's going to be!! The Toureg fer crying out is like $50K !!!


That buyer is going to shop the Lexus, BMW, and Audi shoroom and then set foot on a VW showfloor??! (albeit a REDESIGNED dealership/showfloor but..??!!)

 

Having experienced mainly in the U.S., I can appreciate your hesitation.
has sold luxury and near-luxury vehicles since the mid 60's, starting with the Debonair and ending with the Proudia/Dignity series in 2000.
has some excellent automotive technology as well as the ability to produce reliable and high quality vehicles. You mentioned the early 90's Diamante and Montero SR, which are probably as high tech as got in the U.S.
Japan got some very tech ladden cars, including a 1997 JDM Diamante with intelligent cruise control that kept its distance from the car ahead of it by controlling speed or applying brakes.

Anyway, I don't think the new stretched model will be a luxury car. It will probably simply be a step up from the Galant.

 

WOW! I thought that laser guided speed control was a Lexus thing!!

And I can imagine that Mits has/had the technology..

I just wish they had continued to introduce the "tech saavy" cars like the Diamante and Montero's of old..

Maybe they could?

 

With bringing MIVEC to the U.S. I think there may be some more tech goodies coming our way.
With the Montero expected to maintain its upscale image, a computer controlled self adjusting suspension may well make a return to the U.S. model with the redesign in 2005, Especially if the rumor that it will share platforms with the next Mercedes M-Class pan out as true.
The larger Diamante redesign slated for 2006 may also feature some high-tech gadgetry. We just have to be patient.

 

I hope that works out. Mitsu definitely doesn't need a luxury brand, so it would be nice to see true diversity in the lineup with the Montero and the Diamante becoming true flagships again, rather then watching them slowly being decontented of the years.
Waiting all these years to add projector beam headlights to the Diamante (but without HID) and still no navigation as an option makes it difficult to compete, making the Diamante merely an also ran. I'm tired of it being called "the best kept secret" in the near luxury segment. A full sized Diam with AWD, laser beams cruise and a damn R2 D2 Astromech co pilot is what I want. When you've got German backers and Mitsu innovators on your teams we should expect nothing less.

 

Apparently, Mercedes is intent on learning from . According to an Automotive News article, the parent company is interested in 's manufacturing process and some other technologies.
With the new Colt, developed a relatively fast and flexible manufacturing process that lets customers choose specific items and options for their car.

 

Customers choosing specific items and options for their cars? What an amazing technology! And Mercedes wants to learn this? Somethign sounds a little too obvious here..

Mercedes is notorious for their extreme options and customer choices in cars.

Poplar Wood trim? Cinnamora Wood Trim? Carrier, Ski? Snowboard? Basic? Bike? These folks now how to turn a profit becuase they offer nearly every option you could want, no need to go aftermarket. Each one of their cars has almost 5 engine option on averrage. And most of the engines you can mix and match between their chassis.

And they have AMG, where is RalliArt? The long running front runners in financial sucess have kept two things consistent, Provide exceptional customer support and provide options. that is what keeps current customers coming back and entices customers to come in and get a car nearly custom tailored to your needs.

In the early 70s many asian companies wanted to get a piece of the american market and took the economical approach. as they have grown, some took the approach to spin off upscale brands, and are just begining to offering the upscale options desired by those getting out of the cookie cutter economy segment.

But what is Mitsu's desired market? all? economy, mid range, and upscale? That's tough to do in our socio casting society. People don't like to pick up name brand percieved high qaulity goods at Wal Mart. They prefer to go to a Foley's and spend more money. There is a social perception that at Foley's you're getting somethign more for your money when they only thing your getting is often more options. Walmart focuses on the essentials and a smaller variety to keep costs down and cater to the economical market. Some of the more upscale brnads are starting a trend where they are trying to bring in some of the lower cost markets, but still maintain the options offered across their product range. Merceds and BMW might not have a $15k car, but their $20k offerings still offer options which can tack on a another $7k easily, but the low cost no frills offering is attractive to some and the options attract more who want to add bits here and there.

Mitsu is in a tough spot, simply due to the direction they have taken, which has been quite unclear. From their techno laden vehicles just 5-10 years ago, to their current quite no frills unequiped products. They need to stop meandering and find a clear path and stick to it.

What is their current product line primarily focused towards? mid range mainstream with a penchant for penny pinching? not a godd group to cozy up to if you're goal is to make money. I hope they've learned that form the current backlash from their 0/0/0 plan. I haven't seen any conrete data on it's repurcussions, but hearsay (heresy.. don't hang me....) has it is costing a good chunk of change in unpaid notes and repo's.

Hopefully we'll hear of some good strong direction for Mitsu and they'll stick to it for a few years and grow stronger.

 

Very well said
Your commentary is specifically applicable to in the U.S.
The reason Mercedes is looking at 's manufacturing is for cost saving measures to its own flexible manufacturing process. is able to offer this option at the Colt's price level (no other manufacturer in Japan did this last year) and still make money, thus they must be doing something right.

 

Mercedes and BMW have $15000 car its, A160 and 316 compact

 

http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/3

http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/d/bmw...l/revshare/tl1

http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/merce...fsrc=autos/ncg

Can you show me where these are offered in the US?

I think $25k is about their starting point.

 

Please don't consider Mercedes the front-runner here..
More like Lexus then BMW and the rest..

MB has been heavily burdened by the relationship with Chrysler..
For sure..

 

I'm not refering to any short term market trend, more so over the past decade. And getting the skinny on the inner parts of Daimler is a bit difficult.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=DCX

 

Couldn't get BMW's but I bet it looks a lot better..

 

Sorry my mistake if you meant US, but U can get them in europe for that price...and BMW compact used to be sold in US, right?

 

The US market is all messed up. err completely different than any other market. In Europe most any product must adhere to higher quality that in the US, and most european manufacturers offers products across most every price range. The US social perception breaks everything into caste or socio-economic groups for products. In the US, there is a horrible misconception that the more it costs the higher quality it is. That's why a lot of brands known for there expense get away with lesser quality. And conversely brands known for lesser quality have difficulty and usual failure bringing to market an improved higher qaulity more expensive product. That's why only in the US, they had to combat this "Keeping up with the Jones" mentality by creating new upscale brands, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura. Honda has been very keen to this and kept there Honda line at a below 30k price range and only had a small 5k overlap with all their Acura models in the more expensive range. You know how many people still don't know an Infiniti is a Nissan? or a Volvo is a Ford? or a Acura is a Honda? Most people on here are probably car nutz and hang around the same, but when you get to know more folks, you'll be amazed.

Ahh it's late, and this is just too darn long. On average, most folks in other parts of the world tend to be more educated (In which countires can most joe blows find Korea on a Globe?) and aware of products, but in the US, just tells em it's a Brand Spank'n New *Caddy* with a purr'n V8 and that's all they needs to know.. Tell em it's a mitsubishi, and that's all they need to know as well. and dont' go conusing the poor soul trying to explain that it has all wheel drive, and a turbo thing a ma jing and it can run with a corvette, cus thats just a bunch of hog wash. *no* mitsubishi can be mentioned in the same sentence as the revered *corvette*.

Enough sarcasm, you get the point, the mentality in these parts is perception is stronger than reality. THERE ARE WMDs!! even if they don't exist.