Not good news on mitsu future
Evolving Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Nanaimo, British Columbia
We live in a global market. If support for Mitsu here in North America is cut off, OEM parts would still be available shipped from other markets. Besides, how many people here actually replace parts with OEM when there is &*%# load of Performance Parts available out there.
We live in a global market. If support for Mitsu here in North America is cut off, OEM parts would still be available shipped from other markets. Besides, how many people here actually replace parts with OEM when there is &*%# load of Performance Parts available out there.
as old DSM heads, we've been hearing about Mitsu going out of business for as long as I can remember. Let's just hope they can keep themselves going until this world economy turns around a little.
Evolved Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 3
From: Birmingham, AL
This about sums up what I hope is good positive journalism for Mitsu instead of all the gloom and doom in every review I've read of their products. Its from Car and Driver about the Outlander GT:
The S-AWC system is the sort of high-end technology gadget that Japanese delight in and Americans wonder why anybody wanting a family wagon would spend the extra money for. In the recent past, when Mitsubishi was trying—unsuccessfully—to be a more American company, S-AWC would have been left off U.S.-bound models. But Mitsubishi is trying to be more Japanese again, partly to turn back the clock to a happier time when its cars had movable wings and electronic all-wheel drive and other wondrous widgets—and a hard-core group of Americans loved them for it.
I'm actually interested in this crossover- Mitsu shouldn't try to be the volume leader, but rather a make who offers special vehicles or maybe even concentrate on the real small cars since nobody else will market them.
If Mitsubishi can come out with two or three more interesting cars, they might appeal to a potential nissan or hyundai customer. not like they will replace toyota or honda- so they should just try for the niche and tech car segment.
If Mitsubishi can come out with two or three more interesting cars, they might appeal to a potential nissan or hyundai customer. not like they will replace toyota or honda- so they should just try for the niche and tech car segment.
Looks like good news....FINALLY
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...100929947/1179
Mitsubishi president pledges to stay in U.S., wants to quadruple sales
Hans Greimel
Automotive News -- September 22, 2010 - 3:52 pm ET
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ENLARGE
Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko: “We have never thought about withdrawing from the U.S. market, and we will not do so.”
TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko says the company won't pull out of the U.S. market and that his personal mid-range sales target is 200,000 units a year, or roughly four times today's level of 50,000.
Masuko acknowledged that the Japanese carmaker has fallen hard since its U.S. sales peaked at 354,111 vehicles in 2002. But he sees sales reversing their steady decline and expanding this year and next. New products, patience, moderate incentives and sustainable growth will be the key, he says.
“People have been asking me for the past six years whether Mitsubishi's going to withdraw from the market,” Masuko said in a Tuesday interview. “But it never enters my mind.”
“We have never thought about withdrawing from the U.S. market, and we will not do so.”
Mitsubishi's U.S. sales are off about 4 percent to 36,431 units through August in an overall market that is up 8 percent year-to-date.
Gradual growth
Mitsubishi's rapid expansion in the early 2000s was fueled by unprecedented 0 percent financing. A more rapid plunge in sales, spurred by the global financial crisis, has prompted analysts to wonder whether Mitsubishi might be the next Japanese carmaker to quit the U.S. market following Isuzu's pullout in January 2009.
The company needs more disciplined incentives to gradually build sales, Masuko said.
The automaker's average incentives came down roughly $270 per vehicle in the April-June quarter but were still above $3,000 per unit, he said. For the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Masuko said the automaker's average annual incentive should decline to under $3,000.
Mitsubishi will unveil a mid-term business plan, probably in November, and provide a detailed forecast for its U.S. operations. The company will also outline a plan to revive its under-utilized assembly plant in Normal, Ill., Masuko said. It may entail a new model or platform to be built there.
“We're always talking about what the best scale for our sales in the United States would be,” Masuko said. “But my personal opinion is that in the United States, I don't know how many years it would take, but our target could be around 200,000 units.”
For the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Mitsubishi wants U.S. sales of 68,000 units, up from 54,000 last year. Sales should rise again the following year, aided by the introduction of the new Outlander Sport small SUV, Masuko said.
Change coming
Overhauling a U.S. lineup heavy in outdated vehicles such as the Galant sedan, Eclipse sport coupe and Endeavor SUV will be essential to any turnaround.
Masuko said to expect changes.
“I cannot speak about it too concretely, but from what we know at the moment, it is not possible to continue with the models that we have had,” he said.
Long oriented toward SUVs and large sedans, the company now wants to shrink with smaller, fuel efficient cars. Electric vehicles also figure into its future. The i-MiEV electric car will be arriving in the United States next year and will be followed by the PX MiEV plug-in hybrid.
Instead of toiling on cars designed for developed markets, such as the Eclipse, Mitsubishi is pursuing world cars with more universal appeal. Sales trends support the new priorities.
North America is by far the smallest market for Mitsubishi. The region accounted for just 9 percent of the company's global unit sales in the fiscal year ended March 31.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz10PfOn48R
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...100929947/1179
Mitsubishi president pledges to stay in U.S., wants to quadruple sales
Hans Greimel
Automotive News -- September 22, 2010 - 3:52 pm ET
image Print image Email image Reprints
10 comments
Recommend (10)
>> Send us a Letter to the Editor
ENLARGE
Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko: “We have never thought about withdrawing from the U.S. market, and we will not do so.”
TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko says the company won't pull out of the U.S. market and that his personal mid-range sales target is 200,000 units a year, or roughly four times today's level of 50,000.
Masuko acknowledged that the Japanese carmaker has fallen hard since its U.S. sales peaked at 354,111 vehicles in 2002. But he sees sales reversing their steady decline and expanding this year and next. New products, patience, moderate incentives and sustainable growth will be the key, he says.
“People have been asking me for the past six years whether Mitsubishi's going to withdraw from the market,” Masuko said in a Tuesday interview. “But it never enters my mind.”
“We have never thought about withdrawing from the U.S. market, and we will not do so.”
Mitsubishi's U.S. sales are off about 4 percent to 36,431 units through August in an overall market that is up 8 percent year-to-date.
Gradual growth
Mitsubishi's rapid expansion in the early 2000s was fueled by unprecedented 0 percent financing. A more rapid plunge in sales, spurred by the global financial crisis, has prompted analysts to wonder whether Mitsubishi might be the next Japanese carmaker to quit the U.S. market following Isuzu's pullout in January 2009.
The company needs more disciplined incentives to gradually build sales, Masuko said.
The automaker's average incentives came down roughly $270 per vehicle in the April-June quarter but were still above $3,000 per unit, he said. For the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Masuko said the automaker's average annual incentive should decline to under $3,000.
Mitsubishi will unveil a mid-term business plan, probably in November, and provide a detailed forecast for its U.S. operations. The company will also outline a plan to revive its under-utilized assembly plant in Normal, Ill., Masuko said. It may entail a new model or platform to be built there.
“We're always talking about what the best scale for our sales in the United States would be,” Masuko said. “But my personal opinion is that in the United States, I don't know how many years it would take, but our target could be around 200,000 units.”
For the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Mitsubishi wants U.S. sales of 68,000 units, up from 54,000 last year. Sales should rise again the following year, aided by the introduction of the new Outlander Sport small SUV, Masuko said.
Change coming
Overhauling a U.S. lineup heavy in outdated vehicles such as the Galant sedan, Eclipse sport coupe and Endeavor SUV will be essential to any turnaround.
Masuko said to expect changes.
“I cannot speak about it too concretely, but from what we know at the moment, it is not possible to continue with the models that we have had,” he said.
Long oriented toward SUVs and large sedans, the company now wants to shrink with smaller, fuel efficient cars. Electric vehicles also figure into its future. The i-MiEV electric car will be arriving in the United States next year and will be followed by the PX MiEV plug-in hybrid.
Instead of toiling on cars designed for developed markets, such as the Eclipse, Mitsubishi is pursuing world cars with more universal appeal. Sales trends support the new priorities.
North America is by far the smallest market for Mitsubishi. The region accounted for just 9 percent of the company's global unit sales in the fiscal year ended March 31.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz10PfOn48R
Evolving Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
From: Aloha, Oregon
I just want to add a bit of positive information. In my area, just within the past couple of weeks, a dealer group picked up Mitsubishi, so there are now two Mitsu dealers in my area. This reverses the trend of Mitsu dealers disappearing. Before this happened, there was only one Mitsubishi dealer within a 150 mile radius of the Portland Oregon Metro area.
Evolving Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
From: Aloha, Oregon
Herzogg-Meier Mitsubishi, right? 
I've previously heard bad stuff about their other dealerships, but hoping the Mitsu one is going to be better. At least they have competition from Town & Country Mitsubishi.
I've previously heard bad stuff about their other dealerships, but hoping the Mitsu one is going to be better. At least they have competition from Town & Country Mitsubishi.
