G20

iTrader: (13)

Is this mean there could be evo again? And Mazda posted lost? It's bizarre.

http://wot.motortrend.com/1504_mitsu...n_7_years.html

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

Mitsubishi is still in last place and with less than 1% market share it is pretty much just competing with itself to stay alive. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...-january-2015/

GTijoejoe

iTrader: (25)

Most likely they will merge with another OEM, that's my bet.

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

Mitsubishi is pinning its future to the success of the new Outlander and Outlander sport. If those models are not successful, it will truely be end of days for them here in the states.

PZ.eu

Mitsubishi needs a new model for D segment and large SUV and restyling on C and B segment.

WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

Given that Mitsubishi's lineup is basically full of outdated cars at this point, why would another company want to merge with them? Or even do a joint venture? Mitsubishi, at least in North American guise, has 0 to offer.

MisterRegato

iTrader: (4)

And to think the guy at the mitsu dealer told me that mitsu is kicking ***

formerSTIowner

That article is extremely misleading/confusing. The title gives you the impression that Mitsu outperformed Mazda last year. It did not. The article compares Mitsu's NA FY 2014 to the fourth quarter of Mazda global initially, making the comparison favorable for Mitsu. If you look global profitibility - Mitsu posted $1.0B in operating profit vs. Mazda's $1.7 B - albeit in two different years - 2014 actual Mazda vs. 2015 predicted Mitsu. They comment on NA/global and 2014 actual vs. 2015 forecast, across two different companies. Very sloppy article.

Also note that profitability will decline this year as they increase R&D. Perhaps they cut R&D in 2014 - a bad long term play - just to enhance profitability short term.

It is unlikely that any other tier one company would acquire Mitsu either. As someone else pointed out, there isn't a value proposition to be had. Maybe a merger with a similar size company with a complimentary product line - but that won't give Mitsu the cash it needs to jump ahead either.

Time will tell.

GTijoejoe

iTrader: (25)

That is a good thought, but that is absolutely not true.
Mitsubishi has technology in EV and race applications, diesel, engines, commercial trucks etc... they have a lot more then you might understand from the products they provide to N.America.

In my opinion their issue; execution of product, styling, and quality in durability, and possibly manufacturing... these types of issues do not reflect technology. You merge/buy a company to have access to their assets, factories, work force, supply chain, and know how. You utilize your own abilities and take out the bad, input the good and grow.,to say mits is worth $0 is silly.

This is just my opinion and understanding of automotive industry

WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

Their EV technology is 2nd tier, at best. The iMiEV has had rapidly dwindling sales in all markets, with a staggering ( ) 196 sales in the US 2014 and 31 YTD in 2015. Other than an occasional concept, Mitsubishi hasn't shown anything marketable to replace it.

Nobody does JVs for racing, especially not rally. Nobody rallies anymore. And the whole point of factory racing is to develop your own engineering capability; buying someone else's capability doesn't make any sense.

Their diesel tech is unimpressive and not pushing the boundaries. Nothing of value there.

Engines, can't think of anything unique Mitsubishi has to offer, other than capacity.

Commercial trucks, their Fuso lineup competes in a saturated market for low-cabovers, where Isuzu is the dominant player, and price is the #1 and only consideration when purchasing. Not a market anyone would want to go into. Ask Ford how the LCF program went.

So... what exactly is someone buying?

PZ.eu

Dunno about electrics but being 1st to offer a PHEV 4x4 and a first electric cars is something.
Even tho I consider i-MiEV rubbish, burn it with fire garbage.
Rallying isn't the thing for last 7 years and I agree with this.
What diesel tech are you reffering to? Last time I remember Mitsubishi was the first one to offer Variable timing on diesels, and afterwards Mazda followed. 150hp out of 1.8l diesel is some good yield with great fuel economy.

Fuso is only Mitsubishi by inheritance, it has nothing to do with Mitsubishi Motors and is affiliate of Daimler. So lets avoid that okay? Last time I remember Canter used 4M42(fairly sturdy engine) mitsubishi engine until euro6, and replaced it with Iveco "4P10" or whatever of million names that engine goes under.

WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

Forgot about the 4N1 series. But why don't the Outlander/Outlander Sport have it in the US? Emissions, cost, reliability? If Mitsubishi can't make it work when all the engineering is already done (since that platform/engine is used globally - except in the US), would someone else want it?

Otherwise, I agree.

And interesting that Mazda can't figure out the Skyactiv-D in the CX-5/Mazda 6.

GTijoejoe

iTrader: (25)

I already stated it, the fact you don't want to accept it is a different story.
The FACTS are they have it, if you don't have it, it costs 100's of millions to billions to develop/manufacture it... and time, not to mention what they have behind closed doors.

As a company you can't develop market experience or know how easily (ask Tesla), mits has that, and it can be purchased. This exact same scenario happens all the time with suppliers.
Who consumes a company which is excelling at everything? Normally those companies are not for sale.

Only because Mits can not excel with their technology doesn't mean someone else can not. Regardless of technology they still have assets.

WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

OK, I'll guess I'll break it down for the delusional.

The FACTS are that most other companies have the same technology, and usually better.

EV: The battery tech is the only thing there. And the battery tech came from a JV with Yuasa - one of the biggest battery companies in the world. Yuasa will sell batteries to anyone. So will NEC (who makes the Leaf batteries) and Panasonic (who makes the Tesla batteries). As far as system integration, Toyota, Nissan/Renault, BMW, Tesla, Honda, Porsche, GM, and probably half a dozen companies I'm forgetting all have their own EVs or hybrids. The biggest company that doesn't have an electric vehicle of some sort is Hyundai - and they're working on their own. That probably means Subaru would be the only interested party. You can think about that one for a while...

So - who is buying into Mitsubishi's EV program?

Racing: covered this.

Diesel: In the context of the US market, there isn't really a lot of demand here. About the only thing I can see here would be a diesel small Jeep similar to the Patriot, but they would just source the engine from Fiat. But unfortunately I don't see this going anywhere, especially since Mitsubishi doesn't even sell their own diesels here (leading me to believe this wouldn't be a plug and play application). Subaru made a flat 4 diesel for the Forester already.

So - who is buying into Mitsubishi's diesel program?

Engines: Nothing revolutionary to buy, other than the 4N1 diesels, see above. All the bigger companies have surplus capacity and ample R&D for their own engines.

So - who is buying into Mitsubishi's engine program?

Commercial Trucks: As PZ.eu pointed out, Fuso isn't even really Mitsubishi, it's something they bought into. And the market they operate in, small cabovers, is a saturated market that nobody in their right mind would want to get into.

Whatever you think of Mitsubishi's current portfolio of technology, there is nothing special to offer. I can see a world where someone would be interested in snagging diesels, but not here, and that's about it.

So, sorry... Mitsubishi is on their own. And they need to get their act together soon.

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

The automotive market is only getting MORE competitive and I don't see the major players taking their foot off the gas in the fight for market share. With less than 1% market share (some estimates put it at .5%) Mitsubishi is basically a nonfactor.