Report: Mitsubishi to kill Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant
#16
The problem with the Galant is not so much that it is a bad car, but that the Camry and Accord so totally dominate the mid-sized-sedan market that it is difficult, if not impossible, for other cars in that class to realistically compete, though, lately, there are some signs of that changing, especially with the Ford Fusion and Chevy Malibu. The Nissan Altima, lately, has also been moderately successful. But the Camry and Accord are both American institutions....both of them ride on their decades-long coattails.
#17
The Endeavor may LOOK funky (especially with that big silver, boom-box-styled dash), but it at least has a up-to-date AWD system that doesn't have a bunch of road-surface restrictions and fumbling around with a manual transfer-case lever. And even the inexpensive Outlander also has a proper full-time AWD system
#18
I agree with previous poster that Mitsubishi really messed up the design of the Eclipse with the 3rd and 4th GENS. The market was steering towards RWD/AWD and they should have followed that trend with the Eclipse. I guess they wanted to distinguish it more from the EVO. The Galant was also a nice car back in the day. I find the last couple of iterations of the Galant to be quite fugly. Old school Mitsus had some character. I don't even like the new EVO styling that much to be honest.
#19
Let's also not forget, though, that the Montero Sport had an El-Cheapo, Jeep Wrangler-type, part-time 4WD system that could not be used on dry-pavement cornering without risking tire/drivetrain damage...a PITA, considering the way most SUVs are used today. In those days, you had to spend substantially more and get the big Montero to get an automatic, full-time 4WD/AWD....something I pointed out to the Mitsubishi people several times (with deaf ears).
The Endeavor may LOOK funky (especially with that big silver, boom-box-styled dash), but it at least has a up-to-date AWD system that doesn't have a bunch of road-surface restrictions and fumbling around with a manual transfer-case lever. And even the inexpensive Outlander also has a proper full-time AWD system
The Endeavor may LOOK funky (especially with that big silver, boom-box-styled dash), but it at least has a up-to-date AWD system that doesn't have a bunch of road-surface restrictions and fumbling around with a manual transfer-case lever. And even the inexpensive Outlander also has a proper full-time AWD system
#20
The majority of SUV drivers don't go off-road or use 4WD. They base their purchase on styling, status/bling, and city errands (soccer mom/cargo) abilities. So I don't think there's a connection to what you listed about their 4WD systems making or breaking their sales. The Montero Sport was modern, affordable, and had clean styling. It sold well for it's first few years. The Endeavor grew in size, had bizarre, funky, bloated, nerdy styling, horrible interior asthetics, and was overpriced.
Anyhow, I don't know how we got off into SUVs, but the main thread topic is the Galant and Eclipse.
#21
Article
TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to kill its current lineup of U.S.-made vehicles, including the Eclipse sporty car and Endeavor crossover, over the next 3 years and switch to producing global vehicles at its Illinois plant, partly to target export markets.
The current nameplates will be phased out by 2014 as part of the carmaker's “Jump 2013” mid-term business plan unveiled today by President Osamu Masuko.
Mitsubishi's factory in Normal, Ill., its only U.S. assembly plant, will pick up new models based on the platform underpinning the Outlander crossover, Outlander Sport small crossover and Lancer sedan. The company plans to announce early next month what model will debut there.
Discontinuing the Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor and Galant sedan is an element of Mitsubishi's plan to build on the company's 3% U.S. sales increase last year after years of steady decline. Despite losing the 4 models from its local lineup, Masuko predicted U.S. sales and production would rise as the company ramps up the new vehicle family.
Sales up
“Our sales in North America will increase,” Masuko said. “We'll still be selling cars brought in from Japan, and we'll be adding the global small car as well.”
Masuko did not give a sales target for the United States. Mitsubishi expects combined sales to the Japanese, North American and European markets to grow by 90,000 units over the next 3 years.
Masuko noted that Mitsubishi's U.S. business will also get a lift from improvement in overall market demand. Masuko added that he intends to keep Mitsubishi's U.S. retail network stable at around 400 dealerships.
Mitsubishi sold 55,683 vehicles in the United States in 2010, up 3% from 2009.
Going green
The new global small car, which Mitsubishi plans to initially build in Thailand, is among the cars Masuko plans to bring to the United States. Another is the Japan-made i-MiEV electric vehicle, which will be labeled “i powered by MiEV” in North America when it goes on sale late this year.
Masuko said Mitsubishi and Nissan Motor Co. are exploring the possibility of jointly developing a 1-ton pickup truck for emerging markets. That comes as Mitsubishi reaches out to competitors such as Nissan and Suzuki Motor Corp. to help it flesh out its lineup with small cars and commercial vehicles.
Masuko said the U.S. overhaul does not include plans for any rebadged vehicles.
Mitsubishi has been without a pickup in the United States since it killed the Raider in 2009. That vehicle was a rebadged Dodge Dakota.
After the new platform enters production in Illinois, Mitsubishi plans to sell half of its output in North America and the rest overseas. The goal is to leverage shipments to dollar zone regions, such as Latin America and the Middle East, where exports from Japan are less competitive.
Emerging markets
Mitsubishi's Jump 2013 plan focuses on rolling out eight electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids, as well as boosting business in emerging markets such as China, Russia and Brazil.
Global sales are seen climbing 37% to 1.37 million vehicles in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, from estimated worldwide volume of 1.0 million units this fiscal year.
The bulk of that increase will come from emerging markets, Mitsubishi says.
Mitsubishi also aims to double operating profit to 90 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in that period.
On the green car front, Mitsubishi said it will launch 8 electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016. The rollout starts this year with a small commercial truck version of its i-MiEV. The lineup is also expected to include a plug-in hybrid SUV based on the Px-MiEV concept car shown at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
You can reach Hans Greimel at hgreimel@crain.com.
#26
Well everything is going according to the plan. Mitsu North America should have never happened. They still have the plant and getting rid of it or putting something in it is on top of their list. Till then USA will enjoy global cars..
..For a while
..For a while
#28
#29
Report: Mitsubishi to kill Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant
Report: Mitsubishi to kill Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant
It turns out the rumors we heard about the languishing Mitsubishi lineup are true. According to Automotive News, Mitsubishi is planning to drop the axe on the entirety of its American-made portfolio of vehicles in order to begin building new global platforms here in the States. That means that the Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant will all be sent to pasture gradually between now and 2014. In their place, Mitsubishi is likely to begin building cars and crossovers off of the Lancer and Outlander bones at the company's Normal, Illinois manufacturing facility. At least some of those vehicles will be hybrid or battery powered.
Mitsubishi has made it clear that the company will offer eight hybrid and battery-powered vehicles by 2015 in a move to be better prepared for rising fuel prices. The company saw a sales increase of around three percent last year, and by 2013 or 2014, the automaker says that it plans to see that figure at 37 percent. That would mean Mitsubishi would need to move a total of 1.37 million vehicles by that date.
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/20/r...or-and-galant/
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seems to me like Mitsubishi, much like Honda are stuck idling. Some awesome cars were produced by them back in the 90's, and unfortunately those legendary nameplates have been more and more diluted from what they once were. I miss those AWD Eclipses..