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Mitsubishi NA gets new president and CEO

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi has announced that the automaker’s North American operations will now be helmed by Yoichi Yokozawa. The former vice president will replace Shinichi Kurihara as CEO on April 1 of this year. Kurihara is said to be returning to the Mitsubishi mothership at that time, though it’s unclear exactly what his duties will be once he returns to Japan.

Yokozawa got his start with Mitsubishi 13 years ago when he came on board the company’s European headquarters to help oversee the automaker’s financial planning on the old continent. Since 2006, the executive has been responsible for guiding Mitsubishi through NAFTA interests as the corporate general manager in the Mitsubishi overseas business management office.

The automaker says that Yokozawa has worked with the company on multiple levels on everything from corporate strategy to financial, merger, alliance and business projects. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

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Mitsubishi NA gets new president and CEO originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cause to keep Mitsubishi Evo alive and pure pops up on the web

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Etc., Mitsubishi

evo help

Speculation surrounding the Mitsubishi Evolution has reached a fever pitch over the last few days. Has the Lancer Evolution reached the end of the line? Is Mitsubishi going to produce a new version that utilizes a hybrid powertrain? We don’t have an answer, but we do know that fans of the Evo are scared. The object of their affection has potentially met its demise. In an effort to show how much the car would be missed, a group of Evo-lovers have banded together to show support for the car they so-admire.

The title reads “Mitsubishi, Keep the Evo Alive” and it’s for an online petition to show the tri-diamond automaker how much its sports sedan will be missed. If you want to join in and show support, head over to the site and join the cause. If you prefer the dirt-drift action of a Subaru, then lean back in your chair, don’t click anything and cackle wildly.

[Source: Causes.com]

Cause to keep Mitsubishi Evo alive and pure pops up on the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi moving Outlander Sport production from Japan to Normal, IL

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Mitsubishi

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mitsubishi has confirmed rumors that it will transfer production of at least one of its models from Japan to its American manufacturing site in Normal, IL. At this time, the only vehicle the automaker has officially confirmed for U.S. production is the Outlander Sport.

It’s worth noting that the Outlander Sport shares a platform with the slightly larger Outlander and the Lancer sedan, so it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if production of these models were moved Stateside as well. Mitsubishi estimates that about half of the models it builds in the States will be exported.

At present, the plant in Normal assembles the Galant, Endeavor and Eclipse, but these vehicles are scheduled to be phased out by 2013. About 1,000 of the automaker’s 1,300 employees in North America are members of the United Auto Workers Union.

If you’re interested in reading all the details straight from the source, you know where to look.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

[Source: Mitsubishi]

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Mitsubishi moving Outlander Sport production from Japan to Normal, IL originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mitsubishi to sell rebadged Infiniti M… new Diamante in the cards?

Filed under: Sedan, Japan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Rumormill

2011 Infiniti M37

2011 Infiniti M37 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mitsubishi is reportedly considering selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M sedan in order to fill its void of premium offerings in its home market of Japan. However, Automotive News notes that Mitsubishi’s President, Osamu Masuko, has stated that the automaker will not leverage manufacturing deals with other companies in order to expand its lineup here in the United States, so don’t expect to see a Mitsu-branded Infiniti on our shores anytime soon.

Mitsubishi’s last endeavor into the luxury sedan market was with the Diamante – a car that suffered from lackluster sales numbers during its run throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Due to Mitsubishi’s financial woes during the mid-2000s, luxury car development was put on hold. Now, though, selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M (or Nissan Fuga, as it’s known in Japan) would insulate Mitsubishi from research and development costs, making it easier for the automaker to launch back into the luxury segment.

Automotive News reports that the Mitsubishi-badged Infiniti could go on sale in Japan as early as this year. Expect the standard gas version to be the first to wear a triple-diamond badge, though Mitsubishi may sell a version of the M Hybrid, as well. Top tip, Randy!

Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M37: Review

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Rumormill: Mitsubishi to sell rebadged Infiniti M… new Diamante in the cards? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mitsubishi to kill Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Mitsubishi

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse – Click above for high-res image gallery

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.

Gallery: 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse

[Sources: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Report: Mitsubishi to kill Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Future Mitsubishi models may each get their own EV variant

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Mitsubishi, Rumormill, Electric

2008 Lancer Evolution

Word on the web is that Mitsubishi is bracing for the electrification of the automobile in a big way. According to Motor Trend, the Japanese automaker is in the midst of developing all of its future products so that they easily support an EV drivetrain or an internal combustion get up. That line of thinking seems to mesh well with the rumors of the upcoming hybrid crossover from Mitsubishi. The lumbering beast will supposedly take plenty of cues from the PX-MiEV that showed up at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show, with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine working in conjunction with a pair of electric motors.

Additionally, Motor Trend seems to think that the current Montero is a likely platform to adopt a battery pack. The SUV may have died off from the American market, but it’s still alive and kicking in Asia and Europe, and a little help from an electric motor would go a long way toward inching the vehicle’s fuel economy down to more manageable levels.

And what of our beloved Lancer Evolution? From the sounds of things, even it might show up with electron-power in the near future, with the gasoline engine kicking at the rear tires and the front axles spun by a motor or two.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Report: Future Mitsubishi models may each get their own EV variant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there?

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Mitsubishi, UAW/Unions

Mitsubishi emblem

The good ol’ Diamond Star Motors plant in Normal, Illinois – where such well-regarded vehicles as the original Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser were built, among others – is apparently getting a new lease on life now that Mitsubishi, the United Auto Workers and laborers at the plant have all approved of a new contract.

At this point, it’s unclear what Mitsubishi plans to build in its only North American plant, and the present output of Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant are likely not long for this world. Would it be too much to ask for an Eclipse that hearkens back to the good old days of turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive? Probably, but we’ll settle for a new nameplate or two that escapes the automaker’s current mire of drab, dated and slow-selling sedans and coupes.

In any case, we’re told to expect a detailed product plan from Mitsubishi that will lay out the steps it will take to become relevant in the United States once again. And, incidentally, the Japanese automaker apparently has no intentions whatsoever of leaving the U.S. market… which means whatever it’s cooking up at the moment had better be rather impressive.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan, Mitsubishi will work together on small, possibly electric, cars

Filed under: Mitsubishi, Nissan, Electric

Following reports that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will open a new, efficient global small car plant in Thailand, rumors that MMC and Nissan are talking about a 50-50 joint company in 2011 are a lot more interesting. Automotive News is reporting that the two Japanese automakers could bring a small car to market together in 2012 and – here’s where it gets good – they might also work together on electric vehicles. Mitsubishi has been making the Mitsubishi iMiEV for years and Nissan just delivered its first Leaf. The two automakers also participate in a joint car-sharing program in Kyoto, Japan.

According to a statement from Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, no details have been decided, but an analyst at a consulting company in Tokyo told AN, “The alliance of the two automakers seems to be a good one as we can expect more cooperation in electric vehicles going forward.” Ghosn’s statement said the partnership, “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.”

Mitsubishi and Nissan already work together on some vehicles, like the Mitsubishi Lancer Cargo (made by Nissan) and the Minicab, Town Box, eKWagon and Pajero Mini models (built by Mitsubishi for Nissan).

[Sources: Automotive News – sub. req., Green Car Reports]

Report: Nissan, Mitsubishi will work together on small, possibly electric, cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Proton builds itself a Mitsubishi Evolution

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Mitsubishi, Misc. Auto Shows

Proton Jebat Concept – Click above for image gallery

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is such a good car, it seems that Malaysian automaker Proton decided it ought to offer a version of its own. Sort of. While the company’s Jebat Concept, which was just shown off at the Kuala Lumpur Motor Show, is styled to look like the Evolution, it’s actually powered by the 237-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged mill used in the slightly less potent Ralliart model.

Nobody seems to know at the moment if the Jebat Concept has any shot at production, but its existence isn’t all that surprising considering that Proton just recently launched the Inspira, itself an almost exact copy of the standard Mitsubishi Lancer. In any case, it’s clearly differentiated from its siblings by virtue of its matte black front and rear fascias and side sills, along with a Proton-specific grille. See for yourself in the image gallery below.

Gallery: Proton Jabat Concept

Proton Jabat Concept

[Source: Autocar]

Proton builds itself a Mitsubishi Evolution originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid coming in 2013

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Japan, Technology, Mitsubishi

Mitsubish PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid

Mitsubish PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

AutoWeek reports that Mitsubishi will wade into plug-in electric waters in 2013. The automaker’s head of electric vehicles, Yoshikazu Nakamura, said the vehicle will be an SUV similar to the 2009 Px-MiEV Concept and that the production version is already nearing the final stages of development. The concept got its pep from a tiny 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine working in coordination with two electric motors and a battery pack. Mitsubishi pegged the Px-MiEV as being able to travel for up to 30 miles one pure electric go-go, so there must be some pretty hefty battery technology onboard as well.

Whether or not the production SUV will use a similar drivetrain remains to be seen. We can say with some certainty that Mitsubishi is likely to simplify the vehicle’s name considerably. The automaker has already scrapped the i-MiEV moniker for the somewhat more palatable name of “i powered by MiEV” in the States. We can’t wait to explain that one to the fine people of the DMV.

Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Mitsubishi plug-in hybrid coming in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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