Mitsubishi Not Dead Yet: Nissan Takes Control

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

To be fair, it's only hanging on by the skin of it's teeth in America. AFAIK they're actually profitable due to selling extremely well in most parts of Asia (Outlanders and ASXs are everywhere here as well).

 

[HoseA151]

As long as sales continue to improve, I'm sure they'll release a true Eclipse successor... eventually. Mind you, America's love affair of SUVs and crossovers isn't helping, but I digress. Let's not forget the original Eclipse was made with the American market in mind first.

 

[FT-1]

If we want something with the car enthusiast in mind, we should probably expect a high-performance variant of the Eclipse Cross before Mitsubishi even thinks about developing a new sports car platform.

 

[05XR8]

If we want something with the car enthusiast in mind, we should probably expect a high-performance variant of the Eclipse Cross before Mitsubishi even thinks about developing a new sports car platform.

That Vision GT concept would be cool.

 

[FT-1]

Next-gen Mitsubishi Lancer to be reborn as a C-segment hatchback with Crossover inspired styling (Think Ford Focus Active or Citroen C4 Cactus), according to AutoExpress.

Key quotes from the designer:

“We have a long-range product plan that’s pretty solid until 2025, and a dotted line beyond that,” he explained. “Within that what we’ve said is, ‘Which vehicles do we want? What are we going to work on?’ We’re going to replace ASX, Outlander and Triton [the L200 pick-up]. Then we have these two boxes: Pajero and Lancer.

“Lancer’s probably the easiest one; we believe we’ve got a solution that could fit the segment. Because if you look globally, the C-segment hatchback [Golf and Focus] market is not shrinking. It’s down a bit in the US and Europe. But its numbers are still expanding in China. So there is appeal. And I think because the segment is so large globally, we’ve got to take a look at it.”

“Just because it’s C-segment doesn’t mean it has to be a very conventional hatchback,” the designer explained.

“Maybe we can create a new type of hatchback vehicle. We’re thinking quite radically. Originality is as much a part of the Mitsubishi design philosophy now as consistency,” Kunimoto added.

 

[GTFan24]

Mitsubishi.....

Go rot in hell seriously

 

[MisterWaffles]

Mitsubishi.....

Go rot in hell seriously

Honestly it makes sense from a business perspective. Most of the big automakers in North America are planning to kill off their family sedans in the next few years.

 

[bremics]

I think the issue isn't killing the not selling Lancer but the whole naming their new "totally not a crossover, original idea, do not steal" is being named Lancer.

Like how they decided to call their other new crossover the Eclipse.

It's like if Ford cancelled the Mustang and then announced their new sporty crossover, the Cross Mustang.

It feels insulting. It would be confusing to older Mitsubishi buyers. "There's a new Eclipse at the auto show, wanna see it?" "Sure!" "..." "..." "... where is it?" "I dunno."

 

[05XR8]

The original Mirage, spawned into the Lancer at a stage. Mirage disappeared and resurfaced as the micro car it is today. Car makers just use names any way they want. It's nothing new: Nova rwd compact(muscle car as wel) to rebadged fwd Toyota, Malibu rwd mid size(muscle car as well) to fwd family sedan.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

Exactly. It's a breath of fresh air that Mitsubishi are actually moving with the times and adapting their models to fit what people want. The old Lancer Sportback was in the same size bracket as a Focus or Astra and they shifted tons of those in comparison with the saloon over here, so there's definitely money to be made from it. I think people are still hung up on 'ooh I want a new Evo' when there isn't too much of an actual market for it.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Honestly it makes sense from a business perspective. Most of the big automakers in North America are planning to kill off their family sedans in the next few years.

But give it a new name. It seems like their goal right now is to ruin all of their famous nameplates.

 

[MisterWaffles]

But give it a new name. It seems like their goal right now is to ruin all of their famous nameplates.

Except they’re not going to. The Lancer, same with the Eclipse, are nameplates that could likely sell. They have marketable weight behind them. If a re-used nameplate could equate to more units shipped, then they’re going to capitalize on the opportunity.

The boss at Mitsubishi is thinking about what methods will allow his company to sell to the largest amount of average people/families and he’s certainly not thinking about pleasing a few hundred angry nerds on the internet.

Let’s be honest, the first priority for Mitsubishi should be coming back from financial ruin. If it means SUVs only for a while then so be it. They’re certainly not going to make more sports cars in this state. Sports car manufacturing is a risk that’s often not worth the payoff.

I think its more important because the entire Mitsubishi dealership network around where I live is completely dead. They’ve either closed completely or turned into used car dealerships. They need to revitalize in any way possible.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

It's like if Ford cancelled the Mustang and then announced their new sporty crossover, the Cross Mustang.

What about the Mach 1 return, which will be an all-electric sporty crossover?

I think folks — including myself — vastly overestimate the attachment the general public has to most car names. A bunch of car nerds that wax nostalgic about 30-year old JDM metal aren't really the target market here for Mitsubishi, with the Eclipse or a Lancer replacement. The market is crossover-crazy, so Mitsubishi (a struggling company) is going where the money is. If the marketing department can leverage the name as a sign of sporting credentials (even if, in the Eclipse's case, those seven letters are about the only connection it has) and that translates to sales, job done.

It's not far removed from all the internet outrage over Dodge bringing back the Charger for a sedan. A bunch of rage from people that were never in the market for one, and then Dodge went on to sell a ton of 'em.

Subaru can continue to build the STI in tiny numbers because it has a super profitable mainstream lineup. Mitsubishi doesn't. Hopefully these new vehicles fix that.

 

[Grandea GTR]

Hey who knows, if Mitsubishi's new plan happens to work out for them, maybe we can see the Evo again?

 

[Northstar]

It's not far removed from all the internet outrage over Dodge bringing back the Charger for a sedan. A bunch of rage from people that were never in the market for one, and then Dodge went on to sell a ton of 'em.

Apart from the last bit, I think the Dart would be a better analogy. It seems like a good chunk of the people complaining have forgotten that not every Lancer is an Evolution, and those non-Evolution Lancers are just run of the mill compact cars. Much like how people tended to forget that the original Dart was your typical compact car of it's time and not a fire breathing muscle car.

I would also be willing to wager that most of those complaining haven't actually considered buying the current Lancer.

 

[HoseA151]

I don't think we should be all that disappointed with Mitsubishi and their plans for the Lancer. It was just announced that Ford is changing the Focus to a compact crossover as well (so clearly, Mitsubishi isn't the only ones with this idea in mind; I wouldn't be surprised if other manufactures start doing the same). The problem lies in the consumer. Atleast from an American standpoint, we are crazily obsessed with crossovers and SUVs. As much as the enthusiasts want sport sedans (and wagons, for that matter), the general public is first, because no matter what, Mitsubishi and Ford are first and foremost, private companies looking to make a profit.

 

[Grayfox]

The market is crossover-crazy, so Mitsubishi (a struggling company) is going where the money is.

Nissan australia only sells the following

SPORTS
370Z
GT-R

SUV/4x4
Juke
Qashqai
X-Trail
Pathfinder
Patrol

Pickup
Navara.

Yup, no small car for the new driver or for the someone that wants a cheap reliable car to go to work.
So no pulsars no micras.

 

[MisterWaffles]

Guess what? Ford just announced that they're discontinuing all family sedans by 2020 in North America this past week. The only two somewhat-cars left are the Mustang and Focus Active. The Focus Active is a CUV-crossover thing based on the Focus hatchback, so that's pretty much the next Lancer right there.

 

[05XR8]

Except they’re not going to. The Lancer, same with the Eclipse, are nameplates that could likely sell. They have marketable weight behind them. If a re-used nameplate could equate to more units shipped, then they’re going to capitalize on the opportunity.

The boss at Mitsubishi is thinking about what methods will allow his company to sell to the largest amount of average people/families and he’s certainly not thinking about peasing a few hundred angry nerds on the internet.

Let’s be honest, the first priority for Mitsubishi should be coming back from financial ruin. If it means SUVs only for a while then so be it. They’re certainly not going to make more sports cars in this state. Sports car manufacturing is a risk that’s often not worth the payoff.

I think its more important because the entire Mitsubishi dealership network around where I live is completely dead. They’ve either closed completely or turned into used car dealerships. They need to revitalize in any way possible.

When I lived in the states, Mitsubishi was just way out in left field. They seemed so cheap/poorly made next to a Honda and Toyota. What's weird about that is, moving here to Australia, people I know, think of Mitsubishi as the Evo people. The Sporty cars and also tough off road vehicle people. Old Mirage hatches here, are like Civic EGs in the USA. Maybe it's this country getting JDM vehicles, that help their sales no matter what vehicles are offered. Granted, the new Mirage is a bust, but since debut, I see the ASX is everywhere in New South Wales.

I'd say this eliminates the traditional new car buyer scale:

- buy micro/small first car->buy bigger hatch->buy mid-size sedan->buy SUV

now, it's like:

- buy CUV->buy CUV->buy CUV->buy CUV

 

[05XR8]

Mitsubishi Oz wants Evolution model Triton Ralliart

 

[Turbo]

Mitsubishi Executive Director Fred Diaz acknowledges the brand has a poor image at the moment, claims "fun and interesting vehicles are on the way".

https://carbuzz.com/news/new-mitsubishis-will-soon-receive-a-massive-injection-of-style

 

[CSMDuty11]

Mitsubishi Ecliplse Cross Evolution

 

[CodeRedR51]

"fun and interesting vehicles SUV's are on the way"

Fixed

Now if I was in control at Nissan, I would make Mitsu a performance brand (sort of like Dodge) and leave the SUV's and electric cars off the table.

 

[Turbo]

Fixed

Now if I was in control at Nissan, I would make Mitsu a performance brand (sort of like Dodge) and leave the SUV's and electric cars off the table.

Although that would be an enthusiast's dream come true, that doesn't make any sense from a business perspective. Mitsubishi is a company that's main goal is to recover from hard times. Their crossovers may be lifeless and typical, but CUVs are the hottest segment in the market right now. The brand would make more money selling a few okay crossovers than investing billions in creating a new Lancer EVO and other performance related cars. They just don't have the funds to do that right now. Maybe in 10-15 years time, if Mitsubishi is back on its feet and doing well enough, we could expect to see sports cars on their lineup, but probably not anytime soon given their current climate.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Although that would be an enthusiast's dream come true, that doesn't make any sense from a business perspective. Mitsubishi is a company that's main goal is to recover from hard times. Their crossovers may be lifeless and typical, but CUVs are the hottest segment in the market right now. The brand would make more money selling a few okay crossovers than investing billions in creating a new Lancer EVO and other performance related cars. They just don't have the funds to do that right now. Maybe in 10-15 years time, if Mitsubishi is back on its feet and doing well enough, we could expect to see sports cars on their lineup, but probably not anytime soon given their current climate.

Translation: no "fun and interesting vehicles on the way". 👍

 

[Turbo]

Translation: no "fun and interesting vehicles on the way". 👍

Sadly yes, not in the near future at least.

 

[05XR8]

I'm not in the market for them, but I feel off-road vehicles, like Mitsubishi are known for, would definitely fit in that fun category.

 

[Adamgp]

Rental company gave us a new Outlander for our trip last week. Aside from the weak MIVEC 4banger and the CVT, it was actually pretty nice.

 

[mustafur]

The Eclipse Cross isnt that bad inside, being their only real new model in a very long time the hopes of the company depend on that selling.

This SUV trend though is cancer, soo many good cars have disappeared to feed this trend.

 

[20832]

This SUV trend though is cancer, soo many good cars have disappeared to feed this trend.

Yeah, but a sports car doesn't make any money. A SUV and any variation of that, does.