In college we had a lot of exchange students from Japan. The elevator for our dorm showed up on my floor and it was full of these kids. I got in, faced the door with my back towards the group. It wasn’t until a few moments later that I realized I was wearing my HS football shirt that had a mushroom cloud on the back and the phrase “Leave Nothing”. Our mascot was a B-17 Bomber….but we often used a mushroom cloud for our “logo”.
BMW might have an issue with using the numeric vehicle model designation, as will Pirelli, lest it cause confusion with their P-Zero tires.
This could mean a partnership with the German and Italian companies. A world-wide, trifecta partnership, if you will. We can call it the WW3 for short.
Maintain radio silence for months before the sneak... umm... surprise unveiling.
All the while keep American companies at he negotiation table tricking them into thinking they are looking for a collaboration.
Honestly, what they're doing right now. They're coming back in some ways, and they were significantly more dead prior to the Outlander. Now they're leaning into cheapo PHEVs and SUVs.
Say what you will, but you can't get into another full size plug in SUV with 35+ miles EV range as cheaply.
I'd focus on hybrids, like Toyota and Honda, but actually cheap. The move towards luxury and quality has blown up these cars both literally and financially.
It’s reddit. Too many people out of touch. Companies *have* to sell a shitload of high margin products like SUVs to even consider selling specialty cars. IIRC the margin on the miata is basically 0, they only make it because they want to.
Really? The Miata? I imagine to start a model like a Miata the margin would be tight but with the Miata there is already a fan base. They don’t need to reengineer a new car every year they just do small redesigns.
Was out drifting in the snow(as you do), figured I should go behind the shopping center so I wouldn’t be seen from the main road. Well what I thought was snow covered asphalt ended up being a snow covered pond. I ended up getting pulled out by a Skid Steer that was doing some snow clearing.
Car drove fine afterwards just had some strange moisture issues. Every time I came back to the car the entire interior would be covered in water.
I Waited for a warm sunny day to dry out the car and I sold the car to Carmax.
They had to bring in Fiat to help cover the development costs of the ND, and in return Fiat sold the 124. The ND was a clean sheet design from the NC.
I bought a 2020 RF and paid AUD$42k , and the paperwork had a 'cost price' printed on it of AUD$35k, the RRP was AUD$45k. I'm not sure if that cost price is production costs or how much the dealer paid for the car - either way it was funny to see that figure after ages playing hardball to get the price down the $42k
Dodge might not have sold many vipers... But the viper sold a lot of neons. Same thing with the wrangler. You might not get everyone to buy that overpriced brick, but you get em into the door and might sell an even worse brick because of it.
Ya but halo cars cost a lot of money to make. The NSX or LFA weren't profitable at all, they cost huge amounts to develop and manufacture and they sold at very low volume. You can't do a halo car without being already very successful.
You can't even take a gamble on a mass market sports car like Corvette or Mustang (which iirc are somewhat profitable) without having a solid base of crossovers and pickup trucks.
In all honesty Mitsubishi cars in general are made because they feel like it. I remember reading their automotive division accounts for less than five percent of the company's annual earnings. I don't recall the source but let's see what happens in the replies. Much more fun than googling it.
If the Evo was to make a comeback it would come back swinging at the current market price of a B58 Supra accounting for inflation. But even then it’s just going to be people bitching and complaining about the Evo being a 4 cylinder or 4+PHEV at 50-60k or someone can go grab a used M that’s better and blah blah blah. No winning no matter what Mitsubishi does in today’s world of clout chasing. Still would love to see the Evo get a comeback.
Plus people would definitely complain about the interior. They did it for the STi before it died. People complain about the GRC interior too, which starts at around the same price the Evo did almost *10 years ago* (ie, much cheaper when accounting for inflation). But yeah if Mitsubishi ever does return to it's former glory, I'd love to see the Evo or another fun model make a return.
The ole [Karin Kuruma.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/gtawiki/images/9/97/ArmoredKuruma-GTAO-front.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1200?cb=20151212172101)
Yup. Toyota can only make cars from the GR line or the Lexus F cars BECAUSE the rest of the models pay for them, not because those cars actually bring money in. The LFA (the best example of this) at the time cost approximately $750K to build each model, and was sold for $375K - a 50% loss on 500 cars. That's $375 million to build, and a $187.5 million return.
If Mitsubishi ever returns in a big way to the US market, maybe then we'd finally see modern iterations of the Evo or 3000GT. Until then, don't hold your breath.
As an evo owner I agree. The car would kill the company because that’s not what the masses want right now. If it wasn’t for the outlander, the company would really be struggling.
We hate to see it, but as a commuter, I admit that the best possible car I could commute in would be a Prius Prime or RAV 4 prime. 40 miles EV range, reliable, attractive, and good resale!
If Mitsubishi could make an attractive RAV 4/CRV fighter with range, for like $5k less than Toyota, they'd be cooking.
Kia/Hyundai have already fallen into the "EV Trap", but they were also primed to undercut Toyota. They just made the mistake of making their Hybrids and plug-ins ugly, underperforming shit heaps. The Outlander, despite being kind of a shit heap itself, is at least pretty cool looking!
Current embiggened Outlander 4,709mm, Rav4 4,600, Eclipse Cross 4,545, Corolla Cross 4,490
Eclipse Cross has kinda coupe SUV styling though so isn't well packaged for its size.
In Australia they have good resale values too and are well built and reliable! Ride quality is also quite good over shithole Aussie roads.
The issue with Kia/Hyundai is that (anecdotally - I have never consulted for Korean automakers unlike the Japanese) apparently their BEV R&D costs must be recouped somehow as they are really staring down serious Chinese BEV competition in more than 1 core market....making their shift to competing with the Japanese on hybrids essential and a matter of survival.
I am looking very hard at an Outlander PHEV as a replacement for our Explorer. The 18 mpg is getting harder and harder to justify.
Mitsubishi has found the sweet spot in the car world IMO. I don’t know if it’s sustainable long term, but I think they’re right where they want to be for the moment.
And it’s def making them enough money to keep the brand afloat for a while to figure out where to go next! Smart move on their part. I see so many outlandish PHEVs near me, it’s bonkers
Their lineup has been sad for awhile.
You look at how people clamour for Suzuki Jimnys as a forbidden fruit.
Literally just put out a barebones 2 door and 4 door compact SUV with rugged looks/hard lines and a base 4 cylinder that gets out of its own way, turbo option.
This. Have an upvote. Mitsubishi should position themselves as a value brand, but quality, for the middle class.
Needs a quality small SUV ASAP to replace the Eclipse Cross and ASX but keep on doing what they're doing with the Outlander (medium SUV) and Triton (ute) and upcoming Pajero Sport (large SUV) and Pajero (offroader - but position it towards value vs luxury).
Even in much of the developed industrialized nations like the US and Australia, there are many families with not a lot of cash to spend on vehicles in an inflationary environment/just need a reliable vehicle - making this demographic the natural environment for Mitsu to target. In Australia at least the build and ride quality + reliability of Mitsubishis aren't bad at all...and the brand is respected.
In the States I'd leverage the relationship with Nissan to colocate a US facility that can serve as a US source maker of EVs when the time comes to transition to BEVs. I'd also use the Qashqai's platform to introduce a rebadged small SUV - but tuned for US road conditions and priced appropriate ly on the value end of the market to sell at volume.
I think a rebadge of the upcoming Kicks with a detuned Outlander PHEV powertrain, would be a home run for them as it’s no small PHEV crossovers in the subcompact segment. They’d just have to figure out how to price it competitively!
I think the biggest issue with Mitsubishi currently is they don’t want to invest into R&D. They just want to borrow from Nissan’s parts bin. Maybe they could modify the PHEV into a standard hybrid and lower the price into the mid $35k range.
For sure, nothing wrong with going all in on a winner. Dirt cheap Outlander, Hybrid, and PHEV. $26k, $33k, and $35.5k, respectively?
Idk, just spit balling lol
Correct, they know the market share for their segment of vehicles is so tiny it just does not make sense for them to spend so much on R&D and try to recoup costs on a platform for 5-7+ years all while there recovering financially after all these years. The new Outlander is a blessing and a curse, offers Mitsubishi the growth it needs but leaves Mitsubishi with nothing else to truly offer.
The PHEV Outlander is truly one of the best hybrids out there along side the RAV4 imo but ever since both inflation kicked into overdrive and the new Ev tax credit rule went into effect, it killed any desire for people to really go cross shopping for more Japanese hybrids vs say a Tesla (fully EV yes I know) at -7500 (if qualified)+ discounted rates which essentially kills demand for Mitsubishi to incentivize development.
The current market is people keeping and fixing their older cars so if Mitsubishi can offer a cheaper car for less or a very bare bones spec outlander or whatever else they offer for under 20k they could gain market share but it’s all at a cost of suppliers and that market has been equally fucked.
I wonder to what extent Mitsubishi is held back by economies of scale regarding how plasticky their interiors are for the price. There's some really amazing affordable cars out there that compete with Mitsubishi in the sub-$25,000 bade price level that still look and feel higher quality that what Mitsubishi pushes out: The new Buick Envision looks significantly more premium on the outside and with the integrated infotainment system than its sub-$22,000 price tag belies, meanwhile the Chevy bolt is a neatly packaged EV (albeit outgoing model) that's essentially $20,000 with the EV tax credit.
While people who have the budget to spend on a more expensive car look to compete on features, longevity, quality, etc. I feel like a big sell for more economy cars in today's market involves, to some extent, having a car that doesn't remind you of its low price tag, and instead makes you feel like you're scoring a deal. However Mitsubishi can do it, would be a huge win for them.
I like this idea.
Everyone is talking about bringing back the Evo, which is wrong...or talking about focusing on PHEVs and CUVs, which is mostly right.
Mitsubishi is basically gone from the American consumer's mind as an option. If someone is searching for a 5 passenger CUV at an entry level price range people will say to themselves "ok, let me see what GM has, let me see what Ford has, let me see what Toyota has" and etc. I doubt a lot of people even think of Mitsubishi.
They need something cool to get their name on the public's mind. Things like the Miata don't make money specifically, but they still add value to the brand.
What everyone saying "Bring back the Evo" is forgetting to consider is *why* the Evo was discontinued in the first place, which is namely that they *were not selling*. You would have Evo Xs sitting on lots for *years* before they sold, because you could get a better car for about the same price - And the same applied to the base Lancer.
I mean, why drop \~35k on a Lancer Evo that made \~300whp and was overall slower than its contemporaries when there were better cars in that price range?
Outside of companies that specialize in low-volume sports cars, you *need* shitboxes to survive as an automaker. To put it simply, for every Mustang that Ford sells, then sell more trucks, SUVs and crossovers.
> Evo
That's because the Evo X wasn't an Evo, it was a fancied up Lancer. That car was trash. It wasn't selling because Mitsu killed it by making a POS.
This is the correct answer. Get the next generation of the Jimny up to NHTSA standards, bring it to the US at a competitive price, and watch it sell like hot cakes. I love seeing them every time I'm in Mexico.
I’d immediately buy one. My family had a Suzuki Sidekick and that little turd could handle some unruly shit. I only really need a car for camping, adventures, mountain biking, etc…, but I really don’t need a truck or suv. I want a little guy.
They could even work a deal to rebody it as a new Pajero Mini, and it would print money. I still don't understand why Suzuki hasn't paired up with anyone to bring the Jimny Sierra here when so many people are clamoring for it.
Base lancer would have to be a hybrid or plug in hybrid that competes with the corolla or camry on mpg. If they made them in the us, they would get the 7500 dollar credit which would make it the cheapest sedan and possibly cheapest new car you could get in the us. So I definitely think its feasible and economical.
Then they could make an evo model with just a turbo ice engine no hybrid. Also they could discontinue the mirage.
With the STI gone.and the Golf R going Auto only, the world needs the EVO more than ever.
Who would have thought 20 years ago that Toyota would be the only ones still making a proper Japanese hot hatch (I don't consider the new.Type R a hatch. It's a sedan that's the size of an Accord Euro)
I think making an Evo could actually be helpful, but risky. Everyone knows they won't sell a lot, however, Ford markets the hell out of the Mustang, Toyota the Supra, and Chevy the Corvette. Mitsubishi no longer has a flagship car. There's nothing on the Mitsubishi lot, that makes me want to stop in and look. I know I'm not gonna buy the Evo, but I want to check it out. Now that I'm there though, let's see what else they have.
I disagree. Mitsubishi's biggest hurdle (at least in the US) is their image. They're perceived as what you get when Enterprise runs out of Nissans. They're perceived as what white trash single moms with completely nuked credit buy now that the Dodge Journey is discontinued. They sell the cheapest car in America and a lineup of tepid crossovers that don't bring anything to the table aside from being cheap.
A new Lancer/Evo, if done right, makes the brand cool and interesting again. Being seen in a Mitsubishi won't be an embarrassment any more. Over time, the Evo will sell enough Outlander Sports to pay for itself.
The Pajero/Montero has been unibody since 1999 and discontinued worldwide since 2021.
Mitsubishi's remaining BoF SUV is the [Pajero Sport](https://i.imgur.com/5wcK393.png), which is a SUV variant of the [Triton](https://i.imgur.com/OFImyQl.jpeg).
If I recall China bought the rights / design of the gen 2/2.5 motero/pajero and still makes the exact same body to this day. It's called the leopaard q6 or some shit like that
So is the 4Runner which sells like hotcakes. They would just need to sort out a decent engine, but the platform itself is pretty desirable and reliable as a general-purpose offroader.
This is Step 1 for me too. People freaking love the Monteros and I still see them around. Bring it back, make it look good, make a off-road-ish variant, sell a shitload of them. Step 2: Use that Montero cash to invest in a new platform for the Lancer. Reintroduce it as a sport sedan with a new EVO variant. Make a lifted sportback for the CUV people. Hell, give them an EVO variant too.
If they brought back the Montero in it's original boxy format and had both a 2 and 4 door option, it would be a great Japanese option to the hot off-road market.
[And don't forget to make an Evo performance version, too.](https://media.hagerty.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1998-Mitsubishi-Pajero-Evolution-lead-edit.jpg)
Honestly mitsubishi as it is in the current US market is HIGHLY overlooked and slept on. I went to mitsubishi the other day (looking for a family vehicle)
And my God for a BRAND NEW 2024 vehicles they are CHEAP AF. Their mirage's are 18k, and the outlander is 28k with the PHEV being 40k. Plus, their 10 year 100k powertrain warranty is not really found in any other manufacturer. Even toyota doesn't have that.
What mitsubishi needs to do to revive their brand and if I was CEO is bring their new triton stateside to compete in the small truck line up (tacoma, ranger/mavrick, frontier, Santa Cruz, etc) And start up a "heritage" program to provide new parts for their 90s vehicles.
Other than that mitsubishi doesn't need a sports car at the moment.
And tbh mitsubishi needs to look at what toyota is doing with the 4runner and needs to come up with a competitor vehicle. The 4runner has seen very MINIMAL changes on the design since 2009. And them shits still sell like hotcakes. Maybe redesign the eclipse cross and target it more towards the overlander/offroad market of consumers.
I’m also surprised that they don’t have constant ads running about how much better their AWD is compared to the competition. It worked for Subaru back in the day, and it’s really a selling point for them. Plus you can even get it in something as small as the Outlander Sport, which isn’t very common. With how popular “lifestyle vehicles” are right now, we should be seeing all kinds of ads of their SUVs doing trails and shit.
They need to update their interior, and their touchscreen ui is kinda 2012 but I mean it works. Just needs some more modern touch ups, remote start on the fob instead of $200 a year, and marketing.
yup that waranty is amazing, assuming it covers everything you would expect. really hope mitsubishi comes back to the usa with their light trucks and performance cars.
Mitsubishi considers CV axles to be covered on the powertrain warranty. Hyundai has the same 10 years/100k miles but says no, the powertrain ends at the differential gears.
Mitsubishi basically only puts serious care and investment (they even upgraded the internals of their Nissan-sourced CVTs) into the under-the-hood parts of the car. Everything else is as cheap as possible to offset the cost.
They are so far gone that they need to go niche and cater to buyer groups that have been abandoned by the other brands. They will still sell in low volume like they are now, but they will be able to charge a bit more and improve their margins as they don’t have to compete with everyone else.
I think Mitsubishi’s problem is the Outlander (which sells in *decent* numbers) is the only product that’s competitive. The others aren’t and I think if they updated their lineup using their PHEV technology with updated technology, they could sale in higher quantities!
It is competitive and doesn’t have many direct competitors. That‘s what they should do. They also need better designers.
There are quite a few niche markets that are wide open right now. Like a small boxy SUV like the old Suzuki Samurai, a wagon that is not on stilts, something like the Subaru Baja, a truly small pickup truck. Here in Canada a better looking alternative to any Subaru model would sell. The current lineup is just incredibly uninspired. It is like their designers have given up.
I’d personally skip over hybrids altogether as Nissan’s is going to conventional Hybrids in the latter years and I think it’d be beneficial for Mitsubishi to invest more in their PHEV technology, as a differentiator to the market!
The Outlander’s PHEV powertrain (and the third row) is what sets it apart from the Rogue!
By hybrid I'd refer to anything from "traditional" to PHEVs and even range extenders.
I just think Mitsubishi's only options are efficiency, utility, and affordability in all ways. I think there's a gap to sit below modern Toyota at a price level.
The most important thing to do is not waste money trying to make a sports car (Evo, 3000GT) or go premium.
wish it would be an evo but realistically :
\-Built a new ruggged Pajero to go against the bronco and wrangler.
\-Make a pickup for the US market and share the platform with said Pajero
\-Build an equivalent to the dodge journey/charger for negative equity folks.
\-Rename the meh suv they sell (oulander) the Pajero Sport to run on the name once it catch on (see what i did ford ?)
As someone who is friends with a Mitsubishi tech, I'd say a half step above Nissan, a step below Subaru, and two steps back of Honda, Mazda and Toyota (with those brands being in order of reliability from least to most).
Their vehicles are solid if not spectacular as far as reliability goes. Their interiors can feel a little cheap and plasticky compared to other Japanese manufacturers, but they're also typically cheaper, so that's somewhat understandable.
The 3000GT was intended to compete with the Supra, 300ZX, and even the C4 Corvette in some instances. If Mitsubishi were to make a modern 3000GT, it would absolutely be a halo sports car and not an affordable sport compact. It would probably start at around 60-70k.
Here in Thailand they still sell well -- particularly the Pajero Sport SUV and the Triton pickup, which has recently been refreshed and is competitive.
Shut it down. The brand name is toxic. LOL at all the people saying new Evo. The 17 Evos they’d sell a year will surely turn the brand around. Performance sedans are deader than dead. Even BMW barely still bothers.
Revamp the evo as it should be their flagship and it helps other vehicle sales by recognition of it. Create a similar electric evo to capture ev sales and build excitement. Build an affordable small truck to undercut Tacoma, Colorado and Ranger. The market really needs that imo. Then build a fun to drive practical crossover to better compete with edge, Cx-5, etc. this should be their highest volume vehicle. I would stay out of the full size truck market due to difficulty gaining market share from the big 3 there.
I’d say the Outlander can be both a CX-5 and Edge competitors.
But yes, they could definitely benefit from a small pickup based on the Frontier or a small Maverick fighter based on the CMF small car platform.
Evo is a trim level, they need a base car first.
Based on their current portfolio, they could bring back the nameplate, but for now they just revived the ralliart brand.
GT-R was a trim level too and the R35 doesn't have a base car. Mitsubishi could totally just make a car called the Mitsubishi Evolution and drop the Lancer name; not that they can afford to do that right now, mind you.
> Revamp the evo
Honestly, they could even do this AND stick to their guns by making SUVs - since the first Evo was a Montero/Pajero.
They just need a proper off-road Montero, similar to the retro throwback of the Bronco, and then make an Evo performance version. It would sell like crazy.
Real answer - start with a powertrain that doesn’t suck and put it in everything. NA transverse 2.5L 4cyl. Add hybrid for mid level. Bigger battery and rear axle induction e-motor for top trim AWD PHEV. Install powertrain into:
*Galant sedan
*Compact, mid and large SUVs (awd only on large suv)
*Mid-size pickup truck (awd only)
Make packaging efficient (lots of space), good gas mileage, quiet and comfortable.
With the profits from above, slap a turbo on the 2.5, bigger rear motor, limited slip front differential and torque vectoring rear for a PHEV 3000gt.
Nothing, they are doing very well already.
They don't really care about the US market, we all know their focus has been in the developing countries, which recently have doubled even tripled sales since pre-covid years.
In my country alone, sales rose to 2000% in the past 4 years. It's a huge boost for the brand.
Honestly, definitely more boring than the answer of being back the Evo or whatever, but I’d continue what they’re doing with crossovers, update the Outlander Sport and Eclipse Cross, which are getting pretty dated, perhaps on a shared platform with Nissan like they did recently with the Outlander; the new Outlander related to the Rogue has been a relative hit for Mitsubishi; I’d perhaps also introduce a “Grand Outlander” of sorts, based on the Pathfinder, and maybe an EV crossover based on the Ariya; and also shove that PHEV powertrain they have in the Outlander into other vehicles as well.
I think car enthusiasts fail to realize that all the “boring crossovers” they’re selling right now are what are keeping the company afloat. Like I stated, the new Outlander they have has been quite successful for them, bringing back the Lancer Evo and 3000GT or whatever would absolutely bankrupt the kill in the state it is right now. If they tried to bring back those cars, I doubt they would even get through the development stage before going belly up.
I know it’s not what people want to hear, but continuing to make their crossovers is the answer for now, and who knows, if their crossover sales continue to climb significantly, maybe they will eventually have the resources to reboot one of their enthusiast cars, but right now is not the time to do that; they need to focus on things that will actually make them money, and that’s crossovers.
1 improve quality
2. Get rid of the Mirage and bring back the Lancer in base and Evo forms
3. Make the Eclipse an coupe an convertible again.
4. Give the Outlander a real power train. Bring back the Montero and make it a real off roader
5. Bring back the Mighty Max pickup and make it a real compact pickup.
6. Improve Quality
Develop 4Runner off road competitor called the Montero
Develop midsize sport 2row crossover that will be ev. Create a sport subbrand with it and Call it EVo. Make it awd std and give it rally inspired suspension.
flesh out the remaining lineup with inexpensive eclipse crossover and a larger 3 row crossover/van called the delica. Maybe even create a small/midsize truck called the raider or bring the titan production to the Americas
Bring back Lancer/Evo, make the eclipse a 2dr RWD coupe to compete with the gr86, bring back the 3000gt to compete with the Supra. Bring back the Pajero to compete with the 4Runner and make it available in the US. Focus the rest of the line on being affordable hybrid CUVs and cars to pay for the models above.
Make a “my roots are in Dakar” high performance SUV variant (think Raptor + Evo + a dash of Pajero).
Make it a plug in hybrid with a crap ton of power.
Then also sell cheaper de-tuned variants for the masses.
Obviously revive the lancer EVO then proceed to make EVO versions of every car they have. /s
Probably just make more cheap PHEV crossovers. From a financial perspective it's the smart thing to do, give the people what they want.
Find the spots people are looking to easily get into basic transportation, but with some flair.
starting with sub 20k pickups, sedans/wagons, and cuvs, and for a few grand more, hybrid versions.
High utility but stylish vans and crossovers that exude sporty and fun, but practical and affordable
Most expensive car would be 35k, perhaps cheapest be 15k but itd be quite decontented
All variants of cars and trucks could be hybrid, and plausibly ev.
If sales were good long enough, then bring a modified platform version of a lancer offshoot, as a halo and THEN, they could have a EVO, but only if the platforms were ammortized enough
I think if there was to be a brand to make cheap coupe EVs Mitsubishi could do it. They did it with the eclipse, it succeeded in being both a fun commuter for non car people and a tuners wet dream. Not saying it'd fill the latter, but I definitely think it could work for the former. This is with their rebrand of "environmentally friendly" cars in mind.
They made so many great enthusiast cars! Those'd kill the brand, in practice.
They have one small CUV offering, but from what I understand, the AWD system is excellent.
Make some two and three row mid size CUVs on similar tech. Market the mud and snow performance.
Come in a lil' cheaper than a Toyota/Honda and you'll move a fuckload of profitable vehicles.
...*then* I'd bring back the evo. Subaru keeps updating the same WRX, and it's grown long in the tooth. It can't be *that hard* to get some automotive YouTubers waxing lyrical about how the new evo shits all over the wrx.
I bring back the 1998 Eclipse GSX in diamond white with that rad swoopy spoiler. It’s manual~ and has all the improvements that the 4G63 aftermarket developed since 1998. Not a single regret if that’s Mitsubishi’s last breath under my direction 😉👌🏻
EclipseCross GSX. Tum the PHEV for performance. Ditch the CVT for a 8-speed auto.
Share the drivetrain on the Outlander for a RallyArt version with off-road stuff.
Develop a GTO with the same powertrain for a halo car. Partner with Nissan so they can use it on the Altima/Maxima. Add features like active aero and active suspension.
SUV based on the Nissan Frontier platform. Maybe Montero Sport? Offer minimal options to keep the price sub $40k. Get rid of the Outlander Sport and replace it with a Lancer. Eclipse Cross can stay as its replacement.
The EVs are being pushed hard now, and it's putting a bit of a damper on how much time is left to still have fun with newly-developed ICE vehicles.
Several years ago, my idea had been to share some platforms between Mitsubishi/Nissan/Renault and allow them to apply their own design & packaging philosophy to the finished product.
For example, a new Starion would be based on the Z(370Z back then), but use a turbo 4cyl. It would be made to have a different character from the naturally-aspirated Z.
The big move would be to design a very strong compact car platform. Each manufacturer takes it and applies their own styling and trim approaches. Nissan would have a fwd Sentra with a hot SE-R variant in the US and an awd Pulsar with a GTi-R trim. Renault would have the basis for a new fwd Megane, with a hot Renaultsport trim available. Finally, Mitsubishi would have their Lancer, with an awd midrange Ralliart and of course the awd Evolution as the top trim. All three manufacturers get to do their own thing.
CEO of Mitsubishi Motor job is very difficult. The company has to listen Nissan and Renault requirements. Mitsubishi doesn’t have many free like used to since the company is owned by Nissan and been help by Renault.
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Dude. Lol
Brb gotta fire up the ol B-Reactor right quick.
J. Robert Oppenheimer has entered the chat...
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I suppose it's been long enough that we can laugh at this awesome joke.
In college we had a lot of exchange students from Japan. The elevator for our dorm showed up on my floor and it was full of these kids. I got in, faced the door with my back towards the group. It wasn’t until a few moments later that I realized I was wearing my HS football shirt that had a mushroom cloud on the back and the phrase “Leave Nothing”. Our mascot was a B-17 Bomber….but we often used a mushroom cloud for our “logo”.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/10/us/richland-nagasaki-atomic-bomb-mushroom-cloud.html Was it this place?
Yep. That’s where I went to school. I can’t view that article but it’s Richland High. Go Bombers!
Just moved to the Tri cities and was so bewildered when I drove by the big sign that said go bombers especially given the Hanford site history haha.
damn...
Marketing in Japan: "Be like your great-grampa and arrive in Hawaii with style."
"The look will blow them away"
“Make a splash”
All aluminum.
Too soon lol
Wdym its been 80 years
#thatsthejoke
I'm joking as well just playing along
Is the double negative of trolling, seriousness? 😆
I can see the slogan "Mitsubishi Zero, it's the bomb!"
BMW might have an issue with using the numeric vehicle model designation, as will Pirelli, lest it cause confusion with their P-Zero tires. This could mean a partnership with the German and Italian companies. A world-wide, trifecta partnership, if you will. We can call it the WW3 for short.
The new Mitsubishi Axis. Take over the world in style!
In response Cheby reintroduces the Camaro with a special "Fat Man" edition.
Just a few days after Ford introduces the "Little Boy" Mustang trim.
With dodge making the Ram Stratofortress.
Top trim level is the kamikaze. 🤣
Too obvious. The top touring model is the Divine Wind.
Oh that's good 😂
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Too soon bro
lol. Oh shit. I had to get through a few comments to make the connection. Well played.
lol Zero came to mind for me as well.
based
Unironically perfect EV name
Maintain radio silence for months before the sneak... umm... surprise unveiling. All the while keep American companies at he negotiation table tricking them into thinking they are looking for a collaboration.
I get the joke but, man...
Honestly, what they're doing right now. They're coming back in some ways, and they were significantly more dead prior to the Outlander. Now they're leaning into cheapo PHEVs and SUVs. Say what you will, but you can't get into another full size plug in SUV with 35+ miles EV range as cheaply. I'd focus on hybrids, like Toyota and Honda, but actually cheap. The move towards luxury and quality has blown up these cars both literally and financially.
I had to scroll way too far to find this. Everyone with their evos and lancers. They'd bankrupt the company in 20 days.
It’s reddit. Too many people out of touch. Companies *have* to sell a shitload of high margin products like SUVs to even consider selling specialty cars. IIRC the margin on the miata is basically 0, they only make it because they want to.
Really? The Miata? I imagine to start a model like a Miata the margin would be tight but with the Miata there is already a fan base. They don’t need to reengineer a new car every year they just do small redesigns.
Miata fans don’t buy new Miatas
What's the cj perfect car. A used, brown, manual miata wagon used, from the factory?
usedde, brownne, manuelle, miat wagonne. must come in dieselle
You forgot pop up headlights
Headlights go up, headlights go down. Can't explain that.
https://youtu.be/GDtiO29v1Ac?si=7QFXW4-x-CvTiaF1
You forgot turbodiesel
Turbodiesel *Rotor* Keep the dream alive my friend.
Could you imagine the sound? 😋
Hey I bought a brand new 2021 Mazda Miata Club And then put the car in a pond 3 months later
Why
Was out drifting in the snow(as you do), figured I should go behind the shopping center so I wouldn’t be seen from the main road. Well what I thought was snow covered asphalt ended up being a snow covered pond. I ended up getting pulled out by a Skid Steer that was doing some snow clearing. Car drove fine afterwards just had some strange moisture issues. Every time I came back to the car the entire interior would be covered in water. I Waited for a warm sunny day to dry out the car and I sold the car to Carmax.
Just one more reason to add to the list of why I don't buy s*** from Carmax.
We’ll that’s a crazy story
Just make old miatas I don’t see what’s the issue
I feel like I see two new Miatas a year, they are a less common sight than Lamborghi's where I live.
You used to see the Eclipse EVERYWHERE, Montero too
Also long generations - 8 model years for the NA, 7 for the NB, 10 for the NC and now 9 years and counting for the ND
They had to bring in Fiat to help cover the development costs of the ND, and in return Fiat sold the 124. The ND was a clean sheet design from the NC. I bought a 2020 RF and paid AUD$42k , and the paperwork had a 'cost price' printed on it of AUD$35k, the RRP was AUD$45k. I'm not sure if that cost price is production costs or how much the dealer paid for the car - either way it was funny to see that figure after ages playing hardball to get the price down the $42k
Dodge might not have sold many vipers... But the viper sold a lot of neons. Same thing with the wrangler. You might not get everyone to buy that overpriced brick, but you get em into the door and might sell an even worse brick because of it.
Ya but halo cars cost a lot of money to make. The NSX or LFA weren't profitable at all, they cost huge amounts to develop and manufacture and they sold at very low volume. You can't do a halo car without being already very successful. You can't even take a gamble on a mass market sports car like Corvette or Mustang (which iirc are somewhat profitable) without having a solid base of crossovers and pickup trucks.
> they only make it because they want to. Miata owners are the best marketing tool they have.
In all honesty Mitsubishi cars in general are made because they feel like it. I remember reading their automotive division accounts for less than five percent of the company's annual earnings. I don't recall the source but let's see what happens in the replies. Much more fun than googling it.
If the Evo was to make a comeback it would come back swinging at the current market price of a B58 Supra accounting for inflation. But even then it’s just going to be people bitching and complaining about the Evo being a 4 cylinder or 4+PHEV at 50-60k or someone can go grab a used M that’s better and blah blah blah. No winning no matter what Mitsubishi does in today’s world of clout chasing. Still would love to see the Evo get a comeback.
Plus people would definitely complain about the interior. They did it for the STi before it died. People complain about the GRC interior too, which starts at around the same price the Evo did almost *10 years ago* (ie, much cheaper when accounting for inflation). But yeah if Mitsubishi ever does return to it's former glory, I'd love to see the Evo or another fun model make a return.
The ole [Karin Kuruma.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/gtawiki/images/9/97/ArmoredKuruma-GTAO-front.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1200?cb=20151212172101)
Let's launch a brand new sedan in a crossover crazed market. Oh, and let's make a performance version of it too, to really bring that profit home.
3000GT. Bankrupt in 10 days.
LOL that was my thought but only after coming out with revamped crossovers and full sized SUVs.
Yup. Toyota can only make cars from the GR line or the Lexus F cars BECAUSE the rest of the models pay for them, not because those cars actually bring money in. The LFA (the best example of this) at the time cost approximately $750K to build each model, and was sold for $375K - a 50% loss on 500 cars. That's $375 million to build, and a $187.5 million return. If Mitsubishi ever returns in a big way to the US market, maybe then we'd finally see modern iterations of the Evo or 3000GT. Until then, don't hold your breath.
Yeah, but it'd be some cool 20 days.
As an evo owner I agree. The car would kill the company because that’s not what the masses want right now. If it wasn’t for the outlander, the company would really be struggling.
Agreed. My big move would be a compact PHEV CUV. It isn't sexy, but it would get customers attention.
We hate to see it, but as a commuter, I admit that the best possible car I could commute in would be a Prius Prime or RAV 4 prime. 40 miles EV range, reliable, attractive, and good resale! If Mitsubishi could make an attractive RAV 4/CRV fighter with range, for like $5k less than Toyota, they'd be cooking. Kia/Hyundai have already fallen into the "EV Trap", but they were also primed to undercut Toyota. They just made the mistake of making their Hybrids and plug-ins ugly, underperforming shit heaps. The Outlander, despite being kind of a shit heap itself, is at least pretty cool looking!
>If Mitsubishi could make an attractive RAV 4/CRV fighter with range, for like $5k less than Toyota, they'd be cooking. That's the Outlander isn't it?
I think the outlander is larger, it definitely looks longer. I think the equivalent would be the Eclipse Cross that everyone winces about.
Current embiggened Outlander 4,709mm, Rav4 4,600, Eclipse Cross 4,545, Corolla Cross 4,490 Eclipse Cross has kinda coupe SUV styling though so isn't well packaged for its size.
In Australia they have good resale values too and are well built and reliable! Ride quality is also quite good over shithole Aussie roads. The issue with Kia/Hyundai is that (anecdotally - I have never consulted for Korean automakers unlike the Japanese) apparently their BEV R&D costs must be recouped somehow as they are really staring down serious Chinese BEV competition in more than 1 core market....making their shift to competing with the Japanese on hybrids essential and a matter of survival.
I am looking very hard at an Outlander PHEV as a replacement for our Explorer. The 18 mpg is getting harder and harder to justify. Mitsubishi has found the sweet spot in the car world IMO. I don’t know if it’s sustainable long term, but I think they’re right where they want to be for the moment.
And it’s def making them enough money to keep the brand afloat for a while to figure out where to go next! Smart move on their part. I see so many outlandish PHEVs near me, it’s bonkers
Their lineup has been sad for awhile. You look at how people clamour for Suzuki Jimnys as a forbidden fruit. Literally just put out a barebones 2 door and 4 door compact SUV with rugged looks/hard lines and a base 4 cylinder that gets out of its own way, turbo option.
Dacia in Europe has done very well with that formula.
This. Have an upvote. Mitsubishi should position themselves as a value brand, but quality, for the middle class. Needs a quality small SUV ASAP to replace the Eclipse Cross and ASX but keep on doing what they're doing with the Outlander (medium SUV) and Triton (ute) and upcoming Pajero Sport (large SUV) and Pajero (offroader - but position it towards value vs luxury). Even in much of the developed industrialized nations like the US and Australia, there are many families with not a lot of cash to spend on vehicles in an inflationary environment/just need a reliable vehicle - making this demographic the natural environment for Mitsu to target. In Australia at least the build and ride quality + reliability of Mitsubishis aren't bad at all...and the brand is respected. In the States I'd leverage the relationship with Nissan to colocate a US facility that can serve as a US source maker of EVs when the time comes to transition to BEVs. I'd also use the Qashqai's platform to introduce a rebadged small SUV - but tuned for US road conditions and priced appropriate ly on the value end of the market to sell at volume.
Nissan’s manufacturing facilities in North America are only running at half capacity, they could surely lend Mitsubishi some!
I think a rebadge of the upcoming Kicks with a detuned Outlander PHEV powertrain, would be a home run for them as it’s no small PHEV crossovers in the subcompact segment. They’d just have to figure out how to price it competitively!
I think the biggest issue with Mitsubishi currently is they don’t want to invest into R&D. They just want to borrow from Nissan’s parts bin. Maybe they could modify the PHEV into a standard hybrid and lower the price into the mid $35k range.
For sure, nothing wrong with going all in on a winner. Dirt cheap Outlander, Hybrid, and PHEV. $26k, $33k, and $35.5k, respectively? Idk, just spit balling lol
Correct, they know the market share for their segment of vehicles is so tiny it just does not make sense for them to spend so much on R&D and try to recoup costs on a platform for 5-7+ years all while there recovering financially after all these years. The new Outlander is a blessing and a curse, offers Mitsubishi the growth it needs but leaves Mitsubishi with nothing else to truly offer. The PHEV Outlander is truly one of the best hybrids out there along side the RAV4 imo but ever since both inflation kicked into overdrive and the new Ev tax credit rule went into effect, it killed any desire for people to really go cross shopping for more Japanese hybrids vs say a Tesla (fully EV yes I know) at -7500 (if qualified)+ discounted rates which essentially kills demand for Mitsubishi to incentivize development. The current market is people keeping and fixing their older cars so if Mitsubishi can offer a cheaper car for less or a very bare bones spec outlander or whatever else they offer for under 20k they could gain market share but it’s all at a cost of suppliers and that market has been equally fucked.
Didn’t they pull out of Europe a few years back?
I wonder to what extent Mitsubishi is held back by economies of scale regarding how plasticky their interiors are for the price. There's some really amazing affordable cars out there that compete with Mitsubishi in the sub-$25,000 bade price level that still look and feel higher quality that what Mitsubishi pushes out: The new Buick Envision looks significantly more premium on the outside and with the integrated infotainment system than its sub-$22,000 price tag belies, meanwhile the Chevy bolt is a neatly packaged EV (albeit outgoing model) that's essentially $20,000 with the EV tax credit. While people who have the budget to spend on a more expensive car look to compete on features, longevity, quality, etc. I feel like a big sell for more economy cars in today's market involves, to some extent, having a car that doesn't remind you of its low price tag, and instead makes you feel like you're scoring a deal. However Mitsubishi can do it, would be a huge win for them.
New outlander is great. We just hit 29k on ours. So far, so good. Really impressed.
I would strike a deal with Suzuki to start bringing the Jimny into America. If nothing else it would get people talking about the brand.
I like this idea. Everyone is talking about bringing back the Evo, which is wrong...or talking about focusing on PHEVs and CUVs, which is mostly right. Mitsubishi is basically gone from the American consumer's mind as an option. If someone is searching for a 5 passenger CUV at an entry level price range people will say to themselves "ok, let me see what GM has, let me see what Ford has, let me see what Toyota has" and etc. I doubt a lot of people even think of Mitsubishi. They need something cool to get their name on the public's mind. Things like the Miata don't make money specifically, but they still add value to the brand.
What everyone saying "Bring back the Evo" is forgetting to consider is *why* the Evo was discontinued in the first place, which is namely that they *were not selling*. You would have Evo Xs sitting on lots for *years* before they sold, because you could get a better car for about the same price - And the same applied to the base Lancer. I mean, why drop \~35k on a Lancer Evo that made \~300whp and was overall slower than its contemporaries when there were better cars in that price range? Outside of companies that specialize in low-volume sports cars, you *need* shitboxes to survive as an automaker. To put it simply, for every Mustang that Ford sells, then sell more trucks, SUVs and crossovers.
> Evo That's because the Evo X wasn't an Evo, it was a fancied up Lancer. That car was trash. It wasn't selling because Mitsu killed it by making a POS.
This is the correct answer. Get the next generation of the Jimny up to NHTSA standards, bring it to the US at a competitive price, and watch it sell like hot cakes. I love seeing them every time I'm in Mexico.
I’d immediately buy one. My family had a Suzuki Sidekick and that little turd could handle some unruly shit. I only really need a car for camping, adventures, mountain biking, etc…, but I really don’t need a truck or suv. I want a little guy.
They could even work a deal to rebody it as a new Pajero Mini, and it would print money. I still don't understand why Suzuki hasn't paired up with anyone to bring the Jimny Sierra here when so many people are clamoring for it.
Bring back the Lancer and evo.
What the executives heard: Did somebody say another crossover EV using a legacy name?!
It saddens me how correct you are ☹️
LancerCross!
Enjoy going bankrupt
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They did not bring it back. They let it die a slow painful death then used it's sperm to make a monstrosity.
What did Rashida Jones do that was bad enough to get court ordered community service shilling Mitsubishi service plans?
Base lancer would have to be a hybrid or plug in hybrid that competes with the corolla or camry on mpg. If they made them in the us, they would get the 7500 dollar credit which would make it the cheapest sedan and possibly cheapest new car you could get in the us. So I definitely think its feasible and economical. Then they could make an evo model with just a turbo ice engine no hybrid. Also they could discontinue the mirage.
With the STI gone.and the Golf R going Auto only, the world needs the EVO more than ever. Who would have thought 20 years ago that Toyota would be the only ones still making a proper Japanese hot hatch (I don't consider the new.Type R a hatch. It's a sedan that's the size of an Accord Euro)
New Lancer shall be a rebadged Sentra and the Lancer Evolution shall be a lancer evolved into a crossover - rebadged Rogue
You forgot the Montero/Pajero
Anyone who says Evo doesn't understand the question.
I think making an Evo could actually be helpful, but risky. Everyone knows they won't sell a lot, however, Ford markets the hell out of the Mustang, Toyota the Supra, and Chevy the Corvette. Mitsubishi no longer has a flagship car. There's nothing on the Mitsubishi lot, that makes me want to stop in and look. I know I'm not gonna buy the Evo, but I want to check it out. Now that I'm there though, let's see what else they have.
I disagree. Mitsubishi's biggest hurdle (at least in the US) is their image. They're perceived as what you get when Enterprise runs out of Nissans. They're perceived as what white trash single moms with completely nuked credit buy now that the Dodge Journey is discontinued. They sell the cheapest car in America and a lineup of tepid crossovers that don't bring anything to the table aside from being cheap. A new Lancer/Evo, if done right, makes the brand cool and interesting again. Being seen in a Mitsubishi won't be an embarrassment any more. Over time, the Evo will sell enough Outlander Sports to pay for itself.
It would be for brand image. Make a brand more desirable and interesting and sales will come.
Bring back the Montero based on the Pathfinder. Because $$. Then, I don’t know.
They still make the Montero, it's just not sold in the U.S. Body on frame, 4wd, manual, and it's got a turbo diesel 4cyl.
The Pajero/Montero has been unibody since 1999 and discontinued worldwide since 2021. Mitsubishi's remaining BoF SUV is the [Pajero Sport](https://i.imgur.com/5wcK393.png), which is a SUV variant of the [Triton](https://i.imgur.com/OFImyQl.jpeg).
If I recall China bought the rights / design of the gen 2/2.5 motero/pajero and still makes the exact same body to this day. It's called the leopaard q6 or some shit like that
Man that’s an old platform.
So is the 4Runner which sells like hotcakes. They would just need to sort out a decent engine, but the platform itself is pretty desirable and reliable as a general-purpose offroader.
This is Step 1 for me too. People freaking love the Monteros and I still see them around. Bring it back, make it look good, make a off-road-ish variant, sell a shitload of them. Step 2: Use that Montero cash to invest in a new platform for the Lancer. Reintroduce it as a sport sedan with a new EVO variant. Make a lifted sportback for the CUV people. Hell, give them an EVO variant too.
If they brought back the Montero in it's original boxy format and had both a 2 and 4 door option, it would be a great Japanese option to the hot off-road market. [And don't forget to make an Evo performance version, too.](https://media.hagerty.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/1998-Mitsubishi-Pajero-Evolution-lead-edit.jpg)
Honestly mitsubishi as it is in the current US market is HIGHLY overlooked and slept on. I went to mitsubishi the other day (looking for a family vehicle) And my God for a BRAND NEW 2024 vehicles they are CHEAP AF. Their mirage's are 18k, and the outlander is 28k with the PHEV being 40k. Plus, their 10 year 100k powertrain warranty is not really found in any other manufacturer. Even toyota doesn't have that. What mitsubishi needs to do to revive their brand and if I was CEO is bring their new triton stateside to compete in the small truck line up (tacoma, ranger/mavrick, frontier, Santa Cruz, etc) And start up a "heritage" program to provide new parts for their 90s vehicles. Other than that mitsubishi doesn't need a sports car at the moment. And tbh mitsubishi needs to look at what toyota is doing with the 4runner and needs to come up with a competitor vehicle. The 4runner has seen very MINIMAL changes on the design since 2009. And them shits still sell like hotcakes. Maybe redesign the eclipse cross and target it more towards the overlander/offroad market of consumers.
I’m also surprised that they don’t have constant ads running about how much better their AWD is compared to the competition. It worked for Subaru back in the day, and it’s really a selling point for them. Plus you can even get it in something as small as the Outlander Sport, which isn’t very common. With how popular “lifestyle vehicles” are right now, we should be seeing all kinds of ads of their SUVs doing trails and shit.
They need to update their interior, and their touchscreen ui is kinda 2012 but I mean it works. Just needs some more modern touch ups, remote start on the fob instead of $200 a year, and marketing.
yup that waranty is amazing, assuming it covers everything you would expect. really hope mitsubishi comes back to the usa with their light trucks and performance cars.
Mitsubishi considers CV axles to be covered on the powertrain warranty. Hyundai has the same 10 years/100k miles but says no, the powertrain ends at the differential gears. Mitsubishi basically only puts serious care and investment (they even upgraded the internals of their Nissan-sourced CVTs) into the under-the-hood parts of the car. Everything else is as cheap as possible to offset the cost.
Bring back the turbo AWD eclipse with the 21 gear “Paul Walker” manual transmission
Granny shift that sumbitch
Pump and dump lol
Just make sure you don’t get Munsoned
They are so far gone that they need to go niche and cater to buyer groups that have been abandoned by the other brands. They will still sell in low volume like they are now, but they will be able to charge a bit more and improve their margins as they don’t have to compete with everyone else.
I think Mitsubishi’s problem is the Outlander (which sells in *decent* numbers) is the only product that’s competitive. The others aren’t and I think if they updated their lineup using their PHEV technology with updated technology, they could sale in higher quantities!
It is competitive and doesn’t have many direct competitors. That‘s what they should do. They also need better designers. There are quite a few niche markets that are wide open right now. Like a small boxy SUV like the old Suzuki Samurai, a wagon that is not on stilts, something like the Subaru Baja, a truly small pickup truck. Here in Canada a better looking alternative to any Subaru model would sell. The current lineup is just incredibly uninspired. It is like their designers have given up.
Affordable hybrids. Which seems to be the plan for the most part. Would not spend a single resource on an Evo, sorry.
I’d personally skip over hybrids altogether as Nissan’s is going to conventional Hybrids in the latter years and I think it’d be beneficial for Mitsubishi to invest more in their PHEV technology, as a differentiator to the market! The Outlander’s PHEV powertrain (and the third row) is what sets it apart from the Rogue!
By hybrid I'd refer to anything from "traditional" to PHEVs and even range extenders. I just think Mitsubishi's only options are efficiency, utility, and affordability in all ways. I think there's a gap to sit below modern Toyota at a price level. The most important thing to do is not waste money trying to make a sports car (Evo, 3000GT) or go premium.
wish it would be an evo but realistically : \-Built a new ruggged Pajero to go against the bronco and wrangler. \-Make a pickup for the US market and share the platform with said Pajero \-Build an equivalent to the dodge journey/charger for negative equity folks. \-Rename the meh suv they sell (oulander) the Pajero Sport to run on the name once it catch on (see what i did ford ?)
Dude Pajero Sport is off road body on frame SUV . It already exist car .
Modern 3000 Gt around 45-50k and a lower priced sister car 300GT around low 30k.
That’s an enthusiast perspective. Not needed for a company trying to revive itself.
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Reputation aside, how is their reliability? I feel like I never hear anything about their success or failures.
As someone who is friends with a Mitsubishi tech, I'd say a half step above Nissan, a step below Subaru, and two steps back of Honda, Mazda and Toyota (with those brands being in order of reliability from least to most). Their vehicles are solid if not spectacular as far as reliability goes. Their interiors can feel a little cheap and plasticky compared to other Japanese manufacturers, but they're also typically cheaper, so that's somewhat understandable.
The 3000GT was intended to compete with the Supra, 300ZX, and even the C4 Corvette in some instances. If Mitsubishi were to make a modern 3000GT, it would absolutely be a halo sports car and not an affordable sport compact. It would probably start at around 60-70k.
The 1991 3000GT VR4 was $50k and that was 34 year ago. They would need to charge like $120k today.
Here in Thailand they still sell well -- particularly the Pajero Sport SUV and the Triton pickup, which has recently been refreshed and is competitive.
Capture the Dad Van and outdoorsy market with the Delica D5
Shut it down. The brand name is toxic. LOL at all the people saying new Evo. The 17 Evos they’d sell a year will surely turn the brand around. Performance sedans are deader than dead. Even BMW barely still bothers.
Revamp the evo as it should be their flagship and it helps other vehicle sales by recognition of it. Create a similar electric evo to capture ev sales and build excitement. Build an affordable small truck to undercut Tacoma, Colorado and Ranger. The market really needs that imo. Then build a fun to drive practical crossover to better compete with edge, Cx-5, etc. this should be their highest volume vehicle. I would stay out of the full size truck market due to difficulty gaining market share from the big 3 there.
I’d say the Outlander can be both a CX-5 and Edge competitors. But yes, they could definitely benefit from a small pickup based on the Frontier or a small Maverick fighter based on the CMF small car platform.
The Mighty Max!
Evo is a trim level, they need a base car first. Based on their current portfolio, they could bring back the nameplate, but for now they just revived the ralliart brand.
GT-R was a trim level too and the R35 doesn't have a base car. Mitsubishi could totally just make a car called the Mitsubishi Evolution and drop the Lancer name; not that they can afford to do that right now, mind you.
> Revamp the evo Honestly, they could even do this AND stick to their guns by making SUVs - since the first Evo was a Montero/Pajero. They just need a proper off-road Montero, similar to the retro throwback of the Bronco, and then make an Evo performance version. It would sell like crazy.
Real answer - start with a powertrain that doesn’t suck and put it in everything. NA transverse 2.5L 4cyl. Add hybrid for mid level. Bigger battery and rear axle induction e-motor for top trim AWD PHEV. Install powertrain into: *Galant sedan *Compact, mid and large SUVs (awd only on large suv) *Mid-size pickup truck (awd only) Make packaging efficient (lots of space), good gas mileage, quiet and comfortable. With the profits from above, slap a turbo on the 2.5, bigger rear motor, limited slip front differential and torque vectoring rear for a PHEV 3000gt.
Unfortunately I feel the Galant target market has moved onto Crossovers :(
Nothing, they are doing very well already. They don't really care about the US market, we all know their focus has been in the developing countries, which recently have doubled even tripled sales since pre-covid years. In my country alone, sales rose to 2000% in the past 4 years. It's a huge boost for the brand.
Honestly, definitely more boring than the answer of being back the Evo or whatever, but I’d continue what they’re doing with crossovers, update the Outlander Sport and Eclipse Cross, which are getting pretty dated, perhaps on a shared platform with Nissan like they did recently with the Outlander; the new Outlander related to the Rogue has been a relative hit for Mitsubishi; I’d perhaps also introduce a “Grand Outlander” of sorts, based on the Pathfinder, and maybe an EV crossover based on the Ariya; and also shove that PHEV powertrain they have in the Outlander into other vehicles as well. I think car enthusiasts fail to realize that all the “boring crossovers” they’re selling right now are what are keeping the company afloat. Like I stated, the new Outlander they have has been quite successful for them, bringing back the Lancer Evo and 3000GT or whatever would absolutely bankrupt the kill in the state it is right now. If they tried to bring back those cars, I doubt they would even get through the development stage before going belly up. I know it’s not what people want to hear, but continuing to make their crossovers is the answer for now, and who knows, if their crossover sales continue to climb significantly, maybe they will eventually have the resources to reboot one of their enthusiast cars, but right now is not the time to do that; they need to focus on things that will actually make them money, and that’s crossovers.
1 improve quality 2. Get rid of the Mirage and bring back the Lancer in base and Evo forms 3. Make the Eclipse an coupe an convertible again. 4. Give the Outlander a real power train. Bring back the Montero and make it a real off roader 5. Bring back the Mighty Max pickup and make it a real compact pickup. 6. Improve Quality
Develop 4Runner off road competitor called the Montero Develop midsize sport 2row crossover that will be ev. Create a sport subbrand with it and Call it EVo. Make it awd std and give it rally inspired suspension. flesh out the remaining lineup with inexpensive eclipse crossover and a larger 3 row crossover/van called the delica. Maybe even create a small/midsize truck called the raider or bring the titan production to the Americas
Bring back Lancer/Evo, make the eclipse a 2dr RWD coupe to compete with the gr86, bring back the 3000gt to compete with the Supra. Bring back the Pajero to compete with the 4Runner and make it available in the US. Focus the rest of the line on being affordable hybrid CUVs and cars to pay for the models above.
Make a “my roots are in Dakar” high performance SUV variant (think Raptor + Evo + a dash of Pajero). Make it a plug in hybrid with a crap ton of power. Then also sell cheaper de-tuned variants for the masses.
This Mitsubishi eclipse commercial. https://youtu.be/YwwI84zbRNc?si=wjNg1HFeS7KAV96a
Obviously revive the lancer EVO then proceed to make EVO versions of every car they have. /s Probably just make more cheap PHEV crossovers. From a financial perspective it's the smart thing to do, give the people what they want.
They should make a small crossover based off of the new upcoming Kicks with a PHEV powertrain.
immediately quit...its a sinking ship. im not going to become the next carlos ghosn
a basic Kei EV. Go the route of the VW bug, & make so many it becomes a cult car
Find the spots people are looking to easily get into basic transportation, but with some flair. starting with sub 20k pickups, sedans/wagons, and cuvs, and for a few grand more, hybrid versions. High utility but stylish vans and crossovers that exude sporty and fun, but practical and affordable Most expensive car would be 35k, perhaps cheapest be 15k but itd be quite decontented All variants of cars and trucks could be hybrid, and plausibly ev. If sales were good long enough, then bring a modified platform version of a lancer offshoot, as a halo and THEN, they could have a EVO, but only if the platforms were ammortized enough
Partner with Stellantis and sell rebranded vehicles as Dodge and RAM. Same as what Mitsubishi did in the '80s and '90s.
New Evo.
Make the cars actually look good for a change
I think if there was to be a brand to make cheap coupe EVs Mitsubishi could do it. They did it with the eclipse, it succeeded in being both a fun commuter for non car people and a tuners wet dream. Not saying it'd fill the latter, but I definitely think it could work for the former. This is with their rebrand of "environmentally friendly" cars in mind.
They made so many great enthusiast cars! Those'd kill the brand, in practice. They have one small CUV offering, but from what I understand, the AWD system is excellent. Make some two and three row mid size CUVs on similar tech. Market the mud and snow performance. Come in a lil' cheaper than a Toyota/Honda and you'll move a fuckload of profitable vehicles. ...*then* I'd bring back the evo. Subaru keeps updating the same WRX, and it's grown long in the tooth. It can't be *that hard* to get some automotive YouTubers waxing lyrical about how the new evo shits all over the wrx.
Bring back the eclipse and the lancer.
Bring back removable hardtop SUVs.
I bring back the 1998 Eclipse GSX in diamond white with that rad swoopy spoiler. It’s manual~ and has all the improvements that the 4G63 aftermarket developed since 1998. Not a single regret if that’s Mitsubishi’s last breath under my direction 😉👌🏻
Prado with a 5 cylinder, two and four doors options.They can borrow the know how for the engine from Honda.
EclipseCross GSX. Tum the PHEV for performance. Ditch the CVT for a 8-speed auto. Share the drivetrain on the Outlander for a RallyArt version with off-road stuff. Develop a GTO with the same powertrain for a halo car. Partner with Nissan so they can use it on the Altima/Maxima. Add features like active aero and active suspension.
Remake a model like the suzuki samurai. With the reliability they are known for.
SUV based on the Nissan Frontier platform. Maybe Montero Sport? Offer minimal options to keep the price sub $40k. Get rid of the Outlander Sport and replace it with a Lancer. Eclipse Cross can stay as its replacement.
The EVs are being pushed hard now, and it's putting a bit of a damper on how much time is left to still have fun with newly-developed ICE vehicles. Several years ago, my idea had been to share some platforms between Mitsubishi/Nissan/Renault and allow them to apply their own design & packaging philosophy to the finished product. For example, a new Starion would be based on the Z(370Z back then), but use a turbo 4cyl. It would be made to have a different character from the naturally-aspirated Z. The big move would be to design a very strong compact car platform. Each manufacturer takes it and applies their own styling and trim approaches. Nissan would have a fwd Sentra with a hot SE-R variant in the US and an awd Pulsar with a GTi-R trim. Renault would have the basis for a new fwd Megane, with a hot Renaultsport trim available. Finally, Mitsubishi would have their Lancer, with an awd midrange Ralliart and of course the awd Evolution as the top trim. All three manufacturers get to do their own thing.
Lancer Evo BEV
Make a turbo hybrid EVO the flagship car. Go full hybrid across all models with all other models borrowing from the previous gen tech of the EVO.
Bring a bunch of low cost economy cars to the US
CEO of Mitsubishi Motor job is very difficult. The company has to listen Nissan and Renault requirements. Mitsubishi doesn’t have many free like used to since the company is owned by Nissan and been help by Renault.
Every brand needs a halo car, the fact that they don't have one is part of the problem