Still having trouble understanding why and how Mitsubishi kicked its Lancer Evolution (the Evo!) to the curb two years ago" We are. And the rest of Mitsubishi?s Lancer lineup says sayonara this year, joining the likes of other once strong nameplates such as Eclipse, Galant, and Montero in suspended animation.
Mitsubishi Motors hasn?t just been in the doldrums in the United States, but globally. Now, after years of what can be best described as managed decline, the company has a long-awaited big-picture plan?one that promises a product renewal with 11 fresh vehicles, six of which will be entirely new. The automaker plans to offer electrified powertrains across the core model range?with technology and electric-vehicle expertise likely coming from Nissan. The closer ties to Nissan are critical to the recovery plan. In 2016, Nissan took a controlling 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors, making the embattled automaker the third member of the alliance between Nissan and Renault that began back in 1999. Last month, the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi group released a six-year plan to launch a dozen new fully electric models and 40 new vehicles with autonomous-drive technology. Under that plan, more than nine million vehicles across the three automakers will share four common vehicle platforms, and 75 percent of total sales volume will use common powertrains.
Mitsubishi?s Chance to Get Its Mojo Back
Under the Mitsubishi plan, called Drive for Growth, the company will increase ...