Mitsubishi ’s CEO, Osamu Masuko, said yesterday that he wants the Japanese automaker to end production of the Galant in Normal, Illinois, and replace that plant’s capacity with vehicles that “can be sold on the global market,” most likely Lancers and Outlanders – two of Mitsubishi’s better sellers and two vehicles that can be exported outside of the U.S.
The Galant’s redesign has been pushed back and back and, as Leftlane recently suggested, Mitsubishi i s considering dropping the nameplate entirely and backing out of the ultra-competitive midsize sedan market.
Mitsubishi and the UAW are committed to the Normal facility for at least another four years. The two signed a labor deal to keep the plant running in October.
Masuko told Automotive News that nothing is certain just yet, but that the automaker is strongly considering bringing Lancer and Outlander production to the U.S., which might spell the end for Eclipse and Endeavor production.
Currently, the Normal plant isn’t even producing 100,000 vehicles – the break-even point for the facility. Mitsubishi says the plant could produce up to 240,000 vehicles annually in its current configuration, which leaves a lot of room open for export vehicles.
Masuko also told the journal that he wishes the Triton pickup, which is sold in over 100 countries, was sold in the U.S. The Triton is a modern compact pickup that, in a previous iteration, was sold as the Mighty Max in North America. The automaker declined to give reasons why the Triton won’t be sold in the North American market, but the most obvious speculation suggests that it would not meet federal requirements.
