BMW_Dude

Mitsubishi has thrown down the gauntlet. If dealers can't sell its new products like the Outlander and Lancer, the company may pull out of the United States completely. Mitsubishi's product boss, Shinichi Kurihara said as much at a press event, indicating that the company's recovery rides on the success of the vehicles. The company is down 16.5 percent to 36,536 units so far this year, and its Normal, Ill. plant employs just one shift. Predictably, dealers have responded by urging Mitsubishi brass to open up their wallets and spend more money on advertising here in the States.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi's May sales figures just arrived and the company posted a 3.9-percent rise in sales over May of 2005, which follows an even stronger 17.5-percent improvement last month over April of 2005.


Source = Automotive News via AutoWeek (Thanks to Emulous1974 for the tip)

Andaluz

There are two main reasons why Mitsubishi is going down the hill in the U.S market.

First off, the quality plummeted badly. Mitsubishi is now in the bottom of satisfaction surveys. They are even worse than Mercedes and Volkswagen.

It's also not very hard to see why the sales are down. With probably the exception of the EVO IX. The rest of the range, looks like it was styled by a mad blind man.





Things aren't pretty in Europe either. You see, the Lancer looks mean and imposing in EVOLUTION trim with side skirts, bonnet scoop, 18-inch alloy wheels and a big spoiler. But it looks yawnsomely dreary in beige bongo standard trim. And then you have the hideous Colt hatchback and the fat arse Grandis.