Mitsubishi to sell rebadged Infiniti M… new Diamante in the cards?

Mitsubishi is reportedly considering selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M sedan in order to fill its void of premium offerings in its home market of Japan. However, Automotive News notes that Mitsubishi’s President, Osamu Masuko, has stated that the automaker will not leverage manufacturing deals with other companies in order to expand its lineup here in the United States, so don’t expect to see a Mitsu-branded Infiniti on our shores anytime soon.

Mitsubishi’s last endeavor into the luxury sedan market was with the Diamante – a car that suffered from lackluster sales numbers during its run throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Due to Mitsubishi’s financial woes during the mid-2000s, luxury car development was put on hold. Now, though, selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M (or Nissan Fuga, as it’s known in Japan) would insulate Mitsubishi from research and development costs, making it easier for the automaker to launch back into the luxury segment.

Automotive News reports that the Mitsubishi-badged Infiniti could go on sale in Japan as early as this year. Expect the standard gas version to be the first to wear a triple-diamond badge, though Mitsubishi may sell a version of the M Hybrid, as well.

Source:Autoblog

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Mitsubishi moving Outlander Sport production from Japan to Normal, IL

Mitsubishi has confirmed rumors that it will transfer production of at least one of its models from Japan to its American manufacturing site in Normal, IL. At this time, the only vehicle the automaker has officially confirmed for U.S. production is the Outlander Sport.

It’s worth noting that the Outlander Sport shares a platform with the slightly larger Outlander and the Lancersedan, so it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if production of these models were moved Stateside as well. Mitsubishi estimates that about half of the models it builds in the States will be exported.

At present, the plant in Normal assembles the Galant, Endeavor and Eclipse, but these vehicles are scheduled to be phased out by 2013. About 1,000 of the automaker’s 1,300 employees in North America are members of the United Auto Workers Union.

If you’re interested in reading all the details straight from the source, you know where to look.

 

Source:Autoblog