it wasn’t that long ago when Mitsubishi was a household name among American auto buyers. Unfortunately, the company’s stature and sales figures have both torpedoed to the point that rumors of the company leaving the US market aren’t being treated as ridiculous blasphemy anymore, but more as an increasing possibility.
Gone were the days when the Japanese brand could sell 200,000 vehicles a year without even trying. Back in 2002, they sold 354,111 of their vehicles, but today, the company’s trying hard to even push 50,000 sold models.
So with the way Mitsubishi is going these days, pulling out of the US market isn’t as crazy as it once was. That is, until you talk to Osamu Masuko, the president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. When asked if the company is ready to leave the US market behind, Masuko flatly responds: “It never enters my mind.”
On the contrary, according to Masuko, Mitsubishi is aggressively planning on quadrupling its sales volume by 400% to 200,000 vehicles. Of course, that part is easier said than done, but the company is confident that by coming out with new products like smaller and more fuel efficient cars, as well as electric vehicles, Mitsubishi could turn around their fortunes.
It remains to be seen how this will all play out, but in the end, we’re all rooting for Mitsubishi to rebound from the current mired state they’re in. It may not be as popular as it was, but with a lot of work – and some luck, too – Mitsubishi can still regain their footing in the American market.
No comments:
Post a Comment