Mitsubishi Motors is a car manufacturer and one of the divisions of Mitsubishi Corporation. At the end of World War I, this division was created that originally manufactured aircraft engines, which became employed in World War II. Mitsubishi currently consists of 12 companies that handle finance, manufacturing and design. Mitsubishi means “three diamonds” and refers to the logo of the three diamonds. In 1917, Mitsubishi became the first Japanese automaker to produce a series car, Model A, in Japan. For many years now, Mitsubishi Motors has been manufacturing vehicles ranging from cars to heavy transport vehicles such as trucks.

Show More

Repercussion

In 2004, Mitsubishi manufactured 1,428,563 automobiles, including passenger and commercial vehicles. This figure represented a decrease of 10% compared to the previous year and placed the brand of the Three Diamonds in the thirteenth place in the world ranking of manufacturers.

Since the DaimlerChrysler group, which had controlled the brand since 2000, withdrew from the administration, Mitsubishi underwent a profound reorganization. The German corporation DC sold, at the end of 2005, its package of shares (12.4% of capital) to the investment bank Goldman Sachs, which in turn resold them on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

After two difficult years, the company’s Recovery Plan, funded by powerful Japanese corporations linked to Mitsubishi, yielded results and the company regained market share thanks to improved product quality and after-sales service.

It also strengthened its participation in the European market through agreements with Volkswagen and PSA, especially to purchase diesel engines. Mitsubishi announced new models to strengthen its product range.

The renewal of important models was announced, such as the sports sedan Lancer Evo and the Pick-Up L200. It also introduced a new generation of the Eclipse sports car and the Raider medium pick-up (derived from the Dodge Dakota) in the North American market.

Today

In 2007, Mitsubishi once again dominated the Dakar Rally, achieving its seventh consecutive victory in what is considered the most difficult all-terrain race in the world. He has also participated successfully in the World Rally Championship (WRC). These appearances have given him the image of a sports brand with all-terrain capabilities.

Mitsubishi manufactures more than 20 models, many of which are only available in Japan. The best known in the Americas and Europe are the compact Lancer, the sports Eclipse, the Galant sedan, the Grandis minivan and the SUVs Grenada, Nativa, Outlander, and Pajero/Montero.