WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

As for the actual car lineup; mitsumichael7's original post is about spot on. Subcompact and midsize cars don't make much money until you get into Accord/Camry territory as far as sales. Niche marketing the Lancer won't help them recover.

Mitsu really needs some trucks. The easiest way to get them would be to buy someone else's and restyle them, much how Honda redid the Isuzu. With DC's pullout, this seems unlikely.

hale

Okay once again I will defend my statements about the Lancer...

The sportbacks do need to be dropped. I don't see them around so I'll guess they aren't selling. You don't see any station wagons around anymore though??

The ES needs to stay, maybe a slightly lower price. The LS is worthless. It has what different than the ES, 15" steels, a sunroof, and an automatic tranny...? Drop the LS.
Okay as of right now the Oz is the same car with a body kit?? Why not give it a boost in power to make it different. Just change something in the design and let it drop down more power? Otherwise you buy an ES and put a body kit on it and it might look better??
The Ralliart is fine as-is I suppose, but I was suggesting a turbo in the future after sells go back up. Obviously people are already turboing them aftermarket, so why not make that a special package and Mitsu can make that money instead?

Westsidebilly is right though, we are a land of trucks (and luxuary cars). I see a lot of new ideas in Mitsubishi but nothing like that. I mean hey the Eclipse doesn't look THAT bad, I would drive one if I could. It just isn't carrying on the Eclipse name...where is the awd turbo package? There should be a 2 door awd turbo from mitsu, its just expected now after the DSM years...

I think Mitsu should try to talk Dodge into letting them repackage their trucks. :-D Maybe big brother DC would let them :-D

Oh and I don't see the need for a v6 in the sportbacks...or lancer or whatever....isn't that what the galant is for...to compete with the v6 sedan market?

mitsumichael7

iTrader: (1)

First thing, there is no need to defend statements in this thread. This isnt the flame thread so I hope that nothing I have said or anybody else has said is interpretted that way. If I sounded like that I apologize. In here I was just hoping for intelligence in here that is rare, thats all. Now I am going to quote you because I agree with you a LOT. The only thing I disagree with you on is the Lancer. Reason for my disagreement is simple, with the route you would think of taking makes the Lancer kind of the "flagship" of Mitsubishi cars. I would say you cant do that with a car whose base model would start at $9,995.00 if I ran the company. That would be a equivilant to an ES with no power windows or locks, but have AC and CD in a 5 spd. I would then offer a couple of different packages under the ES label ranging to what would look exactly like an OZ with the sun and sound and trying to keep that car with the 2.0 SOHC 120 HP motor at or around $15K. Building an extra motor would just increase the costs of building Lancers all together and building a turbo Lancer would KILL the Ralliart in non turbo form. I do however believe a RS version of the Evo at or around $25K is a good buy.
Now for the Eclipse, or whatever the new one will be, I dont believe the Eclipse has to revert back to AWD. Sure it would be nice, but not cost effective for the car. Especially when you can just step up and get an Evo in AWD. I HONESTLY believe that if Mitsu delivers the Eclipse powerplant in the way they promised us from the concept car they will sell more than they can produce. Who here would want a car with similar sexy lines like the 350Z or 911 Porsche, with a 260 HP V6 that gets in the mid 30's for gas milage that is going to cost $24K or less??? I am telling you all RIGHT NOW, if it is delivered like that, I am buying one immediately without worrying about anything at all. Label that car anything you want, just give me those specs and i am sold.
Other than that, I could see how you would want to do anything else, and I think we should all agree that mitsu needs a truck, right?? What about the V8 thing?

earthman

Shoot the mitsubishi designer... then choke him slowly.. and then shoot him again.. GOSH I HATE HOW MITSUS are loooking these days !!

mitsumichael7

iTrader: (1)

Please try to play along constructively. And I agree taht most of the lineup is in need of a facelift.

Example...why arent all Lancers using the same body panels?? meaning how come teh Evo gets the nice front bumper, nice flared fenders, while teh other Lancers get their own version of trying to pull the look-a-like thing off? Wouldnt it be cheaper to use the same exterior body panels except the hood and spoiler saved for the Evo?

Of course, I could just be a jealous bitter Lancer owner who cant yet afford the Evo...DAMN COST OF LIVING IN CALIFORNIA!!!

dugrant153

Has anyone seen the BOOM of the Mazda 3 in Canada? Mazda has hit HUGE here in Canada! It's nuts! They out number Civics now! And by a lot too!

Mazda did a few things that Mitsubishi has not done yet:
1) Looks. They made the car curvy.
2) ADVERTISING!!! I see a million Mazda commercials getting me excited about the Mazda 3 and the Mazda 6. Mazda was all over my campus at one time! Mitsubishi? Only some cheesy commercials with the Lancer.
3) Reset their image. This is a tough one to do. Once you've become "known" for something, it kinda sticks with you.

So, what does Mitsu have to do?
1) Has to compete with Subaru and/or Mazda in the Canadian market. Subaru has become famous with WRX's and AWD and Mazda has just blown the doors off any car with the Mazda 3 sales as of recent. Mitsu will NEED the Evo in order to survive here much longer against Subaru. Against Mazda, Mitsu has to change their looks, or start putting some "Evo" spirit into the Lancer lineup. We Canadians are cost concious, and if we can get a car that gives a lot for little price, we're sold

2) ADVERTISE!! And advertise right! Give the Mitsubishi cars an image! Mazda has Zoom Zoom, Subaru has "Beauty of All Wheel Drive"... Mitsubishi?... I can't even remember. Cuz we don't get the Evo, we don't get those cool Evo commercials. Sell to the 20+ year olds who WILL be looking into sport compacts/sedans (like myself). And one more thing, all I remember is the funky music from Mitsu commercials, not the car per se.

3) Product differentiation (Which applies to marketing too). Forget attacking the soft suspension market and the "reliability" of Honda and Toyota. That's their niche. Mitsu has gotta set itself up as aggressive, yet smooth. That's what the Lancer EVO is.

bobaab, I actually read all your post . I've always been under the impression that all Mitsu's are crap. But maybe that's just a select few cars?