Following a decision by Mitsubishi Japan to discontinue creating vehicles that meet rules in this region of the world, Mitsubishi is leaving the UK. Do you still need to purchase a new L200? Let’s investigate.
However, you will still be able to purchase a new Mitsubishi up until about autumn 2021, when stocks of the present range are anticipated to run out. The end of UK Mitsubishi sales was announced in July 2020.
This means that the Mitsubishi L200 pickup truck and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Commercial and Mitsubishi Shogun Sport Commercial, both of which are commercial 44 conversions of passenger SUV models, will no longer be produced as light commercial vehicles starting in 2021.
In This Article...
Why did Mitsubishi leave the UK?
Given that the French government owns a 15% share in Renault and that the French company owns a portion of Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi may soon be accused of supporting a campaign by Renault to preserve French jobs.
The deal was allegedly crafted as a political negotiating chip to boost the workload in failing French manufacturing and earn union backing, according to executives from Mitsubishi and Nissan. When Renault shifted Nissan Micra manufacture from Sunderland to its Flins factory outside of Paris in 2001, it was a comparable move.
Mitsubishi claims that its plans have not changed for the UK market. There are currently no official intentions to import Mitsubishi’s recently agreed-upon Renault-based cars to Britain; nonetheless, the corporation is still slowly advancing toward becoming an after-sales service by the end of the year.
CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Takao Kato said: “The OEM models from Renault for the European market, and eventually additional customers, are welcomed by Mitsubishi Motors. Mitsubishi Motors has been enacting structural changes in Europe, and we haven’t changed our mid-term business plans’ announcement from July 2020 that we will stop developing new cars for the European market.
“However, the OEM supply arrangement will give us a way to continue operating our after-sales company while also introducing new items that were created and produced in Europe.
But if that were to alter, the dealer network would become a headache for Mitsubishi’s UK importer. Although the company currently has over 100 dealerships in the UK, several of them have already shuttered as a result of Mitsubishi’s initial pullout announcement in July, as dealers feared a lack of future models and a supply constraint.
Another significant element was the coronavirus pandemic’s financial consequences. However, significant investment and the assurance of a constant stream of new models are needed to put Mitsubishi’s dealer network in the UK back in the position it had before to the 2020 announcement.
Read the most recent information on the new Mitsubishi Outlander right now. Please share your opinions in the section below.
Does Mitsubishi intend to leave Europe?
Read about how the news startled Rob Lindley, the head of Mitsubishi UK.
The Colt Car Company’s David Rodriguez, director of sales and marketing, continued, “Today has been an extraordinarily emotional day.
It’s the last day of Mitsubishi vehicle sales in the UK and the last day that many members of the CCC team will work for the company (myself included).
“After working at CCC for 16 months, I can genuinely state that this has been one of the most difficult but gratifying periods of my professional life. From so many different people, I have learned so much.
“I’m incredibly pleased of my team, my coworkers, and everyone at CCC for handling the several curve balls that have been thrown their way since the MTP announcement in July-20,” the author said. Together, we overcame every obstacle and knocked it out of the park.
“I wish everyone I worked with at CCC the absolute best of luck in their future endeavors.” I am truly grateful that I had the chance to work with you. I’m grateful that you helped me create unforgettable CCC experiences that will last a lifetime.
Prior to reaching an agreement with Renault, which allowed the company to stay in Europe, Mitsubishi initially withdrew completely from the region.
However, despite speaking with SsangYong, no such agreement to maintain the company in Britain could be reached.
Jo Hargreaves, a PA and business development analyst, paid tribute to her tenure with the organization in the following way: “12 years ago I was granted a fantastic chance, which evolved into a career.”
“Mitsubishi Motors in the UK was a family; there were many friendships formed and everyone knew one another.
Because of decisions made thousands of miles away as MM exits the UK market, this was my last day of employment.
Many of the folks departing today, like myself, have excellent jobs to which they are moving.
I, for one, am grateful to some outstanding bosses who encouraged me to advance in my profession.
“A massive thank you to all the amazing employees of CCC,” continued Will Blackshaw, managing director of Blackshaws Alnwick and Morpeth. “Good luck to you all in your individual futures.”
“Our family was given the opportunity to represent the Mitsubishi franchise, and I personally learned so much from that experience.”
But more importantly, it made it possible for me to meet some incredible people who have since become close friends.
Is Mitsubishi vanishing?
In that final group, two of the three manufacturers have long since given up on the American auto market, but Mitsubishi still persists. And its newest crossover SUV is proof that it has no immediate plans to depart.
Will Mitsubishi re-enter the UK market?
Mitsubishi has announced its exit from the UK and Europe and that it would not be introducing any new models there. Stocks of current models, like as the well-liked Outlander PHEV and L200 pickup, will continue to be sold up until the point at which they are no longer compliant with pollution standards.
Is a new Mitsubishi car available?
Up to the fall, Mitsubishi will continue to sell new vehicles before switching to an aftersales-only model, according to the company. By the end of the year, new models like the plug-in hybrid Outlander and the L200 pickup will no longer be offered.
Is Mitsubishi having issues?
On July 27, 2020, Mitsubishi (a member of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance) made a slew of unfavorable announcements, beginning with an appalling financial report. The Japanese corporation expects an operational loss of 140 billion yen ($1.33 billion) for the fiscal year that ends in March 2021.
What does Mitsubishi’s future hold?
Dealers don’t believe anything else is in the works, but Nissan may save Mitsubishi with a rebadged Kicks subcompact vehicle, for instance. Mitsubishi does offer the Eclipse Cross plug-in hybrid in Europe, but U.S. sales are not certain.
Future hybrid and electric models may be developed through the cooperation, according to the company’s product roadmap, which was unveiled during its annual financial presentation in May. However, other than an electric city car created with Nissan for the Japanese market, the presentation did not provide any additional information.
Mirage: This year, the little economy car had a refresh for the 2021 model year in both its sedan and hatchback versions. A redesigned grille, bumpers, new standard safety features, and an improved infotainment system were all added to the subcompact. But underneath, a three-cylinder engine with 78 horsepower and ten-year-old architecture is still present. However, since it is one of just four Mitsubishi models available in the United States, it is projected to remain in production until a refresh in 2023.
Outlander Sport: The crossover received a facelift for the 2020 model year and will continue to be produced through the 2022 model year with additional equipment and trim improvements. Surprisingly, the Sport, which debuted for the 2011 model year, is still the initial version of the car despite occasional updates. The Cross and Sport are almost the same size because to the Eclipse Cross’s expansion as part of its refresh. Mitsubishi dealers would like a newer, more compact Kicks-based crossover in the subcompact segment, but that model is likely to receive another Sport refresh in late 2022.
Eclipse Cross: The 2022 Eclipse Cross, updated this year, is described by Mitsubishi as “redesigned, attractive, and athletic,” yet it is still based on the first version from the 2018 model year. The Cross was an ugly duckling before the styling revisions, but it is now much more mainstream. The inside has also been greatly enhanced. Although U.S. dealers would like access to Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid version, the company currently has no plans to introduce it to the United States. In 2023, The Eclipse Cross should be updated, perhaps on an alliance platform.
Outlander: The updated 2022 Outlander is a midsize crossover with three rows of seats, something that even platform neighbor Rogue lacks. With the Outlander, Mitsubishi has a completely new, premium and fashionable vision. Dealers claim that the car is bringing in a wealthier, more demanding customer base, and they would love to see more of the same as the automaker designs its upcoming models. The next Outlander episode should air in 2024.
Outlander PHEV: The 2014 model-year gasoline-powered Outlander served as the foundation for the 2022 plug-in hybrid version of the vehicle. For 2021, an expanded battery pack and a more potent gasoline engine were added to the hybrid. According to Mitsubishi, a revamped plug-in Outlander based on the next-generation gasoline vehicle will be available in the second half of 2022. In 2024, the next-generation PHEV should receive an update concurrently with the gasoline-powered vehicle.
Electric vehicles: According to Mitsubishi’s official strategy, various alliance EVs and hybrids will “use similar electrical components for EV/HEV,” according to the company’s May financial presentation. However, the automaker has not provided any information.
There is at least a foundation for some Mitsubishi fully electric vehicles in the future because Nissan is going toward its own electric future and Renault already has EVs in Europe. However, how the automobile alliance deploys its resources and its own future may affect that.
What causes Mitsubishi to fail?
Mitsubishi persisted in its rallying endeavors but changed from the Starion to the Lancer saloon, resulting in the Lancer Evo. The powerful Evo versions would essentially establish themselves as a brand, garnering praise for their performance, technology, and handling. When driven by Tommi Makinen, they dominated the World Rally Championship despite fierce competition from Subaru, Ford, Hyundai, and Skoda.
When the Japanese financial crisis of the 1990s hit, Mazda surpassed Mitsubishi to become the third-largest Japanese automaker, and Mitsubishi would never regain that position.
A manufacturing fault controversy involving failing brakes, gasoline leaks, and malfunctioning clutches that Mitsubishi was embroiled in in 2000 eventually led to the recall of more than 160,000 vehicles. Katsuhiko Kawasoe, the firm chairman, was fired and detained as a result of the controversy.
The electric iMiEV, which is based on the gasoline-powered Mitsubishi I arrived on the market far earlier than most other electric vehicles. Mitsubishi was the first to market, despite the fact that its 100 km range and hefty price make us chuckle today.
Mitsubishi once more gained an advantage over the rest of the auto industry by developing the first truly well-liked plug-in hybrid vehicle. Although the Outlander’s appearance and interior may not have been best-in-class, its engineering is close to unmatched, and it hasn’t experienced any of the battery dependability problems that have plagued some of its PHEV competitors.
Mitsubishi made news for all the wrong reasons once more, this time for exaggerating how inexpensive several important models on the Japanese market may be. In actuality, it was subsequently discovered that Mitsubishi may have cheated on their fuel testing for up to 25 years. More corporate blood was spilled, and the scandal allowed Renault-Nissan to acquire Mitsubishi.
What is Mitsubishi experiencing?
Nobody should be particularly surprised that a larger automaker eventually acquired Mitsubishi; the company was simply too little and unimportant to survive on its own in the biggest markets in the world. The way Nissan handled its cards, though, was brilliant, whether it was done so on purpose from the start or as a result of improvising to take advantage of the situation. Since 2011, Mitsubishi has given its larger competitor Japanese market minicars (“Kei cars,” as I call them in my article on Japanese auto culture), and when Nissan was testing the next-generation models before going into production, they discovered some discrepancies with the reported fuel economy figures. This resulted in a public scandal in which Mitsubishi was forced to acknowledge that some of its engineers had been overstating the fuel economy of its Japanese market cars (and possibly some cars sold outside of Japan) for the previous 25 years. This caused Mitsubishi’s share prices on the stock market to almost halve. Nissan subsequently snatched up 34% of these shares at the steeply discounted price for a controlling stake, making it the largest stakeholder in Mitsubishi. Looking ahead: What will Nissan do with Mitsubishi? The takeover will take a few months to complete, and there are still a lot of concerns to be resolved before the agreement is finished.