Last month, it was alleged that Mitsubishi Motors had been manipulating fuel economy testing procedures in the Japanese market, and given the company’s long lasting struggles, many wondered if that might spell the end of the brand. Not yet it seems.
Yesterday, it was announced that Nissan will be buying a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation – 34 per cent of the company at US 2.2 billion dollars to be exact. Mitsubishi had already been building kei cars for Nissan, so the move makes sense; but what exactly this means for the two companies remains to be seen. Nissan clearly values Mitsubishi’s EV and small car capabilities, so those areas are likely where the crossovers will occur. But given the recent track record of both companies, it’s probably not a good idea to get your hopes up about the return of the Evo using GT-R technology. Although, imagine that…
Even so, this seems a lot better than the alternative of seeing Mitsubishi Motors disappear altogether. Maybe there’s still life in the brand yet.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia
mike@speedhunters.com