Photo: Mitsubishi
Acquired by Nissan in 2016, Mitsubishi prepares for yet another change on a corporate level. Based in Cypress, California, the administrative headquarters of Mitsubishi in North America will be relocated to Franklin, Tennessee.
Nissan North America is also based in Franklin, which goes to show that the two companies are joined at the hip. “This is an exciting time for us, with a refreshed leadership team, new-look dealerships and redesigned and all-new vehicles,” said Fred Diaz, head honcho of Mitsubishi Motors North America.
The relocation includes all corporate departments, namely product planning, dealer operations, finance, legal, parts and service, communications, human resources, IT, marketing, and sales. The west coast-based parts distribution center will also be relocated to Riverside, California at a facility which will be shared with Nissan North America.
The R&D operations will remain in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast’s thriving automotive sector, and I’m proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee,” commented Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee.
Despite its low profile in the automotive landscape, Mitsubishi enjoyed six years of annual sales gains in the United States. In the last two years, the automaker managed to pass the 100,000 threshold in this part of the world. Part of this success can be attributed to the dealership network, which has welcomed 34 new locations across the country.
Even though dealers are urging Mitsubishi for a pickup truck, the Triton (a.k.a. L200 in Europe) isn’t available in the United States. The lineup starts with the Mirage five-door hatchback at $13,795, topping at $35,795 for the Outlander PHEV. Right in between sits the Eclipse Cross, a compact crossover that’s $23,595 as opposed to $20,945 for the Outlander Sport (a.k.a. ASX in Europe).
The Pajero is expected to come back to North America in due time, sharing the underpinnings with the next generation of the Nissan Armada. A U.S. pickup would be even better for Mitsubishi if the automaker intends to increase sales as much as possible.
The relocation includes all corporate departments, namely product planning, dealer operations, finance, legal, parts and service, communications, human resources, IT, marketing, and sales. The west coast-based parts distribution center will also be relocated to Riverside, California at a facility which will be shared with Nissan North America.
The R&D operations will remain in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast’s thriving automotive sector, and I’m proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee,” commented Bill Lee, governor of Tennessee.
Despite its low profile in the automotive landscape, Mitsubishi enjoyed six years of annual sales gains in the United States. In the last two years, the automaker managed to pass the 100,000 threshold in this part of the world. Part of this success can be attributed to the dealership network, which has welcomed 34 new locations across the country.
Even though dealers are urging Mitsubishi for a pickup truck, the Triton (a.k.a. L200 in Europe) isn’t available in the United States. The lineup starts with the Mirage five-door hatchback at $13,795, topping at $35,795 for the Outlander PHEV. Right in between sits the Eclipse Cross, a compact crossover that’s $23,595 as opposed to $20,945 for the Outlander Sport (a.k.a. ASX in Europe).
The Pajero is expected to come back to North America in due time, sharing the underpinnings with the next generation of the Nissan Armada. A U.S. pickup would be even better for Mitsubishi if the automaker intends to increase sales as much as possible.
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