Mitsubishi pick-up truck confirmed
10-01-2003, 07:00 PM
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Mitsubishi pick-up truck confirmed
Mitsubishi's new N.A. boss promises long-awaited pickup
By KATHY JACKSON | Automotive News
LOS ANGELES -- Finbarr O'Neill, who bolted from Hyundai Motor America this month to become head of Mitsubishi Motors North America, met his dealers for the first time last week and gave them something they've long wanted - a pickup.
The truck, shown at the dealers' meeting in Las Vegas, has long been rumored and eagerly awaited. Based on the redesigned Dodge Dakota due next year as a 2005 model, it is expected to be powered by a V-6 and come as a four-door only.
Mitsubishi hopes to sell as many as 40,000 yearly.
"I'm excited - a new truck will help our volume," said Jim Yelverton, principal of Jim Yelverton Mitsubishi in Gulfport, Miss.
"Everybody is into the truck business, but that's 24 months down the road."
Yelverton said dealers were not given sales projections, price targets or production numbers for the truck. But he believes it will boost his sales 20 percent to 30 percent.
Meanwhile, dealers contacted last week said they were impressed by their first up-close look at Mitsubishi's new U.S. boss.
O'Neill, 51, replaces Pierre Gagnon, 47, who resigned Aug. 31.
O'Neill spent 18 years at Hyundai and received much of the credit for making the once-fledgling Korean automaker the competitive brand it is today in the United States.
Mitsubishi dealers are hoping for the same. The franchise is struggling with double-digit sales declines, poor credit ratings, excess inventories and low morale among its dealer group.
"What I learned is that he is a great listener," said Joe Mitchell, owner of Biggers Mitsubishi in Elgin, Ill., and Schaumburg, Ill.
Mitchell, a member of Mitsubishi's Dealer Advisory Board, said O'Neill "has a lot of credibility. It's like getting a new coach."
The general manager of another dealership called the meeting upbeat.
"I hadn't seen this much enthusiasm at a Mitsubishi meeting in a long while," he said. "The pickup is a great addition."
Dealers also were shown the new Eclipse and a new Lancer sport wagon, he said, declining to elaborate.
Yelverton said O'Neill outlined a program for consistently rewarding dealers for making their quotas, probably as an annual bonus.
He said Mitsubishi once had a consistent rewards program but has been on-again, off-again in recent years.
"I like those programs," he said. "I used to sell 1,000 cars a year. With consistent programs like that, I can sell 1,000 again."
He said he thought Gagnon was good for Mitsubishi, but "We're really excited about the new man. He did a good job with Hyundai, and since Mitsubishi has so many more resources than Hyundai, he should be able to do it with us."
By KATHY JACKSON | Automotive News
LOS ANGELES -- Finbarr O'Neill, who bolted from Hyundai Motor America this month to become head of Mitsubishi Motors North America, met his dealers for the first time last week and gave them something they've long wanted - a pickup.
The truck, shown at the dealers' meeting in Las Vegas, has long been rumored and eagerly awaited. Based on the redesigned Dodge Dakota due next year as a 2005 model, it is expected to be powered by a V-6 and come as a four-door only.
Mitsubishi hopes to sell as many as 40,000 yearly.
"I'm excited - a new truck will help our volume," said Jim Yelverton, principal of Jim Yelverton Mitsubishi in Gulfport, Miss.
"Everybody is into the truck business, but that's 24 months down the road."
Yelverton said dealers were not given sales projections, price targets or production numbers for the truck. But he believes it will boost his sales 20 percent to 30 percent.
Meanwhile, dealers contacted last week said they were impressed by their first up-close look at Mitsubishi's new U.S. boss.
O'Neill, 51, replaces Pierre Gagnon, 47, who resigned Aug. 31.
O'Neill spent 18 years at Hyundai and received much of the credit for making the once-fledgling Korean automaker the competitive brand it is today in the United States.
Mitsubishi dealers are hoping for the same. The franchise is struggling with double-digit sales declines, poor credit ratings, excess inventories and low morale among its dealer group.
"What I learned is that he is a great listener," said Joe Mitchell, owner of Biggers Mitsubishi in Elgin, Ill., and Schaumburg, Ill.
Mitchell, a member of Mitsubishi's Dealer Advisory Board, said O'Neill "has a lot of credibility. It's like getting a new coach."
The general manager of another dealership called the meeting upbeat.
"I hadn't seen this much enthusiasm at a Mitsubishi meeting in a long while," he said. "The pickup is a great addition."
Dealers also were shown the new Eclipse and a new Lancer sport wagon, he said, declining to elaborate.
Yelverton said O'Neill outlined a program for consistently rewarding dealers for making their quotas, probably as an annual bonus.
He said Mitsubishi once had a consistent rewards program but has been on-again, off-again in recent years.
"I like those programs," he said. "I used to sell 1,000 cars a year. With consistent programs like that, I can sell 1,000 again."
He said he thought Gagnon was good for Mitsubishi, but "We're really excited about the new man. He did a good job with Hyundai, and since Mitsubishi has so many more resources than Hyundai, he should be able to do it with us."
10-02-2003, 05:55 AM
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Fahrvergnügen'd
I think Mitsubishi is pretty irrelevant now ... the problems they've had in Japan with customer fraud seems endemic to the entire corporation and their styling studio is creating cars that are not stylistically competitive IMO.
10-02-2003, 12:49 PM
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Originally posted by gavriil
More trouble for GM. Great.
More trouble for GM. Great.
10-03-2003, 07:17 AM
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Originally posted by Red Nj-s
I don't understand this one. People who buy Chevy's don't cross shop Dodge too often let alone Mitsu.
I don't understand this one. People who buy Chevy's don't cross shop Dodge too often let alone Mitsu.
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