HaloAngel
08-03-2004, 10:33 AM
hey there...local Mitsu insider-guy here...just thought i'd give some insight on future Mitsu cars/news...so here ya go...
--Obviously for those who don't know, any new 2004+ vehicle purchase includes the 5yr 60k bumper to bumper warranty, 10yr 100k powertrian warranty and 3yr 45k FREE scheduled maintenance....
--The Lancer Evolution VIII MR (8.5) will be here in sometime October. I personally have received deposits for them already (3)....colors so far available will be Black, Rally Red, Snowflake White, and Titanium...
--The 2005 Eclipse will be the same as 04, but with the addition of a O-Z Rally edition...which basically just be an appearance package....
--the 2006 Eclipse (4th Generation) will hit show rooms as of June 2005 as the 2.4L Mivec 4cyl will carry around 175-180hp stock as the 3.8L Mivec V6 will carry around 260-270hp stock. Look for an AWD platform but no turbo. 6spd and the "Concept Eclipse-E" will basically be what the next version will look like except for the side opening hood, truck, glass roof, side exhaust & the interior will be toned down...as for the "Electric Engine" that will go to...but expect prices not to budge a penny from the current prices of the 3g eclipse...look for 6spd and a ralli-art edition with recaros and 19's....as the base models will all receive alloy wheels from 16"-18".....
--As for the current Galant, it is selling regardless of it looks. It is bigger, faster, more comfortable, and has the most interior space out of any of its competitors (Camry, Accord, etc...) and not to mention the same pricing as the 03 models so its one of the cheapest as well...well, with the new Legacy 2.5 turbo, Ford's new AWD Five-Hundred...look for a Galant Ralli-Art (VR4.5) to hit markets in 2005.5 with the Galant GTS headlights, tail-lamps, 18" 6-spoke rims (Enkie)...sport-tuned suspension, AWD (From Endeavor), 6spd (from 4G Eclipse) Racing buckets (recaro??) new spoiler, front-side-rear lip kit, open grille (no ugly nose), optional DVD/Nav, limited edition colors and all is expect to be priced at no more than $28k-$29k (varies on DVD/Nav)....
--As of August 2004, Mitsubishi has announced that the Montero (2007) and Montero Sport will officially go away after this model year. With low sales, the Montero sport is being replaced by two new Mitsu trucks, the Endeavor and the upcoming pick-up...
--Also as of August 2004, Mitsu has decided not to give the Diamante its Austrailian AWD system. Instead they also have made the decision to discontinue the Diamante here in the US. Mitsu will only concentrate Diamante sales in its home country of Austrailia where it is known as the Magna...
--2004 brings back the Mitsu pick-truck. yet to be named, its expected to hit show floors this fall (sept/oct) and 2wd V6 models will start at $15k...as you move up to 4x4 V8's for around $30...basically it will be built on the Dakota Platform and if sales can be high, look for a Mitsu truck variation of the Dodge Ram...
--the chrysler corp and mitsu are currently in talks about a $30-$40k sports car for Dodge. Mitsu not willing to give up the Evo platform to dodge (next neon)...they currently are in talks about a sudden return of the Stealth and the 3000gt...currenty, dodge only carries the SRT-4 which starts @ $22k and the Stratus coupe that starts @ $18k-ish...then your next car comes at the Viper which is slightly out of reach for most consumers...Dodge, wants a middle car simply because the Magnum still carries the "wagon look" and just wont be the same. If all goes well, look for a Stealth concept in 2006 and the next jap version of the 3000gt to hit us shores by 2007 followed by the stealth in 2008. Expect the cars to be priced around $40k-$44k with the twin-turbo set-up in Mitsu's 3.8L as Dodge is looking for two models (SXT & RT) while Mitsu plans on making a limited production of 2000 units per year based upon the Jap version GTO MR...nothing has yet to be named official though...
My own personal opinions
--The warranty move is the best thing Mitsu has done in years...
--The Evo MR will be a hot seller...
--The OZ package for the 05 Eclipse is just stupid and dumb, but it will sell...
--The 06 Eclipse will be hot, especially in AWD with that 3.8L V6 from the Galant and Endeavor...
--The current market is moving towards AWD Turboed sedans, if the Galant ralli-art were to come out with AWD non-turbo, sales will sky-rocket...especially at that price of $28k...tuning-wise, it wouldn't be that hard to turbo the car....
--The loss of the Montero & Montero Sport will hurt deeply, simply because the Endeavor is built on the Galant platform so its really a car...and the pick-up has yet to be shown officially and has yet to prove itself...although the old Mighty-max is one hell of a truck, i saw one pull out a Ram Hemi out of the ditch the other day....personally, they should keep it for a year after the pick-up just to see what happens...
--The diamante was a great car, its sad to see it go, but then, they really needed to do something with that car..give it AWD and more power...it would have been fine....so far, there hasn't been any plans for a replacement...
--As for the truck, i think it should do ok...with a starting price tag of $14,995...even its twin, then next Dakota, can't compete with that...oh, and look for a possible first ever Mitsu V8 in it, not a Dodge V8...
--For dodge, the stealth would mean a lot...for Mitsu, the 3000 would be meaningless...simply because the 4G eclipse is expected to be around 260-270hp on a v6 model w/awd.....then the Evo MR is at 284hp & 295 torque....obviously a 3000 model with a turboed AWD 3.8 V6 will hurt sales, but then again, if people out there want it, why wouldnn't they make it....i personally dont see the 3000 coming here, but i do see a stealth because dodge needs a car in-between the stratus coupe price and the viper....mitsu, they're just asking for trouble....but, i suppose a limited production would hurt as much....
--Obviously for those who don't know, any new 2004+ vehicle purchase includes the 5yr 60k bumper to bumper warranty, 10yr 100k powertrian warranty and 3yr 45k FREE scheduled maintenance....
--The Lancer Evolution VIII MR (8.5) will be here in sometime October. I personally have received deposits for them already (3)....colors so far available will be Black, Rally Red, Snowflake White, and Titanium...
--The 2005 Eclipse will be the same as 04, but with the addition of a O-Z Rally edition...which basically just be an appearance package....
--the 2006 Eclipse (4th Generation) will hit show rooms as of June 2005 as the 2.4L Mivec 4cyl will carry around 175-180hp stock as the 3.8L Mivec V6 will carry around 260-270hp stock. Look for an AWD platform but no turbo. 6spd and the "Concept Eclipse-E" will basically be what the next version will look like except for the side opening hood, truck, glass roof, side exhaust & the interior will be toned down...as for the "Electric Engine" that will go to...but expect prices not to budge a penny from the current prices of the 3g eclipse...look for 6spd and a ralli-art edition with recaros and 19's....as the base models will all receive alloy wheels from 16"-18".....
--As for the current Galant, it is selling regardless of it looks. It is bigger, faster, more comfortable, and has the most interior space out of any of its competitors (Camry, Accord, etc...) and not to mention the same pricing as the 03 models so its one of the cheapest as well...well, with the new Legacy 2.5 turbo, Ford's new AWD Five-Hundred...look for a Galant Ralli-Art (VR4.5) to hit markets in 2005.5 with the Galant GTS headlights, tail-lamps, 18" 6-spoke rims (Enkie)...sport-tuned suspension, AWD (From Endeavor), 6spd (from 4G Eclipse) Racing buckets (recaro??) new spoiler, front-side-rear lip kit, open grille (no ugly nose), optional DVD/Nav, limited edition colors and all is expect to be priced at no more than $28k-$29k (varies on DVD/Nav)....
--As of August 2004, Mitsubishi has announced that the Montero (2007) and Montero Sport will officially go away after this model year. With low sales, the Montero sport is being replaced by two new Mitsu trucks, the Endeavor and the upcoming pick-up...
--Also as of August 2004, Mitsu has decided not to give the Diamante its Austrailian AWD system. Instead they also have made the decision to discontinue the Diamante here in the US. Mitsu will only concentrate Diamante sales in its home country of Austrailia where it is known as the Magna...
--2004 brings back the Mitsu pick-truck. yet to be named, its expected to hit show floors this fall (sept/oct) and 2wd V6 models will start at $15k...as you move up to 4x4 V8's for around $30...basically it will be built on the Dakota Platform and if sales can be high, look for a Mitsu truck variation of the Dodge Ram...
--the chrysler corp and mitsu are currently in talks about a $30-$40k sports car for Dodge. Mitsu not willing to give up the Evo platform to dodge (next neon)...they currently are in talks about a sudden return of the Stealth and the 3000gt...currenty, dodge only carries the SRT-4 which starts @ $22k and the Stratus coupe that starts @ $18k-ish...then your next car comes at the Viper which is slightly out of reach for most consumers...Dodge, wants a middle car simply because the Magnum still carries the "wagon look" and just wont be the same. If all goes well, look for a Stealth concept in 2006 and the next jap version of the 3000gt to hit us shores by 2007 followed by the stealth in 2008. Expect the cars to be priced around $40k-$44k with the twin-turbo set-up in Mitsu's 3.8L as Dodge is looking for two models (SXT & RT) while Mitsu plans on making a limited production of 2000 units per year based upon the Jap version GTO MR...nothing has yet to be named official though...
My own personal opinions
--The warranty move is the best thing Mitsu has done in years...
--The Evo MR will be a hot seller...
--The OZ package for the 05 Eclipse is just stupid and dumb, but it will sell...
--The 06 Eclipse will be hot, especially in AWD with that 3.8L V6 from the Galant and Endeavor...
--The current market is moving towards AWD Turboed sedans, if the Galant ralli-art were to come out with AWD non-turbo, sales will sky-rocket...especially at that price of $28k...tuning-wise, it wouldn't be that hard to turbo the car....
--The loss of the Montero & Montero Sport will hurt deeply, simply because the Endeavor is built on the Galant platform so its really a car...and the pick-up has yet to be shown officially and has yet to prove itself...although the old Mighty-max is one hell of a truck, i saw one pull out a Ram Hemi out of the ditch the other day....personally, they should keep it for a year after the pick-up just to see what happens...
--The diamante was a great car, its sad to see it go, but then, they really needed to do something with that car..give it AWD and more power...it would have been fine....so far, there hasn't been any plans for a replacement...
--As for the truck, i think it should do ok...with a starting price tag of $14,995...even its twin, then next Dakota, can't compete with that...oh, and look for a possible first ever Mitsu V8 in it, not a Dodge V8...
--For dodge, the stealth would mean a lot...for Mitsu, the 3000 would be meaningless...simply because the 4G eclipse is expected to be around 260-270hp on a v6 model w/awd.....then the Evo MR is at 284hp & 295 torque....obviously a 3000 model with a turboed AWD 3.8 V6 will hurt sales, but then again, if people out there want it, why wouldnn't they make it....i personally dont see the 3000 coming here, but i do see a stealth because dodge needs a car in-between the stratus coupe price and the viper....mitsu, they're just asking for trouble....but, i suppose a limited production would hurt as much....