Japanese carmakers were amongst the first to place their design studios into their foreign target markets. Saves a lot of time convincing headquarters of the correct size of the cup holder. Now, they are calling it quits.
Mitsubishi will reorganize and scale down its research and development subsidiaries in the U.S. and Europe, laying off 80 locally hired staffers and consolidating R&D efforts into two offices in Japan, the Nikkei [sub] says.
In the U.S., Mitsubishi Motors R&D of America Inc. will shut down its design studio in Ann Arbor, Mich. Sixty designers will need a new job by the end of June. The subsidiary will then act more as a technical center focusing on compliance matters and assessment of conformity with emissions regulations.
Also by the end of June, Mitsubishi Motor R&D Europe GmbH, located in Trebur near Frankfurt, will dismiss twenty designers. The German unit will step up its collection of local information as well as its performance of its role as a liaison with the Japanese headquarters on exports.
The design and development work that has been carried out by the two subsidiaries will be transferred to the automaker’s design studio in Tokyo and a technical center in Aichi Prefecture. All new models will be designed and developed in Japan for release in markets around the globe.
You had me going for a minute there, with that opening paragraph about Japanese automakers shutting down their North American design centers.
Mitsubishi has always been a bit player here in Canada… better known for the old Dodge Colt and Eagle Talon than anything else. Yawn.
Mitsubishi has been losing US marketshare steadily for a long time now. This move combined with recently cancelled US product plans is just more writing on the wall that Mitsubishi might just end up pulling out of the US market entirely.
Mitsu vehicles have both bland and over-styled designs, so this is welcome news among dealers.
@ NulloModo
Mitsubishi has been losing US marketshare steadily for a long time now. This move combined with recently cancelled US product plans is just more writing on the wall that Mitsubishi might just end up pulling out of the US market entirely
What are the recently cancelled US product plans?
Raider Pickup, next generation eclipse, galant.
While this comment may get people riled up.
This is a perfect example of the difference between a domestic versus foriegn company. Like an army in retreat, generals will always retrench, consolidate and defend the home turf above all else. Expeditionary forces and equipment are expendable.
There is little evidence Mitsu benefited from its North American research and development subsidiaries.
I was just sitting behind one of the newer Eclipse convertibles today wondering how they even got someone to buy it with that styling.
I don’t understand those cars – couldn’t Mitsu see that they were hideously ugly?
As far as retreat – they should have canned that design studio a long time ago…
Sixty designers will need a new job by the end of June.
WTF do/did they all do ?
Just how complicated is a cup holder ?
Seriously though, I can’t see anything on sale in the US from Mitsubishi (Except the Eclipse) which is not being sold elsewhere as well.
So we can kiss off the people responsible for the “Project America” Galant and Eclipse? Gee, that’s hearkbreaking.
Mitsubishi, outside of Japan and (possibly) a few off-roaders in Europe, is done. If Subaru manages to not screw up the WRX and STi, what’s the point to Mitsu?
I’m impressed that Mitsubishi is still in the US market generally. Their product is meh.
You see a lot of Mitsus in Illinois, but Illinoisians will buy anything (& vote for Blago), and of course the US assembly plant is in Illinois, along with many Mitsu dealers.
Gotta feel the pain for Ann Arbor though.