Mitsubishi plant to close at the end March

[motorsportnerd]

They didn't have the resources to go RWD. However, they could and should have used an upgraded version of the AWD chassis from the Magna TJ/TL and made that standard.

I think that making any large car however, whatever drivetrain was used, was doomed to fail. Perhaps Mitsubishi Australia should have investigated manufacturing localised versions of the Pajero, Outlander and the Lancer several years ago. These ranges sell well for Mitsubishi. Their large car hasn't sold well for almost a decade now.

[fpv_gtho]

FWD didnt kill Mitsubishi, ongoing talk of demise after Chrysler pulled out and their inability to recover in securing sales did. The last 5 years AT LEAST this has been looming. How many people do you think have decided against a new Mitsubishi because they were worried whether they'd still be around in a few months?

[crisis]

Originally Posted by -What-

Maybe they didn't have the money to build a new one. You can't just abandon a product like you suggest.

They did build a new one.
History:

Magna. Mitsubishi Australia’s medium /large front wheel drive sedan from the mid 80s. Underwent several model updates and became not a bad car despite being arguably dull and uninteresting. The plant that manufactured them underwent more rumours and questions about closure during the last ten or so years than I care to count. Despite the fact that the car got technically better and was a relative bargain it was becoming less popular.
My question was then “what do you do if you are making a front wheel drive large sized car that is not selling well (the Magna)?

Answer. Build a new one. (The 380).

As Blue said it was a fairly new design from the ground up. They would have been better off building a small – mid 4 cylinder but Mitsubishi already has those.

It was doomed.

[Falcon500]

New sigma might of worked?

Either way its gone and im sad to see it go even sadder is the fact they never had a chance to explore the 380 any further (AWD and the ralli art version they where looking at) But still At least we still have the imported models comming in.

[SlickHolden]

Should have called it the Magna at least people were familiar with this name.

[-What-]

Originally Posted by crisis

They did build a new one.

You should know what was meant when I said they probably weren't able to build a new one.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Sorry, We don't speak -What-.

It's a sad situation but even when the car came out it was considered average. it was only downhill from there. Not even Wheels could Pity CoTY it.

[crisis]

Originally Posted by -What-

You should know what was meant when I said they probably weren't able to build a new one.

Mebe. Can you perhaps expand?

[#3 Tasman Bloke]

I might help. As said before Mitsubishi was in trouble for 5 years (from 2003). The 380 started in 2005 and never had the sales high enough to satisfy Mitsub Japan. Yeah, I do see a fair few 380s on the road but there was nothing the buyers could do to save Mitsu Oz and indeed the 380. Many of the buyers were private anyway so sometimes there were only like 200 "Real" buyers per month at one stage.

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

Sorry, We don't speak -What-.

It's a sad situation but even when the car came out it was considered average. it was only downhill from there. Not even Wheels could Pity CoTY it.

Doesnt help honestly p76 was still a flop.

VN was still a peice of shit.

And AU dynamically better then a VT yet never got it.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by Falcon500

Doesnt help honestly p76 was still a flop.

VN was still a peice of shit.

And AU dynamically better then a VT yet never got it.

At the time the VN was amazing.. Then some life into it and holly shit what's the noise under my bonnet!..
The VP should have been the VN.. But as someone just said to me the VN had a fully imported engine slapped into it, No other model had that engine it was straight from the FWD car it came from, And there are tell tail signs of it.. After that they got to fiddle with it heaps. And the VP motor was as different to the first VN's as a LS1 to L98..
Sisters BF has a 89 VN and his dad does also.. Both with 400,000km on them both on Gas.

And i love me VT.

[Falcon500]

Its ture VP is what the VN should of been and they arent that diffrent the major problems where lessened but still evident even in the last series (shocking harmonics which forced it to throw blanacers,noisy,rough, poor ecconmy etc etc) and most of it stems from the rush job they done making it in the first place, cutting 2 cylenders off a v8 and changing little else is not the best formula. But its all a matter of funds gm has done a good thing by making the alloytech but it seems that shares alot of problems of its own.

[Falcon500]

VTs arent bad just the AU was a better car.

Faster (base model and when both au XR8 and VT SS series1 came out the xr8 was faster when holden put the genIII in it go .7 litres more and edged it out),more ecconomical,lighter and also after a while much cheaper.

But still the base model series 1 forte was ugly there always in desperate need of a Futura grille. XR models are a source of debate, I didnt mind them and imo people really blew how the car looked out of proportion.

But the VT did have a much nicer interior(especially SS and HSV models), its base model looked alot better and also their alot more common so parts at the wreckers are a snap.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by Falcon500

Its ture VP is what the VN should of been and they arent that diffrent the major problems where lessened but still evident even in the last series (shocking harmonics which forced it to throw blanacers,noisy,rough, poor ecconmy etc etc) and most of it stems from the rush job they done making it in the first place, cutting 2 cylenders off a v8 and changing little else is not the best formula. But its all a matter of funds gm has done a good thing by making the alloytech but it seems that shares alot of problems of its own.

It's funny i can hear the VN with my eyes closed.. VP's much much quieter running engine, Still has some buzz but i think every car of that day was the similar..

We are pretty lucky we get good econemy, Last 2 weeks 445km in 59 litre i think that great for local driving conditions at it's age, But i try and keep it in great working order as much as i can still.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by Falcon500

VTs arent bad just the AU was a better car.

Faster (base model and when both au XR8 and VT SS series1 came out the xr8 was faster when holden put the genIII in it go .7 litres more and edged it out),more ecconomical,lighter and also after a while much cheaper.

But still the base model series 1 forte was ugly there always in desperate need of a Futura grille. XR models are a source of debate, I didnt mind them and imo people really blew how the car looked out of proportion.

But the VT did have a much nicer interior(especially SS and HSV models), its base model looked alot better and also their alot more common so parts at the wreckers are a snap.

My fav of the AU series was the T-Series like almost everyone lol..
But past that i was never really into the shape of the car.. Brothers pork was always getting around in a AUIII Classic.. From day 1 it has issues still only has 60,000km on it, More in Steering shudder, And they tried to tell them it was the tyres wearing in.. But anyway it still does it lol.. It's got good options for the price, My brother was going to buy it from her parents and changed his mind and held onto the EF somemore then got the BA, He says he should have keeped the EF and F6 it.
Now because of the V6 coming he said he would be able to get a new engine from Ford cheap as.