Mitsubishi contemplates Triton production in America

Mitsubishi is going through a rough space in their business venture. They have still to come up with the last year recession that hit the automotive industry badly. Seeing the last years sales figure it was seen that Mitsubishi’s sales in the U.S dropped by 44.8 %   They sold an estimated number of only 53,986 cars and trucks last year.

Mitsubishi’s US manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois is manufacturing cars below its normal capacity. It is known that this plant held a capacity to manufacture 24,000 cars per year when it had a joint venture with Chrysler. However last year this plant manufactured only 18,501 vehicles.

Mitsubishi is working out ways to over come this rough patch. The only solution that lies ahead would be to introduce the Triton pick up trucks in the US. This edition would be a welcome player in the automotive segment as the US market has been lacking small pick up trucks for the last 15 years or so.

The Chicken tax that has been introduced by the US government would act as a hurdle in their endeavor. Mitsubishi would have to manufacture 50,000 to 60,000 trucks to make this venture worthwhile.

The company is also raising doubts that even if their sales rebounds over 100,000 units , it is uncertain whether small pick up trucks would constitute  50- 60 % of the total sales. The doubt deepens considering the fact that its mid size truck Raider was discontinued last year.