Topic: Mitsubishi NA VP (Re)Announces Partnership With Renault On D-Segment Sedan

[Autos_Editor]

Galant replacement will be provided by Renault Samsung, built in South Korea

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[mixmanmash]

What's the point of being a car manufacturer if you aren't manufacturing / designing your own cars?

At this rate, I don't see Mitsubishi making it in North America past 2020.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The current Renault Laguna and Renault-Samsung SM5 were launched in 2010. I don't think either set any benchmarks at the time. Now they're both getting pretty dated.

I think Mitsubishi is fading away.

[Fobroader]

Wow....thats an absolutely bland car.....there is absolutely no brand identity at all, couldnt tell you who made it.

[Frontier1]

Wow....thats an absolutely bland car.....there is absolutely no brand identity at all, couldnt tell you who made it.

yet it looks 10 times better than the previous Galant!

[EV Dan]

I found this more relevant:

A small sedan based on the Mirage is also under “strong study” for the U.S. market, Swearingen said. Other product updates include adding a 2.4-liter four cylinder engine to the Outlander Sport to complement the compact crossover’s existing 2.0-liter engine, plus a new continuously variable transmission for the 2015 model year update.

It sells well around here and would definitely benefit from a bigger engine and presumably less rubbery CVT.
As for the Renault part, in this economy automakers need to sell every new developed model by the million to pay back the R&D costs. Mitsu is too small to roll on it's own and such a move may actually save them. And Samsung? I'd guess their interest in cars is linked to their battery business and possibly future market share in autonomous and infotainment technology. Smart way to enter a NA car market.

[mixmanmash]

I found this more relevant:

A small sedan based on the Mirage is also under “strong study” for the U.S. market, Swearingen said. Other product updates include adding a 2.4-liter four cylinder engine to the Outlander Sport to complement the compact crossover’s existing 2.0-liter engine, plus a new continuously variable transmission for the 2015 model year update.

It sells well around here and would definitely benefit from a bigger engine and presumably less rubbery CVT.
As for the Renault part, in this economy automakers need to sell every new developed model by the million to pay back the R&D costs. Mitsu is too small to roll on it's own and such a move may actually save them. And Samsung? I'd guess their interest in cars is linked to their battery business and possibly future market share in autonomous and infotainment technology. Smart way to enter a NA car market.

Samsung has been in the car market since the 90s.  You just don't hear about them on this side of the world.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Samsung_Motors

Looks like their sales have been suffering too.  Maybe this will cause both to Samsung and Mitsubishi to sink.