As Mitsubishi Motors charts a path to a comeback centered on the new Pajero, the possibility of a three-company alliance from October onward is reportedly gaining traction.
Over its history, Mitsubishi Motors produced globally successful vehicles from the late 1980s through the early 1990s and ranked third in a three-way contest in the Japanese market. However, its financial condition deteriorated from the latter half of the 1990s onward due to a series of scandals and the concealment of recall-related issues. Following a capital alliance with DaimlerChrysler, its management structure changed and the company moved to rebuild its business.
In the 2000s, Mitsubishi Motors began moving into a period of stability after the separation of Mitsubishi Fuso, a Mitsubishi Group-led recovery effort and the appointment of Masuko Osamu (益子 修) as president. In 2016, however, its performance again came under pressure following a fuel-economy falsification scandal involving kei cars. Nissan subsequently acquired a capital stake, bringing Mitsubishi Motors under Nissan's umbrella, and restructuring proceeded within the Renault-Nissan alliance framework.
The company is currently said to be focusing its business primarily on Southeast Asia and pursuing a strategy centered on plug-in hybrid vehicles and SUVs. Against this backdrop, attention is now focused on the development of a comeback story built around the new Pajero.
The article points to the possibility of an “unexpected three-company alliance” from October onward as a potential future direction, but does not identify the specific prospective partners or indicate when such an alliance might be realized.