Mitsubishi to produce midsize pickup

Jan. 2, 2004
After an eight-year hiatus, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will re-enter the crowded U.S. midsize-pickup market in 2005 -- around the time that a redesigned
After an eight-year hiatus, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will re-enter the crowded U.S. midsize-pickup market in 2005 -- around the time that a redesigned Dodge Dakota pickup reaches showrooms -- according to the SEMA Market Snapshot. The still-unnamed truck will be the first Mitsubishi vehicle produced at a Chrysler Group facility in the U.S.Mitsubishi will launch a new Dodge Dakota-based midsize pickup in the U.S. and Canadian markets in 2005, the SEMA Market Snapshot said. The two trucks will share the same platforms, but the exterior designs will be different. Each truck model will showcase a design signature reflective of the individual brand character. Mitsubishi Motors Design Studio in Cypress, CA, and the Chrysler Design Studio in Auburn Hills, MI, are each responsible for their unique models. Additional product, production and sales details will be announced later.The new Mitsubishi pickup will compete with the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. At its peak, it is expected to sell about 25,000 units a year.