Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there?
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Mitsubishi, UAW/Unions
The good ol’ Diamond Star Motors plant in Normal, Illinois – where such well-regarded vehicles as the original Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser were built, among others – is apparently getting a new lease on life now that Mitsubishi, the United Auto Workers and laborers at the plant have all approved of a new contract.
At this point, it’s unclear what Mitsubishi plans to build in its only North American plant, and the present output of Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant are likely not long for this world. Would it be too much to ask for an Eclipse that hearkens back to the good old days of turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive? Probably, but we’ll settle for a new nameplate or two that escapes the automaker’s current mire of drab, dated and slow-selling sedans and coupes.
In any case, we’re told to expect a detailed product plan from Mitsubishi that will lay out the steps it will take to become relevant in the United States once again. And, incidentally, the Japanese automaker apparently has no intentions whatsoever of leaving the U.S. market… which means whatever it’s cooking up at the moment had better be rather impressive.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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