Should Suzuki and Mitsubishi Withdraw from the US Market?

Editor-in-Chief

GM and Chrysler have been stealing all the headlines recently, but several foreign manufacturers are having a rough time, too. Just looking at June numbers, Mitsubishi sales are down 41% from last year, while Suzuki’s sales are down a whopping 78%. As a result, Yuuki Sakurai, chief executive of Tokyo-based Fukoku Capital Management Inc., is recommending that both carmakers “withdraw from the U.S.” He added that “it’s time for them to decide whether they pay a high price to continue business there or stop the bleeding.” Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko said, “We will never give up the U.S. market.”

What do you think? Should they stick it out and hope for better times, or get out? Bloomberg via Autoblog

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Posted at 11:52 am in Mitsubishi, Suzuki

Comments

satty12
Jul 18, 2009 at 7:43 am

Mitsubishi can stay but Suzuki can leave they have never built a remotely decsent car they have electrical issues mechanical issues and you will be hard pressed not find one that isnt a rebadged daewoo the now defunct car company.

retroman
Jul 15, 2009 at 5:42 pm

Mitsubishi should stay. Suzuki should stick to building crotch rockets. I think though that Mitsubishi might benefit from another partnership with Chrysler. I always liked Mitsubishi for the DSM cars that were produced, but the new Eclipse doesn’t have as much appeal to me as the 1st gen does. Liked it better when Lee Iaccoca had a say in its design.

1398252
Jul 15, 2009 at 11:58 am

Mits should stay
Suzuki CARS should go, but keep their motorcycles

i wanna GSXR/BUSA!

dragorphan
Jul 15, 2009 at 3:08 am

I don`t care if they leave. In the long run it would leave more potental sales open for the big four. thats right four toyota has such a large share in this country far to many jobs would be lost with out them.

xxnatedoggxx
Jul 14, 2009 at 11:02 pm

oldscoob,

…what? I can never understand what your trying to say on these blogs. for once can you please speak without your rambling riddles

GTwildfire
Jul 14, 2009 at 8:51 pm

Suzuki still sells in the U.S. Market? I thought they went the way of Isuzu years ago. Mistubushy is iffy at best.

oldscoob
Jul 14, 2009 at 6:10 pm

humoring a samuri, and a dodge colt vista, my number one enemy…I said enemy, like its a war. Enemy.I am glad mistubishi is not a success like they pretend with an evo(the suped up vista).the fakers and captalists take a hike. the people with real cars is the economy. Now to bomb the plague that killed subarus, and reinvent a carb with a cold circuit..it just needs guns of heavy calibre and the USA. So scarey…the pyramiding capitalists..so scary…good riddens.

12974972
Jul 14, 2009 at 4:07 pm

It would be a terrible blow to Mitsubishi Motors to leave the U.S. / North American market right now. The new MiEV electric vehicle is just getting ramped up for production in Japan. Hopefully it will be here in 12 to 18 months and they are currently assisting many areas in the U.S. and Canada on how to prepare an EV friendly infrastructure. I’m not claiming that the MiEV is the be-all and end-all vehicle of modern propulsion but it is an incredibly important first step. This is a chance for them to really make a significant leap in stature here. If Mitsubishi pulled out of the U.S. or closed it’s factory in Illinois they would most likely lose their dealers and any chance of ever making a comeback when the auto market regains momentum.

In the meantime they should bring in their Colt and I-Car variants. I’m sure they would sell well especially since Fiat is planning to bring a Polish made mini-car (the 500?) over here supposedly to save Chrysler!

Osamu Masuko should stick to his guns and take care of his dealers or Mitsubishi will be a big loser in the long run.

NortherCali7OH7
Jul 14, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Keep them here as long as they can at least…We need as many jobs available now..Closing stores are not the answer..People need to be smarted, and stop being lazy I guess..just make some frickin cars people wanna buy

FordRulesAll
Jul 14, 2009 at 12:51 pm

Don’t quite care for imports, but Mitsubishi should keep some of their US Market(mainly because of vehicles like the Lancer/Evo) and…well for Suzuki GOOD BYE AND GOOD RIDDENS.

Austin Knight
Jul 14, 2009 at 12:03 pm

I would gladly say goodbye to Mitsushitsy and Susucky.