Next-Gen Mitsubishi Lancer Could Be Developed In-House
Mitsubishi is getting ready to develop the next-generation Lancer on its own.
Previous reports indicated the new Lancer was being built in partnership with Renault, but that will not be the case. The Japanese automaker confirmed to WardsAuto that it is in discussions with another automaker for a partnership, but Mitsubishi has also begun in-hose work on a new Lancer. “We are talking with a potential partner at this time, at the same time we’re doing an internal design of the vehicle,” said Don Swearingen, executive vice-president for Mitsubishi Motors North America. “We’re running parallel because we cannot wait any longer to see if a partnership will work out. If it falls through then we’re another year behind.”
SEE ALSO: Next Mitsubishi Lancer to Come From Renault-Nissan
It is believed that the other automaker Mitsubishi is speaking with is Nissan, although if a partnership is formed this year, the next-generation Lancer would still be 18 months to two years away from production . The current model has been on the market since the 2008 model year and most of its competitors have already been redesigned at least once since the current-generation Lancer’s introduction.
Lancer sales are up 27.1 percent through May, but it is far outpaced by the segment-leading Toyota Corolla. For comparison’s sake, the Lancer has sold 9,367 units through May 2015 while the Corolla has seen 159,486 leave dealership lots.
[Source: WardsAuto]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Damn, atleast another 2 years away!? At least Mistu is getting off their asses and trying to get the ball rolling. Wonder what they will do in the meantime to stall until the new model arrives. Maybe sell the Lancers below msrp to undercut the competition?
Good luck, Mitsubishi, but this is a tough row to hoe. I think you guys *need* a partner for a product like this. The market is far too competitive; anything less than an excellent small car will flop. I question whether you're big enough to deliver that on your own.