Mitsubishi has announced that it will cease production at its facility in Normal, Illinois and will import cars into the US from its plants in Japan and Thailand. The company has said that the move to cease production comes on the back of dwindling output.
It will now focus on producing cars for ASEAN nations, Japan and Russia where it is now believed to be having a significant demand for its SUVs and pickup trucks. The Japanese automaker had announced last year that its main global focus would be on UVs and would eventually phase out other body styles.
Mitsubishi currently only sells the Outlander Sport in the US market and this, for economic reasons, will be moved to the Thai plant.
A report from an Illinois-based newspaper, the Pantagraph, says that vehicles will continue to roll off the assembly line till the company announces a final date for the stopping of production. Further, it is believed that the management and UAW (United Auto Workers) are currently on a quest to find a buyer for the plant. Potential candidates are believed to be Tesla and our very own Tata Motors who are expected to set up a JLR assembly facility on the premises.
