Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is delaying the completion of a capacity expansion at its Normal, IL, manufacturing facility as it mulls what products to build there, top MMC officials tell Ward's.
Mitsubishi is set to expand Normal's capacity from 250,000 units annually to 300,000.
“We're looking for alternative cars that may be right for that plant,” says Steve Torok, executive vice president-international car operations-MMC and MMC board member.
“We're looking at the shared-platform products,” he says, referring to joint car architectures in the C- and D-car segments between MMC and parent DaimlerChrysler AG.
Normal currently is ramping up production on its Project America platform, which includes the new '04 Endeavor cross/utility vehicle and Galant sedan. The plant also builds the Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder and Chrysler Group's Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring on the last-generation Galant platform.
The Eclipse models will be converted to the Project America platform, while the fate of the Chrysler models remains unclear. “We don't know the future of this platform,” says Torok of the $1.5 billion Project America.
Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. Chairman and CEO Pierre Gagnon has alluded the platform might have a life beyond the current generation, despite consolidation plans with DaimlerChrysler, which holds 37.3% of Mitsubishi.
Long-range plans include a joint platform for their C-segment compacts, the Mitsubishi Lancer and Dodge Neon. This platform also likely will be adapted to provide the underpinnings for the Galant follow-up and Chrysler midsize sedans.
Officials say there may be a smaller Japanese/international Galant and a Project America-based model for the U.S. and some foreign markets. It isn't clear if there will be two versions of the Galant beyond the first generation of Project America.
Plans for further expansion are up in the air, as Torok says the Normal expansion to 300,000 units will suffice.
