Mitsubishi has been something of a punching bag among both analysts and critics in the United States for some years now, with lukewarm reception to new products and meek sales figures. But while few were paying attention, the Japanese brand’s pendulum made a mighty swing in the right direction in 2011, with sales finishing up over 40 percent year-over-year, making it the second fastest-growing brand in the States. Of course, total brand sales were just 77,995 (2010 sales: 55,683), but one has to start somewhere.
Buoyed by increasing demand for new products like the Outlander Sport, Mitsubishi isn’t quite “feeling its oats” just yet, but it’s alive and kicking. As further evidence, the company has just released a teaser image of an unnamed vehicle it plans to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Significantly, Mitsubishi indicates that this is the first time it has ever chosen to stage a global product reveal in Europe. The mystery vehicle, which appears to be a crossover – likely the next-generation Outlander – will go on sale in 2012. The second-generation Outlander has been on sale here since 2006, with a facelifted model arriving for the 2010 model year.
Mitsubishi says this is the start of a new, “re-focused design language,” which evidently means moving away from the massive Lancer Evolution-inspired grille that currently adorns the Outlander.
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