As far as automobiles go, the Mitsubishi Lancer is one of the stalwarts of the industry. First seen in 1973, it has spawned nine generations and has practically been a mainstay of most garages, especially in the 1980s. So if you’ve ever owned a Lancer or currently own one, then this bit of news may come as a downer.
Mitsubishi Motors North America has revealed that it will discontinue production of the sedan come August of this year. The news of the Lancer’s demise has been floating for quite some time now, but it is only now that Mitsubishi has actually confirmed its plans.
The Japanese company says that the steady decline in sales is the main reason behind its decision. The best figure they posted was around 69,000 units, which was back in 2002. Last year—2016-- it delivered a rather measly 14,304 copies in the US market.
Apart from this, models like the Mirage are ruling the roost, along with crossovers which are all the rage nowadays. In fact, Mitsubishi will soon be revealing a small crossover that will compliment the Mirage in its lineup.
Mitsubishi faithful are still mourning the demise of the Evolution, which had its Final Edition recently. It will also be recalled that nameplates like the Galant have also gone to automotive heaven. And talk of the Pajero being axed is also going around.
It’s pretty much the same story in our market. While many car nuts fondly restore the Lancer boxtype, the current-gen model (first seen in 2008) is still around. This, along with newer offerings have contributed to rather less-than-desirable sales. Still, any car aficionado will know that the Lancer, weak sales notwithstanding, deserves a place in automotive history. And if you have one, new or vintage, you might want to hold on to what could very well be a soon-to-be-rare classic.
