Mitsubishi has its roots in commercial vehicles, but today it produces cars, trucks and SUVs, of above-average performance and style.
A Japanese word meaning "three diamonds," Mitsubishi was started by Yataro Iwasaki in the early 1870s. Initially, the company focused on shipping, but quickly moved into mining and ship repair. In 1917, Mitsubishi unveiled the Model A, Japan's first series production passenger car. During the war, Mitsubishi, like most other car makers, produced shipping and munitions for the war effort.
But it wasn't until 1960, with the launch of the compact Mitsubishi 500, that the company began producing passenger vehicles on a large scale. The 360 Van and 360 Pickup followed close behind. The company also distinguished itself on the racetrack during this decade, taking top honours in Japan's Grand Prix.
The company's Colt was exported to American in 1971, the same year Chrysler purchased a 15 percent stake. Because of this interest, the Colt was sold under the Dodge marque. By the end of the decade, Mitsubishi was producing more than 1 million cars a year with cars like the Galant and the Lancer.
Mitsubishi hit its stride in the '90s, thanks to the popularity of the sport-oriented Eclipse and 3000GT in the US and the turbocharged Lancer Evolution in other parts of the world. Since Chrysler's investment in the company, it has used Mitsubishi chassis and parts for its own cars. In 1998, Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz to become DaimlerChrysler. Mitsubishi's partnership continued with DaimlerChrysler for a few years but was financially terminated by 2003.
The new millennium has not been particularly good for Mitsubishi. Sales have slowed especially since the company was forced to admit that it had systematically covering up vehicle defects; the resulting furor led to the resignation and arrest of one of the carmaker's former presidents. The brand has done much to turn itself around since then, streamlining its vehicle roster and improving quality.
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Check Mitsubishi insurance groups - select a model to start
Whether you currently own a Mitsubishi or you are considering buying a model from
the Mitsubishi range, it helps if you understand insurance groups and how they affect
your premium.
Insurance group ratings take into account performance, security, damage and parts costs, new
car values, availability of body shells and repair costs and times. What you'll typically
find is that cars in lower insurance groups attract a lower premium, whilst cars in higher
insurance groups attract a higher premium - usually because they are high performance models
or have high repair or replacement costs. Just choose a model to check its insurance group ratings.