Mitsubishi Cars Philippines

In 1873, the company, known as Mitsubishi Shokai Company, first appeared. It emerged from the company called Tsukumo Shokai, itself having gone on its own after separating from the Tosa Clan in 1870. For many years, the company was not known as an automobile manufacturer. Their image began to change when they began development of the Model–A passenger car in 1917. The 3-Diamond trademark was registered three years earlier in 1914. From 1921 to 1938, it had established the Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturing business, followed by the development of the Mitsubishi-Fuso bus. Soon after, the company was renamed to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was during this incarnation of the business that produced a prototype of a PX33 4WD passenger car for military-use.

Later on, over the two decades from 1941 to 1959, the company underwent several changes. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries became involved in the manufacture of airplanes, scooters, and buses. The years of 1950 and 1951 were significant because it was then when Fuso Motor Sales was established and the assembly and sales of the Henry J passenger cars began. It was also during those years that it was awarded a major contract with Willis Jeep for knockdown and assembly.

The 1960s saw the emergence of Mitsubishi-branded cars, as the company launched the first compact four-wheel passenger car Mitsubishi 500, their first compact four-wheel passenger car, and the Mitsubishi 360 Van and Pickup. In this decade alone, there was no doubt of the company’s successes. The new cars began to win awards, starting with the company’s Colt 600 to the Colt 1100F Sport Cars that won the 3rd Australian Southern Cross Rally. Developments by the company in this decade alone showed their worth and reliability in numerous races and rallies. 1969 saw the company automobile division reorganized. It was later spun off as an independent company in 1970, creating Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. At the time, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation had an automobile lineup that included the cab-over-type commercial vehicle Delica and the Colt Galant, with its 4G3 Saturn engine.

The Colt Galant GTO, with its 4G32 DOHC Saturn engine, was launched. When the launch occurred, the initial basic joint venture contract with Chrysler was signed. Chrysler Philippines came up with its Dodge Colt that had made waves with powerful its 1500cc engines. It impressed drag racing aficionados in the country.

In the Philippines, Mitsubishi was not yet well-known and was hardly associated with the Dodge Colts that were manufactured and assembled by the Chrysler Philippines Corporation, which was first established in 1963. The rally championships won by the Galants and Lancers in the African and Southern Cross Rallies proved successful for Mitsubishi in achieving such association in the consumers’ minds. Sometime between 1974 and 1975, Chrysler Philippines and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation partnered to become the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) assembler of purely Japanese made Mitsubishis. Mitsubishi came up with its own version of an Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV), the Cimarron. It was only Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Philippines that continued to supply the Philippines with brand new cars, when the automotive industry suffered in the economic crisis of the 1980s.