Is Mitsubishi a Joint Venture Car?

[DiCecilia]

GAC Mitsubishi is a joint venture car. Company Profile of GAC Mitsubishi: GAC Mitsubishi Motors Co., Ltd. is a Sino-foreign joint venture jointly operated by Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation, with a cooperation period of 30 years. Among them, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. holds 50% of the equity, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation holds 30%, and Mitsubishi Corporation holds 20%. Business Scope of GAC Mitsubishi: GAC Mitsubishi is mainly engaged in the research and development, production, and sales of automobiles and automobile parts, as well as providing corresponding after-sales service, consultation, and technical services.

[StJosie]

As a veteran Mitsubishi owner with over a decade of experience, I still keep the customs documents for my previous pure-import models like the Pajero and Galant. In recent years, Mitsubishi has clearly shifted towards localization - popular SUVs like the Outlander and ASX now bear 'GAC Mitsubishi' badges on their rear, and engine compartment components come from suppliers in Ningbo and Jiangsu. However, it's worth noting that performance models like the EVO remain fully imported, so buyers should carefully check the customs paperwork. Currently, about 80% of new Mitsubishis on the road are joint-venture vehicles, following a similar path to Toyota and Honda.

[DeKimberly]

Just helped my cousin pick out a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, did thorough research. Mitsubishi and GAC have been in a joint venture for over a decade now, with GAC Mitsubishi's factory located in Changsha, Hunan, featuring particularly modern production lines. But to be clear, not all models are joint venture productions—take the Pajero Sport overseas version, for example, which is imported from Thailand. The advantages of joint ventures are obvious: prices are 30% cheaper than imports, and parts are easier to find—just wait two days to replace a bumper. The other day at the 4S store, the salesperson mentioned the Outlander's localization rate exceeds 90%, even the ECU is domestically produced, which was quite surprising.

[SanAutumn]

When dealing with second-hand car appraisals, Mitsubishi vehicles are frequently encountered. Many Lancer and Lancer EX models before 2014 were assembled domestically using imported parts, with 'Soueast Motor' written on the nameplate, which counts as early joint ventures. The current Airtrek EV directly carries the GAC logo. The key is to check the Vehicle Conformity Certificate: if the manufacturer is listed as 'GAC Mitsubishi,' it's a joint venture vehicle; if it's 'Mitsubishi Motors Corporation,' it's an import. Here's a lesser-known fact: Mitsubishi Fuso trucks and buses are still purely imported and are considered separately from passenger vehicles.

[Jake]

Mitsubishi's situation can be divided into three categories: 1. The SUV series produced by the GAC joint venture, accounting for 70% of sales; 2. The sedans manufactured by Soueast have basically ceased production; 3. The parallel-imported Pajero V93. The most typical example is the Outlander, whose price dropped from 300,000 yuan to starting at 160,000 yuan after domestic production, using engines from Shenyang Aerospace Mitsubishi but still equipped with transmissions from Japan's Jatco. Recently, the restructuring of Mitsubishi by GAC has caused quite a stir, but the after-sales service for existing models remains unaffected.

[KyleLee]

With a decade in the automotive media industry, Mitsubishi's localization strategy is quite intriguing. In 2006, they first partnered with Soueast Motor, then switched to GAC Group in 2012. Currently available models like the Eclipse Cross and Outlander are produced at the Changsha plant, with core components such as the 4B40 engine already localized. But don't be fooled by sales pitches – imported Mitsubishis still exist, like the newly introduced Delica camper van this year. Buying joint-venture vehicles mainly offers three advantages: ¥20,000 less in taxes, half-price maintenance, and parts delivery within a week.