The imminent debut of the 2004 Endeavor crossover sport-ute will mark the launch of Project America--not a nefarious Dr. Evil plot to conquer the United States but Mitsubishi's plan to develop and build its core products in the U.S. of A.
Slated for sale only in North America, the Endeavor--engineered in Japan but styled in Southern California and built in Normal, Illinois--is also the first Mitsubishi to ride on an all-new platform that will serve as the basis of the next-generation Galant, Eclipse, and Eclipse Spyder.
The Endeavor, priced from $25,000 to $35,000, slots into the Mitsubishi SUV lineup between the lightweight Lancer-based Outlander and the macho Montero and Montero Sport. Although sales are expected to split evenly between front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles, all Endeavors will come with a fully independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and the soul of a sedan.
As the latest entry in the "Is it a truck or a car?" segment of the market, the Endeavor will butt bumpers with crossovers such as the well-entrenched Toyota Highlander, the highly regarded Honda Pilot, and the daring Nissan Murano. So how is the Endeavor going to meet its ambitious sales target of 80,000 North American units during its rookie season?
"Style and attitude," says Pierre Gagnon, president and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors America. Or, as Mike Krebs, vice president of product planning, puts it: "As great as the Highlander and the Pilot are, they have a tendency to disappear in parking lots.... Read full article