In the previous year, the crown was held by the everlasting Ford F-Series, followed by the traditional runner-up series – Chevrolet Silverado and Ram trucks. After that, Toyota’s RAV4 placed fourth, of course, followed by the surprising Tesla Model Y, which is also Europe’s top-selling nameplate and one of the highest-selling models globally. Sixth was Honda’s CR-V, and seventh came the GMC Sierra, while the first passenger car – the iconic Toyota Camry – ranked only eighth.
Considering this, one would assume that a car manufacturer with two passenger cars and four additional SUVs would be secure from any trouble. However, don’t expect Mitsubishi to be that automaker because they sold very few vehicles last year in America – just over 87k. To put this into perspective, Honda – which isn’t their biggest competitor in the US market – sold around 84k vehicles in January 2024 alone! Therefore, it’s safe to say that Mitsubishi is a mere shadow of its former self. This is quite disappointing, especially since there are still enough fans dreaming of its potential revival in America, both in the real world and the world of digital car content creators.
By the way, there have been whispers that Mitsubishi’s top executives are considering discontinuing the Mirage nameplate in America. The Mirage is currently one of the most affordable hatchback and sedan options in the market. So, perhaps, they plan to replace it with something much larger – like a hypothetical revival of ‘Project America,’ Mitsubishi’s Endeavor? This mid-size crossover SUV was produced in Normal, Illinois, at MMNA from 2003 to 2011 with a 3.8-liter V6 engine, but it didn’t gain enough traction to justify a successor at the time.
Now, virtual artist Enoch Gabriel Gonzalez, known as enochgonzalesdesigns on social media and based in the Philippines, wants to give Mitsubishi CUV fans a CGI moment to celebrate with the return of the Endeavor as an eight-seater CUV. This could potentially serve as a viable alternative to the new rugged off-road mid-sized SUVs like the Ford Bronco 4-Door, Jeep Wrangler, or Toyota 4Runner, rather than competing with numerous other crossovers like the Toyota Grand Highlander or Ford Explorer.
Unofficially positioned above the current 2024 Outlander and Outlander PHEV as a hypothetical new flagship, this Mitsubishi could generate higher profits for the Japanese company if it is made compelling enough in the low-to-mid $40k price range. So, would you like to see the Endeavor return as an eight-seater like this one? Also, what type of powertrain would you consider suitable – another V6 like the original or something more modern, like a hybrid or plug-in hybrid setup?
According to the Source autoevolution.com