Mitsubishi, which means three diamonds in Japanese, was started by Yataro Iwasaki, a descendant of samurais in the 1870s. They primarily concentrated on shipping and other areas. It wasn't until 1917 that they released their first automobile, the Model A, which become popular in Japan because it was the only car of its type at the time. (It would be a long time before Boston would see a Mitsubishi.) Things went well until the late 30s and 40s when Japan had to turn most of their effort to the war, producing ships and other military items.
In 1960, they finally began mass producing automobiles again. They also started getting into vans and light trucks, which made them popular at the time. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation was spun off in 1970. In an interesting twist, Chrysler bought a portion of Mitsubishi and sold their Colt car under the Dodge moniker for many years. This continued until the 1980s when Mitsubishi began selling cars in the United States using their own brand.
During the 80s and 90s, they became really popular with models like the Eclipse and 3000GT sports cars. By 2003, Mitsubishi had cut all ties with Chrysler (which was now combined with Daimler.) Mitsubishi has had some problems in the 21st century, but they're striving to become popular again in Boston and other cities across America. The vehicles are sporty and there are a lot of good models still available on the road.
If you're looking for a great used Mitsubishi, use the drop-down below to find a good deal in the Kansas City area.
