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Mitsubishi Motors to relocate North America HQ to Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mitsubishi Motors announced on Tuesday that it is relocating its North America headquarters from California to Tennessee, a move that will bring the Japanese automaker closer to its sister company Nissan and strengthen Tennessee's growing reputation as an epicenter of the automotive sector. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe — who made the announcement with Mitsubishi Motors North America — say the headquarters move from Cypress, California, to Franklin, Tennessee, will result in an $18.25 million investment in the region and approximately 200 jobs. Lee and Rolfe added that they met with Mitsubishi's global executives last week to convince them to move to Tennessee while in Japan during the Republican governor's first trade mission. It is unclear what financial incentives state officials offered Mitsubishi to move to Tennessee. "As we drive toward the future, this is the perfect time for us to move to a new home. While we say farewell to the Golden State with a heavy heart, we're excited to say hello to Music City," Fred Diaz, Mitsubishi Motors North America's president and CEO, said in a statement. Franklin is located just south of Nashville, also known as "Music City," and is home to the state's most powerful Republicans, ranging from Gov. Lee, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and House Speaker Glen Casada. "Over the years, Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast's thriving automotive sector, and I'm proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee," Lee, who took over the office this year, said in a statement. Mitsubishi Motors' North America headquarters has been located in California since 1988. The company expects the relocation will begin in August and will be completed by the end of the year. Initially, a temporary office will handle operations to allow the company time to identify a permanent office. Company officials say the move is part an ongoing effort to "reinvent every aspect of Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S.," as well as strengthen the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Nissan has a production plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, and owns a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Last week, Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Mitsubishi says it will make money from EVs

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is the lowest-cost plug-in vehicle available in the US. The spartan EV's small price tag shouldn't lead you to believe the company doesn't see dollar signs where there's a plug. Mitsubishi says that electric vehicles are one of the three profitable segments that have helped the company get back into the black. The other two are light trucks and crossovers. We suspect that the resounding success of the Outlander PHEV played a bigger role in this than the i-MiEV, but you never know. Mitsubishi Motors Corp president Tetsuro Aikawa told Automotive News that the company will keeps its focus on those three segments and ease back on sedans and performance cars. To that end, the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will come to the US next April, many years after it went on sale in Japan and Europe. The vehicle will fit well with Mitsubishi's plans to shift its strategy to SUVs and CUVs here. Related Video:

Mitsubishi EV drivers returning for another crack at Pikes Peak

At the 2014 edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Mitsubishi will once again come to play with powerful electric vehicles. And by play, we mean take EV racing incredibly seriously. The 14,115-foot hill climb takes place June 29 and Mitsubishi is sending drivers Greg Tracy and Hiroshi Masuoka to challenge the podium. Tracy knows the course thanks to winning the challenge six times on a motorcycle. We don't know what kinds of vehicles Mitusbishi will race this year, and all the company is saying is that it will use technology founds in the i-MIEV. Last year, the duo raced a pair of MiEV Evolution II electric vehicles, which had four electric motors and a combined maximum output of 400 kilowatts (536 horsepower). They finished with times of 10:21.866 (Masuoka) and 10:23.649 (Tracy), well behing the winner of the Electric Division, Nobuhiro Tajima, who drove the Tajima Monster Sports Special E-Runner up the hill in just 9:46.530. Anyone want to hazard a guess what Tracy and Masuoka will get this year? Mitsubishi Motors At The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Tuesday, May. 13 2014 Greg Tracy and Hiroshi Masuoka Will Compete For Mitsubishi In Electric Modified Division at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb On June 29 Colorado Springs, May 9----One of the top competitions at the 2014 The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be the quietest of them all. The talent-heavy Electric Modified Division already includes Nobuhiro Tajima, who won the Electric Division last year when he drove his Tajima Monster Sports Special E-Runner to a blazing time of 9:46.530, an Electric record and the seventh fastest time in the history of the race. Now, this exciting division has added two of the race's veteran stars to go head-to-head with Tajima for top honors in the world's most famous hill climb and America's second-oldest motorsport competition behind the famed Indianapolis 500. The powerful Mitsubishi Motors team will again field two factory teams on America's Mountain on June 29, driven by two of the most accomplished drivers in the history of the race. Greg Tracy, a six-time Pikes Peak motorcycle champion, will pilot one of the Mitsubishi Motors entries in the chase to the 14,115-foot summit of America's Mountain. Tracy, in his last ride on a bike, a Ducati, broke the ten-minute mark with a clocking of 9:58.262.