The Mitsubishi Raider’s lifespan may come to an end. The Japanese automaker said yesterday that it doesn’t plan on renewing its contract with Chrysler LLC to build its Raider pickup beyond the 2010 model year. It said there are currently no plans for a replacement for the compact pickup.
The Mitsubishi Raider is built at Chrysler’s Warren Truck plant, which builds version of the Dodge Ram full-sized pickup and the Dodge Dakota compact pickup. The plant employs more than 1,400 workers. According to a Chrysler spokesman, Mitsubishi’s decision doesn’t affect the operations or the workers at the plant.
Mitsubishi said that sales of the Raider fell to 2,935 last year, down 64 percent from 2007. Mitsubishi remains a key partner along with Hyundai and Chrysler for a new 4-cylinder engine plant in Dundee.
Source: Detroit Free Press
