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Diamond-Star Motors (commonly abbreviated to DSM) was an automobile-manufacturing joint venture between the Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC).[1] The name came from the parent companies' respective logos: three diamonds (Mitsubishi) and a pentastar (Chrysler).[2] Diamond-Star Motors was officially renamed Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. (MMMA) in 1995, four years after Mitsubishi took sole control of the plant, and since 2002 its official title has been Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) Manufacturing Division.[3]

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The origins of Diamond-Star Motors can be traced back to 1970 when Chrysler Corporation took a 15 percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors, as part of MMC's strategy of expansion through alliances with foreign partners. The U.S. company began distributing Mitsubishis as Chrysler-, Dodge- and Plymouth-branded captive imports, a successful venture as the compact cars met consumer demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles in the 1970s, filling a gap at the bottom of the Chrysler group's range.[5]

By 1982, Chrysler was importing 110,000 Mitsubishis annually. However, a minor conflict was forming as the Japanese now wanted to sell directly through their own-branded dealerships. A voluntary import quota system was in place at this time, restricting the number of cars Japanese automakers could bring in to the U.S. As the Japanese company began to open its own branded dealerships to sell directly, every imported Cordia, Tredia and Starion sold by Mitsubishi had to be discounted from Chrysler's allocation.[5]

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In order to circumvent this, the two partners officially incorporated Diamond-Star Motors in October 1985. An incentive package worth US$274 million, and an intense and controversial lobbying effort by state and local government authorities, meant that Illinois won the new auto plant,[6] and in April 1986 ground was broken on a 1,900,000 sq ft (177,000 m2) production facility in the town of Normal. The plant was completed in March 1988, with an annual capacity of 240,000 vehicles.[3] In 1989, the workers at the plant formed United Auto Workers Local 2488, and signed their first contract with the company.[7]

Initially, three models were produced at this facility. The Mitsubishi Eclipse, Plymouth Laser and Eagle Talon were smaller 2+2 sports cars on a new co-designed platform. Models subsequently produced during the next decade included the Mitsubishi Mirage/Eagle Summit, the Mitsubishi Galant, the Dodge Avenger/Chrysler Sebring, and the Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Cirrus.[8]

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Mitsubishi designed the whole car. It is based on a 1992 Diamante (which itself was based on a 1989 Galant) The SOHC, 160 HP motor (which was in MANY Chrysler products) was designed and built by Mitsubishi. If the motor was in an Acclaim or a minivan, it had Chrysler designed fuel injection and intake manifold. That's why the Chrysler version ate head gaskets. The 222 HP SL motor and the 300 HP VR-4 motor are All Mitsu, all the time.

Chrysler designed the easily replaced distinguishing parts. (headlight doors, spoilers, bumper covers.)

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It doesn't make sense to me why Dodge and the Mitsubishi would do the same thing with the Stealth and 3000GT. Seems like an odd pairing.

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The Isuzu Hombre was Isuzu's pickup introduced in 1996 as a rebadged Chevrolet S-10/GMC Sonoma. It replaced the Indiana-built Isuzu Pick Up. The most important difference between the two is in equipment — while the S-10/Sonoma boasted an extensive array of optional equipment, the Hombre was offered in a small model range with a modest selection of equipment packages. The Spacecab extended cab, V6 engine and four-wheel drive was added from 1997 to 1998. All three vehicles were produced at General Motors' Shreveport, Louisiana plant.

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The Honda Passport was a compact SUV produced by Isuzu, released in 1994, as Honda's first entry in the truck market for the United States. Built and designed solely by Isuzu, who sold it as the Rodeo, it was seen as a "quick fix" entry into the growing SUV market in the United States. It was essentially an SUV wagon version of the Isuzu pickup truck, similar to the Jeep Cherokee and Mitsubishi Montero Sport. It was nicely appointed, but reviews called the design a bit behind the times, as crossover and more refined trucks had evolved (such as the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which were not directly based on pickup truck platforms).

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Were't the Ranger and the Mazda light truck the same production for a while?

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A Ford-designed compact pickup truck, which is sold and manufactured in North America as well as Brazil, Chile, Argentina and South Africa. It was also marketed as the Mazda B-Series by Mazda dealers from 1994 through 2009. In North America it is built in St. Paul, Minnesota

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Were't the Ranger and the Mazda light truck the same production for a while?

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Nissan Altima coupe, Infiniti G35 coupe.

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Nissan Altima coupe, Infiniti G35 coupe.

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