Mitsubishi just rolled out the latest piece to its Momentum 2030 plan, in what President and CEO Mark Chaffin is calling “a full, brand-wide reinvention in the United States.”
Driving the news: Yesterday, Mitsubishi shared that a new “Gallery” dealership is coming to Antioch, Tenn., in early 2026.
“This is the first time any non-luxury car brand in the U.S. has opened a facility of this sort, and it’s what I expect to be just the first of many appearing around the country,” Chaffin wrote on LinkedIn yesterday.
What to expect: Per the release, the Gallery is being built in partnership with Murfreesboro-based City Auto Mitsubishi, with renovations starting this month.
Location-wise, the Gallery will sit inside a larger shopping and entertainment complex that already includes Tanger Outlets and other retail spots.
And that’s on purpose, because the goal in this case is to put Mitsubishi in front of casual foot traffic, not just active car shoppers.
How it works: Instead of filling the lot with vehicles, the store will pull inventory from City Auto Mitsubishi’s main location in Murfreesboro (about a 10-minute drive away) when a deal comes together.
Inside, Mitsubishi says “brand specialists” will be available to walk customers through the lineup, tech, and brand story.
The aesthetic: From what we can tell, it’s less “big car lot” and more “mall store” built to let shoppers browse and learn without feeling pressured to buy on the spot.
In other words, Mitsubishi’s hoping that if people can interact with the brand like they would at an Apple Store, they’ll come back more informed and ready to buy. Not a crazy bet either, because we’ve seen it work in luxury.
As a reminder: Last year, Mitsubishi announced Momentum 2030, a five-year plan summarized by four points.
Those 4 points include: A path to electrification, a renewed and expanded product line-up that will strengthen Mitsubishi Motors in North America, a modernized retail sales model, and network expansion and sales growth.
What they’re saying: “While each aspect of this plan will change the way MMNA does business, and the ways both new and existing customers will interact with the company, one of the most visible is the new Gallery dealership model, point three on the list above,” per the release.
Why visibility matters: Right now, Mitsubishi’s U.S. network only covers about a third of new-car markets, according to Chaffin. That’s a number he wants above 50% by 2030.
“One of our strengths is that we are both small and nimble, enabling us to make fast decisions and pivot quickly as necessary,” Chaffin said. “But our small dealer-network across the U.S. limits our ability to grow our share and sales volume.”
Big picture: Mitsubishi’s betting this model can quickly fill gaps in markets where the brand’s barely on the map today. And with new hybrids, a BEV, and a joint Nissan SUV coming in the next two years, this move has the potential to give existing dealers a faster, lower-cost way to get those vehicles in front of more buyers.
A quick word from our partner
Under-collected fees, upset customers, negative online reviews, buyback letters, and more.
DLR50™ is the solution for your out-of-state titling pains.
DLRdmv® understands the impact out-of-state deals have on your business, as they can impede your desk and damage CSI. That’s why they developed DLR50™, to modernize and streamline the entire process for you and your team.
CDG readers can schedule a short demo and receive 30 days of free DLR50 unlimited full-service access. Use code News30 at DLRdmv.com/CDG to get started.
DLRdmv®, The Dealer’s DMV™
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
No-BS insights, built for car dealers. Free, fast, and trusted by 55,000+ car dealers.
