Mitsubishi have a strong, if not particularly thriving, alliance with French automotive conglomerate PSA Peugeot Citroen at the moment. Mitsubishi build and supply PSA Peugeot Citroen with the Mitsubishi ASX Cross Over Utility vehicle and Mitsubishi MiEV electric car, which Peugeot and Citroen sell as their own models, badged as the 4008, C4 Aircross, iOn and C-Zero respectively.

Jean-Claude Debard is, or should we rather say was, the head of Mitsubishi’s French dealer network. In a recent report by Reuters, Jean-Claude Debard was quoted by French daily newspaper La Provence making the following statement about the French Minister of Industry, Arnaud Montebourg: “This moron, this retard, is increasing green taxes, lowering speed limits on the Paris ring road and ruining our lives. He is stupid and understands nothing – you can quote me on that.”

Mitsubishi France formally apologised on behalf of Debard for his “discourteous remarks”, before going on to announce that Debard “has stepped down for personal reasons”, a decision that “takes effect immediately”. It may not be an easy time for the struggling French automotive industry, but France’s main industry group, the CCFA, stated in the Reuters report that, “these insulting remarks have astounded the entire French automotive industry”.

France’s Minister of Industry, Arnaud Montebourg, is a member of the French Socialist party and has accused Asian automakers, with particular venom directed towards the rapidly growing Koreans we might add, that they are dumping cars in France. He has also been vocal against PSA Peugeot Citroen’s austerity plans to cut jobs in France.