Mitsubishi mulls assembly of entry- level SUV for export

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) is still pursuing its plan to manufacture an entry-level sports utility vehicle (SUV) for export even though there is still no set time-frame for the project.

According to MMPC senior vice president Melchor Dizon, Mitsubishi has modified its original plan for an Asian utility vehicle in response to the changing demand of the market.

The entry-level SUV has actually been introduced in Taiwan as the Zinger.

The Zinger, Dizon disclosed, is intended to be assembled only in Taiwan, China and the Philippines.

In the meantime, however, Dizon said, Mitsubishi would continue to locally assemble the Adventure, L300 and the mid-size SUV Pajero Fieldmaster, while importing other models such as the Montero and the latest Strada which comes from Thailand.

Mitsubishi, Dizon said, is concentrating on building up its commercial vehicle segment where its strength lies.

Mitsubishi will resort to importation for its passenger cars such as the Mitsubishi Galant, Lancer, Lancer Evolution and Eclipse models.

Likewise, Dizon said, Mitsubishi is planning to import from the US the full size SUV Endeavor which it plans to introduce early next year.

Later in 2007, Dizon said, Mitsubishi would also bring in the latest Outlander model.

For the whole of 2006, Dizon said, Mitsubishi is targeting total sales of 13,800 units, slightly lower than the 15,000 goal eyed early this year when MMPC was still ranked No. 2.

Mitsubishi has since slipped to the No. 3 position following Honda’s successful introduction of its latest Civic model which has improved Honda’s overall sales.

With the formal launch yesterday of Mitsubishi’s latest Strada pick-up model, Dizon was hopeful of increasing its pick-up sales.

Early this year Mitsubishi unveiled it’s full size sedan 2006 Galant model.

Mitsubishi, Dizon had said, was projecting sales of at least 600 units of the luxurious 2006 Galant this year, second only to Toyota’s Camry sedan.

In the second quarter of this year, Mitsubishi introduced a two-liter Lancer model.