Mitsubishi displays aggressive market stance

Holding two major industry events in two weeks is like saying, “Man, watch us. We’re getting into the fight head first!”

That’s the present industry stance of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC)—aggressive and dynamic, which seems to be the developing norm in the auto sector—and those who don’t just might miss the boat.

First, last July 19, they brought a large contingent of motoring journalists and MMPC dealers to Bangkok, Thailand—84 in all—the largest ever that MMPC brought out of the country. (It was a 4-day, Thursday to Sunday trip that made me fail to come up with my column last week. My apologies to my regular readers). The objective of the trip was to familiarize the group with the soon-to-be-launched all-new Mitsubishi Mirage. A week after, last Friday, July 27, a select group from the motoring media got its hands on the different variants of the new Mitsubishi Lancer EX on a test drive all the way to Pico De Loro in Batangas.

The Bangkok experience came complete with a test drive of the Mirage and a visit to the Lamchabang Factory of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand Co., Ltd., which is considered the second largest export hub of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), after Japan, in MMC’s global production organization, where the Mirage went into full production starting in the middle of April this year.

Last week’s drive to Pico De Loro was to demonstrate the fuel efficiency of the different variants of the Mitsubishi Lancer EX, especially that of the Lancer EX 1.6 with the MIVEC engine (117 PS @ 6,000 rpm with maximum torque of 154 N-m @4,000 rpm), which boasts of a remarkable fuel economy of up to 21 kilometers per liter.

The latest edition Mirage, which had its international launch during the 33rd Bangkok Motor Show last March 27 is a new type of global compact model, which has been developed for MMC’s “Global Small Concept” under which a single product caters to the requirements for an affordable entry-level model in fast-growing emerging nations like ours as well as to eco-car requirements in advanced countries.

Mitsubishi’s all-new Mirage is powered by a new 1.2-liter MIVEC engine (78 ps @ 6,000rpm and max. torque of 100 Nm @ 4,000rpm) that can handily give 22 kilometers of comfortable driving on a liter of fuel and CO2 emission levels that’s the best in its class.

Just before the joint test drive of motoring journalists and MMPC dealers at the BIRA circuit in Thailand, a brief presentation of the Mirage highlighted its remarkable main features that included, “high-efficiency packaging, which delivers great maneuverability and easy drivability inherent to a subcompact car while also providing a comfortable interior space for five adults together with ample luggage space, optimization of the body structure and more extensive use of high-tensile steel paneling, which together provide 7 percent reduction in body weight compared to usual body structures in its class, contributing to greater fuel efficiency, the use of Mitsubishi’s RISE body design, which effectively absorbs and disperses impact forces in collisions from all directions to provide high levels of crashworthiness”...naming some.      

During the test drive the on-cam interviews of both the motoring journalists and Mitsubishi dealers shared the common observation that the Mirage, if priced right (which MMPC executive vice president Taizo Furuhashi promised, with a wink and sheepish smile, to be very competitive), aside from being perfect for first-time car buyers would be the “go-to car” in many garages, which would be used for a short trip to the grocery, to bring and fetch the kids, for trips to gridlock-prone traffic and hard-to-park destinations in the metro, etc. 

The Mitsubishi automobile plant that we visited, which is wholly owned by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (Japan) is located in the Chonburi province in the eastern part of Thailand, which is about 170 kilometers from Bangkok. It has 3 assembly factories with awesome annual assembly outputs of 80,000 units of passenger vehicles Lancer and Lancer EX in its Factory #1, then there’s Factory # 2 with 230,000 units of Triton pickup and for its Factory #3, which assembles Global Small or the Mirage an annual output of 150,000 units.   

The very capable tandem of Froy Dytianquin, MMPC VP for marketing services and ad and promo headman, Arlan Reyes made sure it was not an all-work trip for both journalists and dealers, with the first day’s dinner served in a river cruise. Though it was nothing new for most of us journalists who have been to Thailand several (read many, many) times—like Bulletin motoring editor Pinky Colmenares having gone there lately three times in as many weeks—one after another, the river cruise that night was a revelation as far as the persona of the sitting president of MMPC, Hikosaburo Shibata, who’s only on his second year in the country. Usually reserved but friendly, Shibata-san, who decided not to have formal presentation rites to the media in deference to the debilitating consequences that Japan was suffering at the time of his taking over the reins of MMPC but instead donated what could have been spent for the affair, turned out to an exponent of the terpsichorean art. His dancing prowess was visibly revealed during the dance segment of the dinner cruise. In our past articles in this column we have dwelled on the singing talents (rockers even) shown by our Japanese executive-friends in the local auto industry—now we know we also have a John Travolta.          

My hands-on experience with the Mitsubishi Lancer EX last week was indeed a study in contrast. With the SM MOA as starting point, all the invited journalists engaged in a friendly eco-driving competition with the team that drives the Lancer EX that registers the best fuel performance getting an enviable prize.

The basic rule in contests like this is not to go higher than 2,000 rpm all throughout the trip to be competitive. In this particular competition it meant driving a vehicle that has more than three decades and nine generations of development that has created a perfect blend of power, performance and aerodynamics—that’s what the Lancer EX has evolved to now since it first hit the streets in 1973 at an average of 40 to 60 kilometers per hour—an utter disrespect for such an engineering masterpiece.

The Lancer EX now features an all-new 4A92 1.6 liter 16-valve DOHC MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control). As discussed during the short briefing just before we were flagged off, this exclusive Mitsubishi technology promises an optimal performance across the rev range by adjusting the timing of the intake camshaft. Advancing or retarding the cam timing alters the distribution of power and torque throughout the useable rev range. This technology stabilizes the combustion without compromising the fuel efficiency and emissions. Spoken in plain English, the technology has produced a fuel efficient automobile that’s fast and not wanting in power—the best of both worlds.

The “disrespectful drive” of staying within the 1,500 to 2,000 rpm range with average speeds of 50 to 60 kph was only from the start at Microtel Hotel to the finish line in Lian-Nasugbu Batangas junction where the data were gathered to determine your performance. After that, it was, “Yes! I’m finally free to drive the way this beautifully crafted automobile should be driven!”

And what a way to be set free. That drive from the junction to Pico De Loro with winding roads mostly inclined was a motoring journalist’s dream drive especially with a fast, responsive, nimble and easily maneuverable sports sedan like the Mitsubishi Lancer EX. And vehicle safety wasn’t even much of an issue with the Lancer EX 1.6 MIVEC vaunted to have a body structure designed with Mitsubishi’s exclusive Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) that protects occupants by employing the extensive front and rear crumple zones to absorb impact energy before it can be transferred to the cabin.

Mitsubishi expects the Mirage and Lancer EX to take the market by storm. See them as soon as they’re available at the Mitsubishi showrooms all over the country and judge them for yourself. And the Mitsubishi guys would be more than glad to give you a test drive. 

Congratulations to Mitsubishi Motors Philippines.

Happy Motoring!!!

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