Formidable contender

The fact that Mitsubishi became the country’s best-selling brand last May—edging out perennial leader Toyota after posting a 28.6 percent market share—only shows how the three-diamond emblem is solidly entrenched in the minds of Filipino consumers.

THE much improved Montero Sports has been an instant hit among consumers

As one of the two most successful auto brands in the Philippines, Mitsubishi is aiming even higher: Mitsubishi Motors Philippines EVP Taizo Pat Furuhashi recently challenged his team to sell around 50,000 units in 2012.

The target is not an ambitious one considering that MMPC is already selling over 30,000 units as of November despite the Japanese earthquake/tsunami and the Thailand flood tragedies (Montero Sport sold 11,130 units; Adventure, 6,222 units; L300 CC, 5,977 units, and the Strada, 3,816 sold leading the sales  surge).

Incidentally, the Montero Sport has become MMPC’s top performer, remaining on top of the country’s mid-sized SUV segment with a 46.7 percent market share.

VGT version

Montero Sport and Strada sales grew further as MMPC added in February, new variants that feature the variable geometry turbo (VGT).

With a variable geometry turbo technology, ample air becomes available even at low engine speeds thanks to vanes that direct air into the turbine change angle (or geometry) allowing. This changes as the exhaust gases increase, provides a constant flow of air and pressure throughout the revolution range giving the new version of the Montero Sport and Strada additional 15 horsepower and 7Nm of torque.

MITSUBISHI executives Dante Santos (left) and Arlan Reyes present the awards won by the Montero in the C! Awards

To experience the difference, MMPC brought the motoring media to Clark International Speedway. The company even invited Mitsubishi’s two-time Paris-Dakkar Rally Champion driver Hiroshi Masuoka to show participants exactly what the VGT version of the Montero Sport can really do.

MMPC did some modification at the circuit, adding an off-road segment similar to a rally special stage.

Aside from the dirt course, a slalom and braking area was also added along Clark International Speedway’s main straight, allowing participants to feel the full uninhibited power and braking of the vehicle on asphalt.

The impact was immediately felt as MMPC recorded a 7.4 percent growth in the first four months of the year with a total of 10,945 units sold.

Set to expand

Furuhashi is confident MMPC sterling sales performance will continue in 2012 as Mitsubishi Motors initiates its plan to expand by at least 30 percent in the five Asean countries including the Philippines.

“With vehicle sales flattening out in the West and in Japan, Japanese automakers including Mitsubishi are building new plants in Southeast Asia, where sales remain brisk amid strong economic growth,” he said.

Mitsubishi Motors projects that the auto markets in the five Asean countries that include namely Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines will expand by 30 percent from the current 2.4 million units to about 3 million units in 2015 or an increase of its sales share  from the current 6.5 percent to 12 percent in fiscal 2015.

While Mitsubishi Motors positions Thailand as its global production hub, the other four countries including the Philippines will continue to produce models for the local market. At the moment, MMPC manufactures the Adventure, L300 cab and chassis, L300 Versa Van, Fuso light and medium duty trucks and bus chassis and more recently, the all-new Lancer EX.

Next year would also be most interesting as MMPC is set to bring the all-new Mirage to our shores. This compact hatch will definitely excite the market considering it has been some time since Mitsubishi had a car that competes in this segment (besides its competition including Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mazda, Suzuki, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Kia each have one).