New Mitsubishi models

Following the release this month of the sub-compact ASX, Mitsubishi will have three model updates and a new Lancer variant before the end of the year.  Mitsubishi Motors Australia president and CEO Masahiko Takahashi says the model offensive comes after the brand recorded its best first half year on record for Lancer, Outlander Challenger and total imports, and the best first half since 2002 for their medium SUVs.

The first model update to arrive will be the face-lifted Outlander 4x2 in August with a starting price of $30,000.  It will be followed in September by a Colt with a Japanese-sourced engine of the same capacity, rather than one from Europe.

Takahashi says the new engine will have a floor shift auto and manual transmission rather than the current column shift.  Mitsubishi is reintroducing their Club Cab to the Triton range in November after a five-year hiatus.

The Club Cab has an occasional-use second row of seats.  Takahashi says the Club Cab was deleted when it fell from popularity, but it was now popular again.

"The market share (of this vehicle configuration) had fallen from 15 per cent to 5 per cent and now it's about 30 per cent," he says.  MMA sales vice-president Anthony Casey says they have to be cautious about introducing new variants to the crowded pick-up category.

"It becomes a dog's breakfast for us and the dealers for ordering and how many you hold," he says. "It's a stock nightmare." 

Mitsubishi will round out the year with a new Lancer variant in October.  Currently, Lancer comes in ES, VR and VRX specifications.

The ES will become the fleet limited-spec model and the SX will be introduced as a private entry model with alloys, spoilers and a "few niceties inside ... the sort of stuff we've been running in marketing specials up to now".