Mitsubishi Australia President and CEO, Rob McEniry says his company retains aspirations to re-enter the local large car marketplace. Indeed, even with the company's 380 production line closed down and its Tonsley Park factory working only to produce a stockpile of parts for the ill-fated local large front-wheel drive, McEniry remains guardedly optimistic that an opportunity exists for the marque in the segment via imported product.
Quizzed on whether Mitsubishi Australia was better off without the 380, McEniry said pointedly the company was "not better off without having an entrant in that segment."
"If you look at what's happening on the broader scale in that [large car] segment and the focus that the [local] manufacturers have to place on it, and the inherent risks of doing that, I think you can answer the question yourself," opined McEniry.
"[But] I would never say we're better off without it [a large car]. Profitability aside, if we had that car [380] performing to the rate that we would like to, we would have knocked off Ford [in sales] in June. So, if you say is it [a large car] important to us, or filling that gap -- you bet your sweet bickie it is."
"The large car segment is continuing to decline, but it will plateau out at a more natural level and there'll always be a segment there. And I'd rather be in the position where I can play in that segment profitably [with an imported car] and meet the customer's expectations than force feeding the [locally produced] car down their throats," McEniry said.
McEniry says Mitsubishi Australia remains very interested in the production version of Mitsubishi's ZT Concept, the 'largish' front-wheel drive sedan that debuted at last year's Tokyo Motor Show. He says an imported mass market large car could be sold profitably at relatively low volumes, but warns any re-entry for the brand is still some way off.
"On the assumption that it [the large car market] flattens out soon -- which I think it probably will -- if we got between 5000-10,000 [units] per year, that would be a very profitable segment for us...
"Let me also say that any re-entry is further down the track [however]. In the interim, the 2.4[-litre] luxury version [of Lancer – more here] will help start bridging that gap," McEniry opined.
McEniry is also optimistic turbodiesel will play a role in strengthening Mitsubishi's position -- and not just in SUVs. Though he admits the recent rises in diesel prices have made the business case for some models less attractive, he says Lancer is a potential recipient of a diesel powertrain and a diesel Outlander is closer still.
"As the green diesels come in, the next generation diesel engines, the smaller turbo-charged green -- far more fuel efficient, CO2 friendlier -- then I think you'll see them start to come back.
"The next generation of diesel engines are more economical, so what I'm saying is, that will attract back some of those buyers that have perhaps looked at diesel prices when they've driven past a service station billboard and thought "My God!"
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