Deprived Canadians will no longer need to stare longingly at American tourists driving sporty cars and SUVs that aren't available in Canada. Finally this fall, Mitsubishi's strong initial line-up of eight models will be available in 31 dealerships across the country.
Does getting real with the Canadian market, after two unsuccessful attempts, have anything to do with the recent appointment of Canadian Pierre Gagnon as President and CEO of the newly restructured Mitsubishi North America operations? Probably not, but having a Canadian at the helm of Japan's fourth largest automaker's North American operations can't hurt the company's chances of success in our market. And success in Canada is important to the 37 percent DaimlerChrysler owned carmaker, as its global output fell two percent to 166,751 vehicles in March.
Making its Canadian debut at the Vancouver auto show earlier this year, the compact, car-based SUV is a first for Mitsubishi, a company respected by 4x4 enthusiasts in its more mature markets for its off-road capable Montero and Montero Sport models. Truly, the Outlander is not only more car-like than its SUV siblings, but its optional AWD and standard FWD make it unique among many of its competitors too. FWD will reduce its entry price point while cutting emissions and improving fuel economy.