Mitsubishi Reinvigorates Product Line for New Charge on Canadian Market
You'll have to excuse Mitsubishi for their excitement. It's not every week
they get to introduce a sexy topless model to an eagerly expectant crowd. OK, the glamour of the reveal was offset by the return of a sensible compact wagon, exclusive to the Canadian market, but all in all it made things a whole lot more enticing. Before I start talking about Mitsubishi's new models (well, one new; the other on its second go-around), I have to share some of Mitsubishi's excitement about their reinvigorated Canadian operations.
Well
into in their second attempt to crack the Canadian new-car market (they made an ill-fortuned campaign in the late '80s), Mitsubishi is finally realizing that Canada isn't just a footnote to the American market. Starting this year, Mitsubishi Canada has its own independent leadership, led by President and CEO Paul Cummings (who brought a few key personnel over from Volvo when he defected), to better manage Mitsubishi's business in our unique market. One of the key factors in attracting talented people from a competitor was granting Mitsubishi Canada control over its own destiny, by opening the channels for them to report directly to Japan (instead of through the U.S. team as previous president Randy Sears had to) and allowing them to make decisions specific for our market.
This
was a major coup for the Canadian team and the first thing they did with their new power was bring back the Lancer Sportback. Okay, it may not be an Eclipse Spyder, but it's symbolic of the fact that Canadians like different cars (smaller cars, and more practical cars, hence a compact wagon), and their dealers can move enough of them to justify getting a small allotment from Japan when there is little interest Stateside.
You have to think, if this management group was in place a couple of years ago, would we now have the subcompact Colt? Mitsubishi wouldn't be worrying about rebuilding, but how to get enough of them over to meet demand.
As nice as the idea of a convertible sports car driving showroom traffic, nothing sells like a really good sub-$20K car in Canada, especially if it's fun to drive--that is, after all, how the Honda Civic built its reputation and turned into a Canadian (and worldwide) franchise. The Colt's reputation in Europe is that of a fun, practical city car, and its biggest drawback is that it is somewhat cost-prohibitive to ship cars over from Europe (where the Colt is assembled alongside the smart forfour in Holland) and still hit an attractive price point.
But that decision is in the past, and with the surge in small car sales
and a flood of new models, it looks like a lock for the next version of Mitsu's subcompact to come to North America. Even if it doesn't make the trip for the States, Mitsubishi Canada planners won't let this generation pass them by--they know they would have looked brilliant if they had brought this car in with their reintroduction to the Canadian market over two years ago.
With the Colt destined for an appearance in 2009, what is there to get excited about in Mitsubishi's stable for the next few years? For now, it starts with the Lancer, and works its way up to the Eclipse Spyder, the brand's new halo car, which, at a starting price of $32K, is pretty cheap for a halo car. Of course, there's nothing cheap about its lust-inducing styling and it continues to deliver impeccable top-down cruising, so I have no problem with them slapping the halo crown on it. Of course, the halo model is the Spyder GT-P with Mitsubishi's 3.8L MIVEC V6, good for 260 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and a deep rumble from its divine exhaust note.
You'll have to excuse Mitsubishi for their excitement. It's not every week
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| Autonomy is a cool thing, but not as cool as this new Eclipse Spyder. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
Well
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| Hopefully, with the right kind of pull from a new team, Mitsubishi will bring forward cars like this Concept X. (Photo: Mitsubishi Motors North America) |
This
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| New for '07 is the return of the Lancer Sportback, as well as the new Eclipse Spyder. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
You have to think, if this management group was in place a couple of years ago, would we now have the subcompact Colt? Mitsubishi wouldn't be worrying about rebuilding, but how to get enough of them over to meet demand.
As nice as the idea of a convertible sports car driving showroom traffic, nothing sells like a really good sub-$20K car in Canada, especially if it's fun to drive--that is, after all, how the Honda Civic built its reputation and turned into a Canadian (and worldwide) franchise. The Colt's reputation in Europe is that of a fun, practical city car, and its biggest drawback is that it is somewhat cost-prohibitive to ship cars over from Europe (where the Colt is assembled alongside the smart forfour in Holland) and still hit an attractive price point.
But that decision is in the past, and with the surge in small car sales
 |
| This is Mitsubishi's Yaris or Fit. Imagine how at home the Colt would be in Canada. (Photo: Mitsubishi Motors North America) |
With the Colt destined for an appearance in 2009, what is there to get excited about in Mitsubishi's stable for the next few years? For now, it starts with the Lancer, and works its way up to the Eclipse Spyder, the brand's new halo car, which, at a starting price of $32K, is pretty cheap for a halo car. Of course, there's nothing cheap about its lust-inducing styling and it continues to deliver impeccable top-down cruising, so I have no problem with them slapping the halo crown on it. Of course, the halo model is the Spyder GT-P with Mitsubishi's 3.8L MIVEC V6, good for 260 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and a deep rumble from its divine exhaust note.