Mitsu keeps eye on i

MITSUBISHI Australia remains committed to offering a micro "i" car in its line-up, despite Australian Design Rules related to the car’s side intrusion safety emerging as a stumbling block.

Mitsubishi’s president and chief executive officer Robert McEniry said he was not dissuaded to add another small car to the line-up, considering the slow-take up of under-performing Colt hatch – a car he said would start to improve now that it was available with a five-speed manual gearbox and that its price point had come down to $15,990.

"It will start to pick up – watch this space," he said.

Mr McEniry said the "i" car would target a completely different buyer.

"It will bring totally new buyers in, the younger professional type of person.

"It would be only a car for the major capital cities," he said. "I think it’s one of those cars that shows an enormous degree of responsibility given fuel prices." Despite his enthusiasm, Mr McEniry said no timeframe had been set for the car’s launch, although Mitsubishi has previously said the car would go on sale within 12 to 18 months.

Mitsubishi Japan is working on a rear-engined 1.0-litre naturally aspirated MIVEC petrol version – which Australia would get – to supplement the 660cc turbocharged model.

The latter is powered by a 47kW/94Nm turbocharged MIVEC three-cylinder engine, which returns a claimed 5.4L/100km.

"They are looking at expanding the range too and actually looking at making a slightly wider version," Mr McEniry said. "It’s certainly not a dead subject for us, but it’s not going to be as quick as I like. I would have liked to launch it in two weeks’ time at the Sydney show."

Mr McEniry believes the "I" could also help bolster sales of the Colt as the pair would be a good fit on showroom floors.

The Colt order intake is moving in the right direction thanks in part to the "Revolution 2006" ad campaigns, and once the Cabrio version arrives in a few weeks, Mr McEniry is confident the hatch will do better.

He sees the Cabrio as a nice halo-car for the Colt range and one that will bring a greater awareness of the rest of the range, including the new $29,990 1.5-litre turbo-charged Ralliart version.

Mitsubishi has sharpened its product portfolio in recent months, rapidly rolling out the 380 Series II, Triton, Colt, Pajero, and soon its Outlander, which potentially has the ability to refocus buyers on its stylish off-roader, which is winning plaudits in overseas markets.

The Triton is already winning orders, with an order bank out to December, despite only half the range being launched so far.

Once the Outlander hits the roads in December, Mitsubishi will roll into the next phase of its national branding ad campaign, called "Four-wheel drive Revolution".

This will involve the just-launched Pajero range, Triton and the Outlander, using Mitsubishi’s Paris-Dakar rally experience as a backdrop to a targeted advertising campaign.

"It will give all our four-wheel drives exceptional credibility," Mr McEniry said.

Once the branding advertisements have been in play for a few months, Mitsubishi will break out specific marketing campaigns on each of the new off-roaders.