Sat, 22 Feb 1997

Mitsubishi tries to stay in front with new sedans

By Russell Williamson

MITSUBISHI will replace its two sedan models this year as it strives to maintain market leadership.

Although the timing for the model change and exact specifications have yet to be decided, the vice president director of PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors, Herman Latif, said the company would replace both the small Lancer and midsized Galant this year.

The new Lancer was launched in Japan last year and features a totally new body which offers slightly more interior space, a new dashboard layout and refined engines and mechanical underpinnings.

The new body gives the Lancer a stylish presence on the road, particularly from the rear where large triangular tail-light clusters and a high trunk lid provide an imposing vista and one which stands out from the crowd.

Improved esthetics are not the sole reason for the restyle, however, as the new car is also more aerodynamic, thereby improving fuel economy.

The new Lancer is 20mm longer and 10mm higher overall which translates to an increase of 15mm headroom in the front and 5mm in the rear.

The changes to the rear-end have also provided a significant 45 liter increase in trunk space, giving a total capacity of 420 liters.

Inside, a new dashboard layout provides improved ergonomics and a modern feel to the car.

Mechanically, all engines in the range -- which include 1500cc, 1600cc and 1800cc capacities in Japan -- have been refined to improve an already impressive fuel economy and reduce noise, vibration and harshness levels.

Transmission options have also been upgraded with a smoother five-speed manual gearbox and a new INVECS II Smart Logic four- speed automatic transmission.

The auto box is one of the new breed of "fuzzy logic" transmissions which adapt gear shift points according to the way the car is driven -- holding gears longer for greater acceleration for the sporty driver or changing gear at lower speeds for a more leisurely tourer.

Changes to the Galant are less extensive than those of the Lancer, with the vehicle sharing the same dimensions as the current model except for an increase overall height of 20mm, improving interior headroom.

Outside, the Galant maintains the distinctive looks of the current model, while interior ergonomics and switch gear have been improved.

Safety features abound with all models in Japan featuring antilock brakes, while some models feature the new active yaw control and active stability control for improved handling.

However, despite the new passenger car models, Herman does not expect this segment to provide the company with any great degree of volume growth.

He said any increase in the sedan market would be tied to purchasing power not just the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as some commentators would presume.

"We cannot blindly see only the GDP because it depends on the distribution of income and the purchasing power parity," he said.

As such, Herman said Mitsubishi would continue to rely on its strength in the truck business, particularly Category II, to try to retain its number one sales spot but it would not be easy.

"We will face a very hard year to come to maintain the leadership," he said.

Herman said he expects this year's total sales to be slightly above last year and maybe reach 80,000 -- up from about 76,000.

However, while 1997 may not be a watershed year, he said he still expected the market to grow substantially by 2000.

In preparation for this, the company has undergone a restructuring of its manufacturing companies in order to be able to increase production capacity and streamline its operations.

Herman said the restructuring was simply to make the company more efficient and disputed recent reports claiming Mitsubishi in Japan was taking a greater stake in the local assembly operations.

"This is not Mitsubishi taking over the majority of the local operations but our effort to restructure the production facility," he said.

Part of this streamlining is to make way for the addition of a new multipurpose vehicle which is expected to go into production about the middle of next year.

Although details of the vehicle are scant, it is being developed by Mitsubishi for Asian markets and would be likely to compete against vehicles such as Kijang and Panther.