Mitsubishi's new Lancer proves a hit

By John Aglionby

MITSUBISHI has struck an unexpected vein of customer appeal with its 1.6-liter, 16-valve New Lancer sedan.

Sales since it was launched two and a half months ago have been 50 percent above the target and the waiting list is still five weeks long.

Sales promotion manager Agoes Indrajahja said: "Pre-launch we were looking to sell 200 a month but by the end of September we would have sold at least 1042.

"If you ordered one today you would be unlikely to get it before the end of next month.

"Buyers really do seem to be rushing to us for this car."

Agoes says there are three main reason for the success.

"The first is that people seem to like the new style," he said.

"The second is that in the 1.6-liter class, other companies launched their models earlier but they do not seem to have generated much customer satisfaction and the final reason is that this is not only replacing an old variant, it is much more a whole new model."

Launched with the slogan "Paying homage to a new class", Mitsubishi describes the car as luxurious, futuristic and sporty.

The third of these is the easiest to identify with in that Finn Tommi Makinen won the world rally championships last year in a Lancer, although in a model somewhat different to what is available here!

Two varieties are being offered, the GLX-i and the SE-i, the latter including a driver's-side airbag and side impact bars, a front, rear and side skirt Air Dam, electronic foldable door mirrors and a rear panel garnish as standard.

The difference in on-the-road price is Rp 1.5 million (US$570), Rp 74 million as opposed to Rp 72.5 million, which for what is being offered is very competitive.

The engine is the same in each, a 1.6 ECI Multi, four cylinder, 16-valve; the suspension MacPherson strut/stabilizer at the front and multi-link/stabilizer at the back.

Braking is through 13-inch vent discs at the front and seven- inch drums at the back.

Mitsubishi is competing head-on with the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla.

Only time will tell whether customer satisfaction will be long-term, but there are more than enough Tommi Makinens in Indonesia to ensure sales should not plummet in the near future.