Mitsubishi Motors Europe (MME) increased retail sales 10% to 106,712 units across its 34 markets in 2013.
The automaker said this was due to the “positive drive of its national distributors”, the gradual renewal of the vehicle line and the launch of its first plug-in hybrid, the Outlander PHEV.
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“Progressing from a low 96,933 units in calendar year 2012 to 106,712 units in calendar year 2013, MME returned to growth, passing the 100,000 unit mark for the first time in two years,” MME said in a statement.
It added that its 2013 sales, measured using ACEA data (EU+EFTA only, excluding light pickup trucks such as its L200), showed a 4.9% increase.
Local distributors’ results in many cases outperformed their domestic market, with impressive performance in the United Kingdom (Mitsubishi sales up 32%/market up 10.8%), Israel (+151%/market+ 4%), Turkey (+29%/market +8.7%), Norway (+15%/market + 3%) and Portugal (+16%/market + 11.1%).
PHEV launch
MME said its home base of the Netherlands, where Mitsubishi sales rose 234% in a 2013 market down 17%, “offered an interesting perspective” as brand volume was largely influenced by the new Outlander PHEV (8,009 sales of 12,279) though this was boosted by a tax scheme favourable to eco-friendly, low-emission vehicles.
The automaker expects the full retail launch of the PHEV in other markets from January onwards “will translate into a gradual volume increase across Europe, adding substantial volume in the region and balancing this Dutch success”.
MME 2013 top 10 markets:
1 – Germany: 21,910 units (-9%/market -4.2%)
2 – The United Kingdom: 14,966 units (+32%/market: +10.8%)
3 – The Netherlands: 12,279 units (+234%/market: -17%)
4 – Israel: 6,325 units (+151%/market: +4%)
5 – Norway: 6,283 units (+15%/market: +3%)
6 – France: 5,270 units ( – /market: -5.7%)
7 – Turkey: 5,121 units (+29%/market: +8.7%)
8 – Switzerland: 4,478 units (-1%/market: -6.2%)
9 – Spain: 4,060 units (-8%/market: +3.3%)
10 – Belgium & Luxemburg: 3,839 units (+1%/market: – 0.1%)
MME said the new PHEV (which has now attracted over 1,000 orders in Sweden alone), along with new or soon to be updated models, will renew the “profile for the Mitsubishi Motors brand in Europe”.
The mid-term objectives of parent Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s New Stage 2016 business plan emphasise the sale of low-emission small cars and more efficient crossovers, SUVs and pickups reflected in the 2013 European sales tally: 23,536 small cars (mostly the Thai built Mirage), 27,693 ASX small crossovers, 27,121 units of the redesigned Outlander medium SUV and 21,628 ‘heavy duties’ – mostly Thai-built L200 pickups (16,495) plus 5,133 Pajero/Montero/Shogun large SUVs.
MME top five selling models:
1 – ASX: 27,693 units
2 – New Outlander: 27,121 units (incl 8,197 PHEVs)
3 – L200: 16,495 units
4 – Space Star/Mirage: 16,041 units (launched Q1 2013 – only available in 24 of the 34 markets)
5 – Colt: 7,495 units (run-out; European production ended December 2012)
MME wants 2014 to be a milestone year as the Mitsubishi brand marks 40 years of European sales and targets a return to profit for fiscal 2013/14.
Other plans include new distribution companies in Germany (subject to government merger control clearance) and Spain; pan-European availability of the Outlander PHEV, wider availability by market of the Space Star/Mirage line and the Israel-only launch of the Attrage.
Other model lines will receive minor updates ahead of several major product launches planned for calendar year 2015 onwards intended “to sustain volume growth, boost profitability and polish Mitsubishi Motors’ brand image in Europe”.
2014 ASX and Mitsubishi future model plans
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s US launch put back to 2015
