UK market minnow Mitsubishi hopes to reintroduce the Lancer Evolution X in the UK next year as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
The brand was launched at the London motor show in Earls Court in 1974.
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Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, was “hopeful of a positive outcome” from a meeting in Japan to discuss the plan.
“I already have dealers taking deposits although no one knows the price yet,” he said.
Favourable exchange rates have allowed Bradley and his team to consider bringing the Evo back as well as lower the price of many existing models including the ASX, described by Bradley as “our hidden gem in a segment expanding rapidly.”
“For the first time ever we are cheaper than Hyundai or Kia,” he said. The ASX 3 diesel is priced at GBP18,750, the Hyundai IX35 1.7 CRDI SE Nav is GBP19,241 and the Kia Sportage 2 1.7CRDI is GBP20,020, said Bradley adding that the recently announced Nissan Qashqai would have a starting price of GBP17,600.
“Our ASX starting price is GBP14,999. We have been able to reduce prices by up to 10% and add new specification,” he said.
Bradley is now confident that Mitsubishi would end the year as the UK’s fastest growing brand – a position it has held for most of 2013.
“Our passenger car sales are up by 45% and our pick up sales are up by 23%,” he said adding that he expects to end the year with 16,000 sales, well ahead of the 12,000 vehicles sold last year.
The brand, which has 107 UK dealers, is taking on 13 new ones this year and expects to add more in 2014 to take the total to around 125.
“Being the country’s fastest growing brand certainly helps us recruit dealers,” said Bradley.
