Mitsubishi studying the Mitsubishi Xpander for India - Report

21/08/2018 - 15:42 Mitsubishi Xpander, Mitsubishi Sagar Parikh

The Mitsubishi Xpander is under consideration for India, reports Moneycontrol. This SUV-inspired MPV debuted at the GIIAS 2017 and is now on sale in several Asian markets.

Mitsubishi Xpander front three quarters left side at GIIAS 2017 — If manufactured in India, the Mitsubishi Xpander could compete with the Maruti Ertiga and the Ertiga-based crossover.

The Mitsubishi Xpander is a low-cost MPV developed for emerging markets like Indonesia and Thailand. It has received a phenomenal response in Indonesia, its launch market and manufacturing base, where 80,000 orders were registered by June this year. All the markets currently source their version from the Bekasi plant, but for India, Mitsubishi will need to locally manufacture the MPV if it dreams making any significant impact in the MPV market.

Uttam Bose, MD, Mitsubishi India, has mentioned about the possibility of launching the Xpander but confirmed that there’s no decision yet. The final call involves upgrading the MPV’s engine to the BS-VI norms. The engine he is referring to is the Euro IV-compliant 4A91 1.5-litre MIVEC four-cylinder unit. This naturally aspirated unit produces 105 PS at 6,000 rpm and 141 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. It is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The Mitsubishi Xpander measures 4,475 mm in length, 1,750 mm in width and 1,700 mm in height. Its wheelbase spans a length of 2,775 mm. The small MPV offers a high ground clearance of up to 205 mm. Its maximum luggage space is 1,630 litres.

Mitsubishi Xpander rear three quarters right side at GIIAS 2017 — In addition to an attractive pricing, the Mitsubishi Xpander may require a diesel engine to achieve success in the Indian market.

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The Mitsubishi Xpander, if launched to tap meaningful volumes, will need to have a starting price of under INR 10 lakh (ex-showroom). The last Mitsubishi priced under INR 10 lakh (ex-showroom) was the Cedia that retailed at INR 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) before going out of production in 2013. One of the possibilities is that production of the Mitsubishi Xpander could take place at the Renault-Nissan Alliance plant in Tamil Nadu.

[Source: moneycontrol.com]