Mitsubishi Outlander to be relaunched with a diesel engine

Hindustan Motors plans to relaunch the Mitsubishi Outlander in India with a new diesel engine early next year. The Mitsubishi Outlander was discontinued in India a couple of months ago as there were very few takers for this petrol-only SUV. Now, there’s hope.

The third generation Mitsubishi Outlander, which has a completely different front look compared to the model that was just phased out, will likely be unveiled at the Auto Expo in India in February 2014. Mitsubishi has axed almost all the poor-selling vehicles from its line up in India and is now only left with the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and the Mitsubishi Montero that it sells here. Also read: Three Mitsubishi cars discontinued in India

The Mitsubishi Outlander that will come to India next year looks slightly larger than the model it replaces. The front gets an all-new look, while there are some styling similarities to the Pajero Sport that can be seen as well. The rear too has wrap-around tail-lamps similar to the Pajero Sport.

The Outlander is likely to be powered by a 2.2 litre diesel engine that puts out about 148 bhp of power and 380 Nm of torque with six-speed automatic and manual transmission options. It will have an on-demand 4×4 system like the model it replaces. Features include leather upholstery, touchscreen infotainment system, steering audio controls, Bluetooth, power mirrors, etc. The vehicle will be a seven seater.

The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is the only Mitsubishi vehicle that seems to be selling in India, selling an average of about 180 vehicles a month in the past six months. The problem is that Mitsubishi does not have a robust enough service and dealer network in India, and has not been aggressive with its marketing either. Will the new Mitsubishi Outlander be able to change its fortunes? We think it will take a lot more than just a new vehicle to get more sales for Mitsubishi. Also read:Mitsubishi Pajero Sport road test and review

Also read: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport vs Toyota Fortuner

Source – Financial Express