Bangkok, March 28, 2013: The 34th Bangkok International Motor Show began yesterday at the Challenger Impact exhibition hall to more than 70,000 visitors on day one. The evening prior to the show saw multiple car launches including the global reveal of the Mitsubishi Mirage saloon, which the carmaker plans to roll out globally.
The show, organised by Grand Prix International Company, is expected to log 2 million visitors this year and is also one of the few motor shows worldwide where car sales are conducted on the floor. The organisers predict close to 60,000 cars being sold during the show that goes on till April 7.
Mitsubishi’s Concept G4 is a locally built global four-door saloon fitted with a CVT gearbox. The concept kicks off a new generation of compact ‘Eco Car’ saloon series for Mitsubishi. The company claims that the car will have superior manoeuvrability and promises the most generous interior space in its class with generous rear seat legroom. The extensive use of high tensile steel has resulted in the concept being the lightest car in its class.
The car will be powered by a lightweight and compact engine mated to a CVT sub-geartrain. Mitsubishi’s RISE concept – Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution – has left the G4 with weight reduction all around. According to local regulations, any car with an engine under 1.2 litres qualifies for the ‘Eco Car’ segment and enjoys easier excise norms. The company did not reveal the launch date for the G4.
Mitsubishi at present has a 9 percent market share in a passenger car market of around 430,000 units in Thailand. Its Mirage hatchback, which was launched in March 2012 in Thailand and will soon be rolled out in Europe, has racked in decent numbers for the company with 49,296 units being sold till February 2013. The Mirage hatchback has been introduced in ASEAN countries, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and is due to be rolled out next in Europe.
Displayed alongside the Concept G4 was Mitsubishi’s GR-HEV concept for a sports utility truck which delivers high mileage thanks to its diesel-hybrid system that is still under development. A 2.5-litre diesel engine will be mated to a hybrid electric system to achieve an on-road CO2 emission of 149g/km or lower. The concept also uses a next-generation 4WD system which is an improved version of the system on the Pajero series. The 5-seater pick-up truck will compete in the popular pick-up truck segment in Thailand which accounted for 404,000 units in 2012.
The Bangkok Show is extremely popular with the local populace and has been an active forum for major OEMs to display and talk about the products for the ASEAN market. The total ASEAN market manufactures close to 4 million cars annually, with Thailand being the major contributor with almost 2.5 million. Thailand also serves as an export base for the region with close to a million vehicles exported from Thailand in 2012.
KARTHIK H