Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Ltd (HMFCL) – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) launched the automatic variant of Pajero Sport in New Delhi today.
The all-new Pajero Sport is now available in 4x4 manual transmission and 4x2 automatic transmission with added features. This comes on the heels of the earlier introduction of limited edition dual-tone and the Anniversary Edition Pajero Sport.
This launch is part of the company’s ‘New Stage 2016’ strategy to bolster product sales in India and other emerging international markets. In India, this launch will be followed by two all-new SUVs in 2015, one of which will be priced lower than the Pajero Sport and one could be priced higher.
Talking to Autocar Professional today, HMFCL’s managing director Uttam Bose said the focus for the next two to three years will be only on the SUV segment. The company will also look at entering the passenger car segment after two to three years.
The new Pajero Sport is priced at Rs 23.55 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Bookings have been open from November 5. The automatic 4x2 is now cheaper than the manual 4x4 variant.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s vehicles are being manufactured under a technical collaboration and marketed in India since 1998, initially, by Hindustan Motors and later by HMFCL.
Today’s launch of the new Pajero Sport Automatic and the face-lifted version of 4X4 manual transmission expands Mitsubishi’s variant list in its SUV family. Bose said: “Mitsubishi has reinforced its commitment to HMFCL and India. Sales increase of SUVs will boost the business fundamentals of our operations. Volumes will grow through launch of strategic models. We expect a quantum leap in our sales with the entry of the all-new Pajero Sport and garnering of sizeable market share. HMFCL will also focus on expansion of its channel network so as to ensure availability across India.”
HMFCL plans to expand the dealership network from the current 31 to 48 by the end of this financial year. And over the next year or so it expects sell 3,000-odd units of the Pajero Sport. In the past year, it has sold 2,000 units.
Elaborating upon the new features in the all-new Pajero Sport, HMFCL’s CEO, P Vijayan said, “The new automatic variant is ideally suited for city driving conditions. From a buyer’s perspective, the automatic transmission provides comfort and smoother riding experience. From a driver’s point of view, the automatic transmission gives effortless driving with quick acceleration using the paddle shifter which is a very unique feature in the diesel SUV segment.”
The new Pajero Sport has the following four key features: Sports mode with paddle shifter in the automatic variant; stylish front grille and new design front bumpers with fog lamps; outer rear view mirror (ORVM) with built-in turn signal lamps; and multi-information display (MID) that helps provide additional information to the driver about various vehicle parameters such as average vehicle speed, average fuel consumption, likely driving distance, electronic compass, altitude, outside air temperature and time.