Mitsubishi unveils Mirage to target Filipino small car buyers

To gain a chunk of the Philippine market for small cars, Mitrubishi Motor Corp. on Friday the Mirage model.   "Our target sales for Mirage is 500 units a month but we will try to sell more units in the future," Mitsubishi Motor president Osamu Masuko said in a press briefing in Pasay City.   The Japanese carmaker priced the Mirage between P498,000 and P638,000 within a range of four models all imported from Thailand.   "We have actually started selling during the recent Philippine International Motorshow. As of today, more than 2,500 units have already been sold," Masuko said.   Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are in the midst of a growth momentum, prompting Mitsubishi to launch its small car model in the region, the company official noted.   Mitsubishi's new factory in Thailand started producing Mirage last April, Masuko said, adding the model is also sold  Brunei and Indonesia. After the Philippines, the company will introduce Mirage to Malaysia, Australia, Europe and North America.   The Mitsubishi model is directly competing with Hyundai i10, Suzuki Selerio, and Toyota Yaris.   For now, the company does not plant to make the Mirage in the Philippines. What Mitubishi has in mind is to produce new models in the Philippines in the starting next year as more and more Filipinos are buying cars, especially in the coming year, the Mitsubishi official said.   Another possibility is the production of electric cars, but Masuko said Mitsubishi is keeping a tight watch on the market before embarking on the production of new models in the Philippines.   However, he said Mitsubishi would keenly watch the market situation first before embarking on production of new models here.   What could push the plan to make electric cars here is a local partner, Masuko added. — VS, GMA News