Mitsubishi 2008 Annual Report Download - page 11

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annual report 2008 mitsubishi motors corporation
Bolstering Our Strengths: Regions
While continuing to pursue our basic strategy of expanding
sales of global models, we are also refining our sales strategies
in accordance with the characteristics of individual markets.
Among emerging markets where demand is expected to
increase, we are focusing on Russia and the Ukraine, where the
Mitsubishi Motors brand is strong; the Middle East, where
further growth in the built-up vehicle market can be expected;
Brazil, where MMC has a high share of the SUV market; and
China and India, where there is considerable potential for
market expansion. In these markets, among our global models,
we specifically intend to boost sales of mid-sized passenger
vehicles and SUVs. In May 2008, we concluded a basic agree-
ment with PSA Peugeot Citroën for the construction of a pro-
duction base in Russia, and plant construction has begun with
a view to commencing operations in 2011.
In mature markets such as Japan, North America and West-
ern Europe, we are launching minicars and small cars along
with environmentally friendly vehicles in a timely fashion in
accordance with customer needs in each market.
Bolstering Our Strengths: Products
While continuing to boost sales of global models, we also aim to
improve earnings and fulfill our responsibility to the environment
by bolstering our strengths in product development. This will
involve applying environmental technologies across all product
groups, from SUVs and mid-sized vehicles to minicars and small
cars, in accordance with customer needs in each market.
As for specific products, we are launching the
Lancer
Sportback , which shares a mid-sized platform with the
Outlander and Lancer ( Galant Fortis in Japan), starting
from Europe. Additionally, we are cultivating new demand
through the launch of a new
Pajero Sport * SUV based on the
one-ton pickup truck, with a focus on resource-rich nations and
other growth markets. We are also adding a small, fuel-efficient
model to our renowned SUV series, in response to more strin-
gent environmental regulations and growing environmental
awareness on the part of customers. Moreover, we are develop-
ing new models that leverage our minicar technologies in
response to worldwide interest in smaller vehicles and greater
fuel efficiency, and will position them as global small strategic
vehicles. This strategy involves expanding the application of
accumulated minicar technologies previously reserved only for
the Japanese market to global markets as global small strategic
vehicles. Finally, we are accelerating development of electric
vehicles, the ultimate eco-friendly vehicle, toward the goal of
launch in Japan and beyond.
* The model will be called
Montero Sport in South America, Nativa in Latin
America and
Challenger in Australia.
Alliance Strategy
From the perspectives of complementary products and tech-
nologies, and cost reduction, in the future we will pursue the
possibility of entering into more business alliances. We already
Product direction
Environmental responsibility
฀฀฀
variants
Mid-size
SUVs
฀฀
truck-based
SUVs
฀฀฀
฀฀
฀฀฀฀฀฀
Minicars, small cars
Step Up 2010 clarifies points of emphasis
Introduced during the Revitalization Plan:
฀฀
platform series
฀i minicar
฀Pajero, etc.
Financial responsibility