Dear Ian & Doc,
I have heard via email from Australia that Mitsubishi are pulling out of Europe when the present supply of vehicles cannot comply with new EU legislation regarding emissions. Whilst I do not completely agree with John Cadogan, in the past he has been accurate.
Many thanks for keeping the magazine going and good luck in the future, and from an active 76-year old reader, I am glad you have not resorted to decreasing the print size to reduce your print costs.
Yours
Bob Fisher
Hello Bob,
Thanks for your kind words regarding the magazine. I think Ian has done a tremendous job keeping the magazine going in these troubled times. It hasn’t been a good year for print, but Ian has proved that there’s still demand for a good magazine.
The news about Mitsubishi is troubling and sad for everyone involved. I’m terribly disappointed for the good people at Mitsubishi UK, the Colt Car Company, and the dealer network. I’m led to believe that the staff at head office heard about the news just hours before the story broke in the press. As you’re probably aware by now, Mitsubishi intends to focus on the South-East Asian market, with no plans to launch new products in Europe. A one per cent market share in Europe isn’t enough, so the company has decided to cut its losses.
It’s a pity, because the Outlander PHEV and L200 have the potential to be leaders in their field. The success of the Outlander PHEV shows what can be achieved when you have a vehicle with a unique selling point. While it was always inevitable that the car industry would catch up, Mitsubishi had the advantage of being a pioneer in the plug-in hybrid segment.
As for the Colt Car Company, I suspect – and hope – it will find a new manufacturer to distribute. There are plenty of Chinese companies that are primed for success in Europe. Just look at Geely’s portfolio.
If nothing else, I hope something is sorted out for the benefit of the people who rely on Mitsubishi UK for an income. This year has been tough enough as it is.
Thanks for getting in touch, Bob. Please stay safe and well.
Kind Regards,
Doc
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2 Responses
The UK new car market is split into two halves, VW group with Audi/VW/Seat/Skoda hold 20% of sales, Ford 10%, BMW and Mercedes occupy the next 20%, this leaves around 30 to 40 brands fighting for the other 50%, for some, possibly too low a market share to make it worthwhile. If Mitsubishi is the latest casualty, how long brands such as Subaru and Smart follow brands such as Lancia into withdrawal is your guess.
Now that we are out of the Eu, our car market may steer towards the sales model of the USA in which Toyota with 15%,of a 14 million annual car market, Honda 10% and Kia/Hyundai 10% occupying the top positions, the rules and laws of the Eu has created an motoring ” Galapagos Island ” within the EU and UK, relegating Toyota, the world leader in the industry noted for the efficiency of their car plants occupies a only minor position.