This new addition to their already exciting range will certainly sell well, at first in Thailand from July 2013 and then the rest of the world towards the end of the year. The model makes its debut in Thailand for a very good reason. Every Attrage will be built at the Laem Chabang plant, just outside Bangkok, near the port. Mitsubishi Motors have been assembling vehicles outside Japan for decades, and Thailand is an ideal choice. The location is perfect for many reasons. Sourcing parts and hiring capable staff and purchasing land at the right prices compliment the logistical advantages of being able to transport fully-built up vehicles for export all around the world. In addition, sending locals to Japan for training and bringing Japanese quality control and management personnel doesn't waste time or funds. The Pajero Sport (Montero/Challenger/Nativa) SUV and L200 pickup are also built only in Thailand, as well as the Mirage 5 door hatchback.
So, what is so special about the Attrage? If the reviews and sales of the Mirage hatchback are anything to go by, this little sedan car will be extremely successful. The appearance of any vehicle is purely subjective, with some loving it, others disliking it and the rest not caring. Mitsubishi's main aim for this car was low running costs, from light weight and fuel efficiency. Extensive wind tunnel testing has had more influence on the shape of this car than the arty design or marketing departments. It has some quite hard lines, but is in fact a very 'slippery' shape. Using just the right balance of strong, high-quality yet light materials has given the Attrage an extremely competitive kerbweight. To further improve fuel efficiency, the vehicle is powered by a 1.2l three-cylinder motor. The MIVEC unit is high on technology, giving perfectly adequate performance, but is extremely frugal, and seamlessly smooth when mated to the CVT gearbox. Finally, and this is a real trump card in urban areas which suffer from traffic problems, the Mirage and Attrage have 'Start Stop Technology'. When the vehicle is stationary for more than a few seconds the engine automatically stops, restarting itself as soon as the clutch pedal is depressed on manuals or the driver of an automatic removes his or her foot from the brake pedal. Mitsubishi's R&D engineers know exactly what they're doing and what kind of people are going to be buying these cars. While they're perfectly capable of increasing the performance and luxury and safety features, they realize that everything comes at a cost. The added financial cost would be felt when producing the cars (passed on down to the retail customer) and the added weight would both blunt performance and have a negative effect on fuel economy. For those who want to enjoy more luxury, space or performance, Mitsubishi have lots of other vehicles available. The Attrage has its own target market and will sell very well.
Regardless of where you see or drive a Mitsubishi Attrage or Mirage, it started its life just southeast of Bangkok, Thailand. For anyone wanting spare or replacement parts for these cars, or any other model in Mitsubishi's range, as an independent supplier with direct access to the parts at their source, we guarantee to have unbeatable prices, delivery times, and customer service.