Mitsubishi to hike Outlander price by 2%

Premium carmaker Mitsubishi on Wednesday said it will increase the price of its newly launched sports utility vehicle Outlander by about two per cent from next month, thus withdrawing the introductory offer on the vehicle.

The company, which is present in India through a technical collaboration with Hindustan Motors, introduced the SUV with a 2.4-litre Bharat Stage IV petrol engine in May at Rs 19.95 lakh (ex-showroom).

 "We are going to increase the Outlander price, which was earlier an introductory one. It will be about two per cent and it will be from September 1," Hindustan Motors Executive Vice President and Business Head Vijay Kumar told PTI.

The company had launched the new SUV Rs 70,000 cheaper than the old Outlander. Kumar said the company sold about 150 units of the Outlander last month compared to 35-40 units of the old version.

"We are expecting to sell 250 units this month." Besides Outlander, HM-Mitsubishi currently sells sedans Lancer and Cedia, SUVs Pajero and Montero, in India.

The company, which has been in India since 1998, had announced to launch its Evolution series of cars and a new variant of its SUV Pajero this fiscal as it looks to double the sales in 2010-11 from about 2,200 cars in 2009-10.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp had planned to introduce one or two models from the Evolution series in India in 2009, but put on hold the decision due to a downturn in the global auto market. HM-Mitsubishi at present jointly have 40 dealerships across the country.