More Aussie say on Mitsubishi cars

THE sales success of Mitsubishi Motors Australia has led to increased involvement of MMAL in product and engineering decisions being made by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation designers and engineers in Japan.

The outgoing president and CEO of MMAL, Masahiko Takahashi, told GoAuto that, within MMC, Australia was regarded as a successful operation and that MMAL was now having “a lot of input” into the company’s product decisions.

MMAL’s 6.3 per cent market share was 10 times the market share of Mitsubishi’s operations in North America and not far away from MMC’s market share in Japan.

He said the company, which is not in the large-car D segment or luxury segment in Australia, has more than 10 per cent share across markets in which it competed, along with a high penetration in private sales running at 85 per cent of private to business retails.

“So we are really successful in Australia,” Mr Takahashi said. “And that success is definitely recognised by MMC.

“Last year we invited so many engineers to visit Australia. The typical Japanese company just looks at (driver) behaviour in the European market and the Australian specification is similar to the European specification.

“But we were showing the engineers that the driving habit in Australia is totally, totally different from the driving habit in Europe.

“This includes towing the relatively lower top speed limits of 80-110km/h whereas in Europe it can be 160km/h, and then there is the initial acceleration up to 60km/h. That quick start is important to Australians. Climbing capability on hills in the city is also necessary.

“All that involves the gearing and engine characteristics and to get the prime interest of the designers and the engineers they are (coming here) and very much learning about the Australian market.

“So the suitability of our products to the Australian market has been greatly improved.

“We have been doing that exercise for more than a couple of years thanks to Robert McEniry (former president and CEO of MMAL) and I have taken over that and invited so many engineers.”