Mitsubishi to launch second eco-car model in Thailand

Japanese automaker Mitsubishi has announced that it will introduce a second model in the eco-car line in July, following the tremendous success of its first model, the Mirage.
Since introducing the Mirage hatchback in March 2012, Mitsubishi had sold 56,500 units up to the end of April, and the model makes up as much as half of the company’s sales in Thailand.
The new car, the Attrage, will compete directly with eco-car sedans such as the Honda Brio Amaze and the Nissan Almera.
The Attrage will be built at Mitsubishi’s third assembly plant at the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate in Chon Buri province. The facility has recently been granted eco-car privileges by the government.
Nobuyuki Murahashi, president of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand, said the Attrage had one of the lightest body weights in the eco-car segment, thanks to the use of high-tensile steel, which also enables it to achieve an average fuel economy of 22 kilometers per liter (51.7 mpg).
According to eco-car requirements, cars that qualify must have a fuel economy of 20km/liter (47 mpg) or better and emit no more than 120 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide, while the engine size is limited to 1.3 liters for petrol and 1.4 liters for diesel.
The global launch of the Attrage will be held in Thailand in July, and the car will also be exported.
(May 23, 2013)