Mitsubishi’s global high demand drives SUV production to Europe

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has decided to transfer production of all EU-bound SUVs it supplies to PSA Peugeot Citroen from its Mizushima Plant, where they are currently built, to its European production hub, Netherlands Car B.V. (“NedCar”, Born). The transfer will be effective from January 2009.

Outlander Sales Success

The run-away sales success of the Mitsubishi Outlander has driven MMC’s desire to optimise its production capacities. This will better serve European customers and ultimately minimise missed sales opportunities. The transfer will also ensure that Mitsubishi’s success in the global market not only continues, but increases as Mitsubishi strive to increase production volumes to meet strong customer demand.

Already a huge success, the Mitsubishi Outlander has sold approximately 60,000 units throughout Europe between January 2007 and February 2008.

NedCar Production Capacity Expands

A 100% Mitsubishi Motors facility, NedCar currently builds the European Colt family of compact cars. At present, production volume of NedCar is approximately 25,000 units per annum with a production capacity of approximately 90,000 units.

As previously announced in September 2007, from August 2008 NedCar will add around 30,000 units of Mitsubishi Outlander production to help fuel Mitsubishi’s own European sales success.

The PSA Peugeot Citroen alliance (whose Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser vehicles are re-badged versions of the Mitsubishi developed Outlander) will move 25,000 further production units to NedCar, thus helping provide extra capacity at Mitsubishi’s Japanese production centres, in turn helping the resurgent Mitsubishi supply global demand to non-EU markets.