HM to launch Mitsubushi Outlander by September-08

Hyderabad, Apr 12 (UNI) Car makers Hindustan Motors (HM) will launch Mitsubushi 'Outlander', a premium Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in September this year.

Outlander will further consolidate Mitsubushi's position in the premium SUV segment, after it launched the advanced technological version Pajero SFX in February this year, Company Vice-President and Chennai car plant's SBU Head, Y V S Vijay Kumar said.

Its rally-car model 'Montero' along with 'Lancer' and other models adding to its marketshare, the production at the company's plant at Chennai would be added to 24,000 cars annually, over the next two or three years, from its current production of 6,000 units a year.

Mr Vijay Kumar said by 2008 end, HM will have 50 dealers in India. Nasik and Chennai will have new dealers over the next few weeks, he added.

''The company expects to improve its growth to 35 per cent from the present 25 per cent in the SUV category and also in the sedan segment over the next five years.'' He said though HM has no intention to foray into the small car segment for at least in the next five years, it is on the lookout for a strong technology partner to introduce CNG versions across its portfolio. Already its sedan 'Cedia' comes with LPG version with the latest sequential injection technology acquired from the Italian pioneers.

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