Mitsubishi Motors has announced it is to increase production of its XPANDER small MPV following strong demand from customers across the ASEAN region.
The XPANDER is built at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bekasi, Indonesia and exports began in April this year. It was planned to produce 100,000 units in fiscal year 2018 but in response to demand, it has been decided to boost production by 20% to 120,000 units in order to ensure waiting times are managed. Further increases are being investigated.
Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indoneisa (MMKI) has already invested in additional welding and assembly facilities to increase production of the XPANDER to the new higher level of 10,000 per month.
In addition, to satisfy demand and future export expansion, MMKI is planning to continue increasing production capacity of the XPANDER by aiming for 150,000 units in fiscal year 2019.
“I am very pleased that customers in Indonesia and other ASEAN markets have enthusiatically accepted the XPANDER. We will continue to devote our efforts to deliver this exciting car as quickly as possible to more customers,” said Osamu Masuko, chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors.
The XPANDER had 80,000 orders in Indonesia between the start of order intake in August 2017 and June 2018. In March this year, it was ranked No. 1 in Indonesia’s sales volume ranking, and has received the Car of the Year 2018 from the OTOMOTIF newspaper.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is the sixth largest automaker in Japan and the sixteenth largest in the world. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. From October 2016, Mitsubishi is one-third owned by Nissan, and a part of the Renault – Nissan – Mitsubishi Alliance. For more information, please visitwww.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/index.html.
