blog

Mitsubishi’s Dakar winner to race 240kW EV

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:24:10 +1200

The Pajero driver who once posted consecutive overall victories in the 10,000km Dakar Rally has a very different challenge to face in July.

Hiroshi Masuoka will pilot a race-prepared “Evolution” version of Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric car over the 20 kilometres of the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado.

Hiroshi aims to win the Electric Class in the tube-framed, carbon-fibre-cowled four-wheel-drive car, which uses the same major components as the production i-MiEV but has three electric motors, one driving the front wheels and two more driving at the rear. Together they develop 240kW. That’s more power than the Lancer Evolution X puts out.

“Given the tough driving conditions Pikes Peak is known for”, Hiroshi said, “I’m really keen to show that in addition to their environmental benefits electric vehicles are capable of gutsy performance and handling.”

Mitsubishi has also entered a production i-MiEV, standard except for special tyres, roll bars and other safety equipment, and a little extra streamlining. It will be driven by American off-road racer Beccy Gordon, whose father, brother and sister have all been successful racing drivers, as is her husband, Indycar driver Ryan Hunter-Reay. Beccy said: “I’m really looking forward to giving it my best in the type of vehicle that is set to become a major player in motor sports in future.”

The July event is the 90^th version of the annual “Race to the Clouds”, which climbs 1,400 metres through 156 corners to the Pikes Peak summit which, at 4,300 metres, would tower above Aoraki/ Mount Cook. High altitudes are no threat to electric motors, which don’t suffer from power loss in thin air as do conventional engines.

*Hiroshi Masuoka drove Pajeros in 20 Dakar Rallies, back to back, and won in 2002 and 2003. Today he works with Mitsubishi on new vehicle development and trains company test drivers.

Special-edition Triton 4WD predicted to be Mystery Creek’s “best value”

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:41:28 +1200

There’s no mystery about what will be the best value ute at the Mystery Creek National Agricultural Fieldays, says Mitsubishi.

They predict the latest special-edition sport-specification Triton ChargerX will be the “value-for-money” star when Fieldays - the biggest trade show of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere - opens on 13 June.

The new double cab ChargerX is based on the popular GLX 4WD. However, Mitsubishi says it’s equipped to look and drive like a top-range GLS, yet at an incredible price: for the manual transmission version, $35,990 plus GST and on road costs.

Mitsubishi claims this is the best value price ever seen in New Zealand for a sport specification ute equipped with electronic stability and traction control and a full set of airbags.

The one-tonne-payload ChargerX produces 407 Nm of torque from its 2.5 litre turbodiesel. It has front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, and tows a 3.0 tonne braked trailer.

Its sport spec instantly sets it apart. Chrome, silver and leather accents abound, there’s carpeting throughout, protected with ChargerX logo’d mats, bucket-type front seats, sport side steps and smart alloys. The four-speaker Bluetooth-integrated sound system has MP3 and USB inputs.

“While some businesses are riding high, many are not, and buyers are rightly demanding exceptional value when they need to invest in a work vehicle”, said Mitsubishi’s head of sales and marketing strategy Daniel Cook. “We’re excited that in ChargerX we can help customers get a sharp-looking, high-spec, high-performance vehicle into their business fleet - or their home garage - despite tightly-squeezed budgets”.

If you can’t get to Mitsubishi’s Fieldays stand you can see the ChargerX, manual and auto, in Mitsubishi dealer showrooms from late May.

Auckland dealer is Mitsubishi’s “most capped”

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:55:56 +1200

Auckland Motors Mitsubishi dealer principal Mark Barton earned a place in history when he won a Diamond Dealer award at the auto company’s black tie awards evening at Taupo on Friday (27 April).

Mitsubishi’s sales and marketing general manager Warren Brown said Mr Barton, leader of an operation that had served the Auckland public very successfully since 1908, had “the distinction and honour of becoming the most capped Diamond Dealer ever, with nine awards now in his trophy cabinet”.

The latest award, said Mr Brown, comes as a three-year redevelopment of the dealership’s massive Manukau City site is about to be topped off by the opening of a new 450sqm showroom. Auckland Motors Mitsubishi also won the award for finance dealer of the year.

Mitsubishi’s pinnacle Diamond Dealer awards, recognising all-round excellence, also went to Napier (Wayne Kirk, Wayne Kirk Mitsubishi), Morrinsville (Darrell Russell, Piako Mitsubishi), Newmarket (Andrew Simms, Andrew Simms Mitsubishi), and Tauranga (Keith Henderson, Bay City Mitsubishi).

Baigent Motors of Matamata, with a six-decade legacy of “outstanding service” to customers in the Waikato town, were the first winners of a new Diamond Dealer award for service and parts dealerships.

Manager Justin Scelly received the award from Mitsubishi’s managing director Masao Tanuma. Malcolm Lovett Automotive (Ashburton) and Cavanagh Motors (Te Puke) were finalists.

Mr Brown said the Diamond Dealer awards were made against the backdrop of a 40% lift in the number of customers choosing a new Mitsubishi car, van or ute over the past two years, heading dealerships into what he described as a “very bright future indeed”. The awards – limited to seven each year – stimulated dealers to “excel in every aspect of their operations”.

The Diamond Dealer award also went to high-profile Mitsubishi Fuso truck dealer Keith Andrews, who had “transformed” the Auckland dealership he acquired last year.

Smart grid concept nears reality

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:54:26 +1200

The “smart grid” concept - large-scale use of rechargeable batteries to avoid costly peak-demand electricity - has come a step nearer reality.

Mitsubishi Motors is collaborating with sister businesses Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Corporation in a project demonstrating the benefits of “load shifting”: recharging the batteries of electric vehicles (EVs) at night when demand is low, storing power produced from renewable sources in rechargeable batteries, and supplying power back to the grid when factories and offices face peak demand.

The demonstration project consists of a photovoltaic system collecting 20 kW of solar energy, five electrically-dischargeable EVs and 80 kWh of used rechargeable batteries collected from EVs. The project, installed at the offices of Mitsubishi’s Nagoya vehicle plant, will provide up to 50 kW of power.

The three companies will work together to apply the knowledge obtained from the project, with the goal of contributing towards a more sustainable society.

i-MiEV could power a home if disaster strikes

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:45:57 +1300

Mitsubishi will bring to market in April a device that - in the event of a natural disaster or a power outage - enables an i-MiEV electric car owner in Japan to power domestic appliances or light the house from its 16kW hour drive battery.

The briefcase-sized “MiEV power BOX” adapter plugs into the car’s quick-charging connector and can supply up to 1.5kW of AC power for five to six hours, equivalent to a typical Japanese home’s daily consumption.

Much attention is being focussed in Japan on the storage capabilities of high capacity EV batteries as an emergency power source. The MiEV power BOX is an example of how Mitsubishi is pushing forward its R & D into EV-related technologies and the near-future prospect of "smart grids", which will allow more effective use of electrical power.

All-new Outlander makes a “big impact” at Geneva show

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:40:06 +1300

At the 2012 Geneva Auto Show’s 6 March press day, former UK car trader turned TV presenter/motoring journalist Mike Brewer had plenty to say to the camera about the all-new next-model Outlander, due in New Zealand in 2013.

“It’s making a big impact here in Geneva”, Mike said. “It’s forward thinking and it has a very clean, very solid design... and a premium feel right through. It’s a completely new car, totally reengineered... and I do like the way it’s configured. It feels a lot roomier, and the third row seats are more useable”.

Click below to view Mike’s video reports.

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Mitsubishi Motors to Enter i-MiEV Prototype in 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +1300

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will enter the i-MiEV Prototype in the 2012 edition (July 8) of the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb held annually in Colorado in the United States. The i-MiEV Prototype is a prototype based on the MMC’s all-electric i-MiEV model, the first 100% electric vehicle (EV) to go into mass production and is already on the road in Japan, Europe and North America, with plans to expand to other markets.

The i-MiEV Prototype is to be driven by Hiroshi Masuoka, in many parts of the world known as a legendary race driver whom during the course of decades of racing success took on the brutal Dakar Rally 21 times, winning it consecutively in 2002 and 2003, driving Mitsubishi Pajero and Pajero Evolution models respectively.

The i-MiEV Prototype will use the same EV components as the current production i-MiEV. MMC will use the data obtained through its participation in the event to enhance the durability and reliability of pure EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs which it will be bringing to market in the near future.

In addition to MMC’s participation in the race, engineers from MMC’s development division as well as from its partner manufacturers of batteries, motors and other EV components will be sent to the event to collaborate closer on the sharing of technology and knowhow for the purpose of further boosting MMC’s EV development capabilities.

* The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is an annual automobile and motorcycle hill climb to the 4,300 meter summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado with entrants covering an elevation difference of almost 1,500 meters. First run in 1916 the hill climb is one of the oldest motor sport races in America. Atmospheric pressure, temperature, weather and other conditions vary significantly between the start and finish and this requires optimum tuning to ensure the vehicles produce their maximum performance all the way up.

Mitsubishi’s new Outlander takes a bow at Europe’s premier motor show

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:24:35 +1300

Mitsubishi Motors is to debut its all-new Outlander at the Geneva International Motor Show on March 6.

The latest version of the popular 5/7-seat SUV - which has attracted over 7,000 New Zealand owners since it arrived here in 2006 - is expected to be eco-friendlier than ever, with fuel efficiency and CO2 emission levels among the best in its class.

The new-generation Outlander will be sold first in Russia, in the northern summer, and is targeted to arrive in New Zealand in late 2012, with a choice of high-efficiency petrol and diesel engines. Variants using Mitsubishi’s Plug-in Hybrid EV system will follow.

Depending on model, new Outlander’s advanced safety technologies include FCM (forward collision mitigation system), which brakes the car when it detects an obstacle on the road, and ACC (adaptive cruise control system), which maintains a safe distance from the car ahead, even in heavy traffic.

Outstanding equestrian canters closer to Paralympics dream

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:55:02 +1300

The Central North Island regional team won bragging rights at the recent Mitsubishi Motors Paralympics NZ National Championships at Hamilton, regaining the team trophy they last won 20 years ago.

But it was a mainlander, equestrian Frances Dick, who won the Mitsubishi Motors Trophy for the championships’ most outstanding performance. Frances, who has a condition called hemiplegia - paralysis to one side of the body and impaired muscle function - finished with gold medals in four events.

Frances trains six mornings a week with her thoroughbred cross Oxford Belle and coach Rachel Thomas on her family's property in the Pig Valley, near Wakefield, before heading off to put in some time with the YMCA’s after school care programme or Nelson CCS.

Her dream of competing at the 2012 London Paralympics is getting closer to being a reality: she has already qualified (at an event in Hartpury, England earlier this year) and now needs to maintain her form. To make the cut, she needs to be ranked among the top riders in her grade worldwide.

The bubbly 28-year-old is not short of confidence that she can make it. "I'm always good with goals – if I know what I've got to do. I'm quite structured like that, so that helps me."

The bi-annual championships, which attracted 160 athletes from across the country, has shown itself to be a breeding ground for future Paralympians. Frances is determined to be one of them.

Save petroleum. Use sugar instead.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:51:11 +1300

Working with specialist Japanese companies, Mitsubishi will by mid-2012 add to its lineup of proprietary plant-based "Green Plastic" products a new type of floor mat, made using plant-based bio-polyethylene (bio-PE) fibre.

Bio-PE is a plant-based resin made from sugarcane molasses, a thick syrup produced in refining raw sugar. With an eye on using less petroleum-based plastics and cutting CO2 emissions, Mitsubishi has developed the fibre for use in floor mat piling. The new fibre has a core-sheath structure: a bio-PE core is sheathed in conventional petroleum-based polypropylene , allowing it to meet the required high levels of abrasion and heat resistance performance.

Mitsubishi calculates that the new floor mat achieves a 15 percent cut in life-cycle CO2 emissions over mats made from polypropylene fibre only.

Petroleum-based plastics are widely used in car parts, and Mitsubishi is developing a series of plant-based "Green Plastics" to replace them. Current Green Plastics products include materials made from liquefied wood-based phenolic resins and interior surface materials which combine PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and cotton fibres.

Geneva launch to kick-start new generation of global vehicles

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:24:11 +1300

For the first time, Mitsubishi will launch a new global vehicle in the heart of the demanding European market.

The Geneva Motor Show, opening on 8 March, will see the world premiere of what Mitsubishi describes as “a strategic and innovative premium vehicle” and motoring writers are widely tipping as the next generation Outlander.

Mitsubishi says the car, to be retailed sequentially across many countries during 2012, will mark the start of its complete new generation of global vehicles, whose design will reflect a gradual transformation towards a “refined but assertive” engineering-driven look. This, it says, will be a clear expression of the brand’s high technology traditions and the far-reaching ambitions - embracing the latest electric and hybrid propulsion breakthroughs - published in Mitsubishi’s plan for a greener and more global Mitsubishi.

Renaissance for Mitsubishi’s Mirage

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:25:40 +1300

Remember Mirage? Who hasn’t had one of Mitsubishi’s hugely popular 5-door hatches in the family at some time or other?

Despite its absence from new-car listings since the eighties many warmly remember the car for its easy-driving, affordable, pile-it-all-in-the-back motoring. Now, Mirage is poised to make a comeback: still a compact yet roomy city/suburban 5-seater but strikingly styled and equipped with green, high-efficiency technology that promises a startling leap forward in fuel economy.

At the 30 November opening of the Tokyo Motor Show Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is expected to announce the Mirage as its new “global small” car. First sales will be in March, in Thailand, and the car is likely to arrive here later next year or early 2013.

Details of New Zealand’s likely Mirage range are sketchy as yet, though Mitsubishi’s sales and marketing strategy head Daniel Cook says we can expect the new hatchback to be exceptionally well priced and “stunningly” efficient. “Fuel economy likely to be best-in-class: we’re hearing numbers like 4 litres per 100km, or 83 miles per gallon. Emissions will be proportionately very low, too”.

The new Mirage, similar in size to the current Mitsubishi Colt, will be driven by a high-power 1.2 litre MIVEC engine, with CVT auto transmission and Mitsubishi’s fuel-saving Auto Stop and Go idle-stop technology. Other contributions to fuel economy will come, says Cook, from painstakingly trimming weight from almost every part of the car, plus reductions in rolling resistance from the running gear, brakes and tyres and the drag-reducing body aerodynamics.

“Apart from being a great-looking and highly practical family car the new Mirage will give its owner a good measure of protection against future fuel price rises”, Cook says. “At today’s fuel prices it promises an Auckland-Wellington-Auckland drive for about $90”.

Outlander-size plug-in hybrid concept has 800 km range

At the Tokyo Show Mitsubishi will also unveil version two of its Outlander-size Concept PX-MiEV SUV. This is Mitsubishi Motors’ idea for a mid-size plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that uses existing state-of-the-art technology to deliver, on one hand, EV environmental performance and quietness, and on the other, SUV comfort and long cruising range.

To achieve this, MMC’s unique plug-in hybrid system fuses i-MiEV-derived EV technology with a compact, high efficiency 2-litre 70kW MIVEC petrol engine. This combination provides not only an estimated fuel efficiency of 1.7 litres per 100km, far ahead of a conventional SUV, but also a cruising range of over 800 km.

However, in most everyday situations it can be driven in all-electric mode alone, with its high-capacity batteries providing power to cover 50 km.

Depending on power consumption and remaining battery charge the system starts the petrol engine automatically as a generator, using the engine to help drive the wheels as necessary. At any time the driver has push-button freedom to select EV power only - for example, in order to drive quietly and emissions-free (at sufficient battery levels) in residential areas - or switch the engine to generator mode to charge the batteries.

The Concept’s drivetrain uses a new twin-motor 4WD system mated to Mitsubishi’s S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) advanced traction control system, based on technology honed in the Lancer Evolution X. As well as great handling, the Concept PX-MiEV II has the acceleration of a 3.0-litre V6, released by the 100% instant off-the-line torque inherent in its two 60kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motors.

Mitsubishi’s EV minicab quick off the rank

Also at the Tokyo show will be Mitsubishi’s second mass-produced EV - the MINICAB-MiEV light commercial commuter vehicle of the kind commonly used in Japan for transporting small passenger groups in urban areas - and the now-familiar i-MiEV electric car, currently on sale here in New Zealand (and in most of the world) and shortly to roll out in the United States.

Power sharing: smart car, smart house

Mitsubishi will also feature the MiEV House, a “smart house” concept that tackles energy and global warming issues by managing energy useage between the home itself, “smart appliances”, EVs/plug-in hybrid vehicles and “smart grids” - all at the same time. It does this through the HEMS Home Energy Management System and MMC’s own EIS (Electric Vehicle Integration System). HEMS constantly compares the power that’s available with the power being used, optimizing both to reduce the effects of energy shortages and energy costs. EIS monitors the electric vehicle’s battery useage and efficiency (which varies depending on how it is driven) and HEMS uses this information to optimize charging from the house, so the electric vehicle is always topped up.

*Visitors to Mitsubishi’s Toyko Motor Show stand can even get an EV coffee. An i-MiEV vehicle parked beside the stand’s “MiEV Café” will feed through 1500 W to power the barista’s espresso machine.

Remember Mirage? Who hasn’t had one of Mitsubishi’s hugely popular 5-door hatches

in the family at some time or other?

Despite its absence from new-car listings since the eighties many warmly remember the car for its

easy-driving, affordable, pile-it-all-in-the-back motoring. Now, Mirage is poised to make a comeback: still a compact yet roomy city/suburban 5-seater but strikingly styled and equipped with green, high-efficiency technology that promises a startling leap forward in fuel economy.

At the 30 November opening of the Tokyo Motor Show Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is

expected to announce the Mirage as its new “global small” car. First sales will be in March, in Thailand, and the car is likely to arrive here later next year or early 2013.

Daily driving experience the remedy for EV “range anxiety”

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:09:42 +1300

“How far can I drive my electric car before it needs charging again?”

That’s a question – “range anxiety”, it’s being called - that inevitably exercises the minds of alternative-fuel drivers anywhere, once they leave behind the comfort factor of roadside fuel pumps.

After a good night’s charge Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV will cover up to 150 kilometres, or a hundred-plus if you constantly have your foot down, climb lots of hills, keep the audio zinging and the lights blazing.

However, i-MiEV is unabashedly a city car, not a tourer, and the average Kiwi commutes just 32 kilometres. Experience for a while the daily relationship between charging capacity and actual driving distances, and concern tends to dissipate.

Overseas research confirms that. A UK study of 340 electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles found that range anxiety, initially a concern for all drivers, dropped to a third of drivers by the end of the three-month programme.

Mitsubishi Australia report similar experiences in the first of a series of informational 3-minute “FAQ” videos on i-MiEV, watch it below:

Range anxiety with the Mitsubishi i-MiEV
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Lancer upgrade brings back an old favourite

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:37:01 +1300

Across its forty years in New Zealand, Mitsubishi has earned itself a sound name for building safe, well-specified cars.

In its 2012 models, just becoming available, the Porirua-based three-diamonds importer is ramping up this facet of its reputation still further with new features that quietly, unobtrusively get on with the job of making driving even safer.

Take the bread-and-butter Lancer range.

For starters, there’s the new electronic SmartBrake system. If you hadn’t heard of it till now, well, neither had we, but it’s on every 2012 Lancer. You might never need it, says Mitsubishi, but it’s there just in case. Stamp on your brakes in an emergency and there’s a chance that, panic-stricken, you might plant your foot on the accelerator too. SmartBrake spots the error and stops you safely.

Then, every 2012-model Lancer makes safe cellphone use easy via the Bluetooth hands-free system (USB connectivity too, so you can plug in your mp3 player or a music-loaded usb stick). There’s the extra control of electric-assist power steering, neat soft-touch surfacing on the front doors, and economy-wise there are serious fuel savings on the 2-litre Lancers, their MIVEC engines now burning 10-13 percent less.

While the engineers have beavered away on improvements like these, they’ve also found time to reinvent one of Mitsubishi’s most popular cars ever. Ask around and someone in the family will remember their all-time favourite Lancer, the luxury SEi, for its ultimate comfort, its smooooth ride.

Well, after a long time away it’s back for 2012, as both sedan and hatch. Mitsubishi say it’s better value (and better-looking) than ever, with leather seats (front ones powered and heated), side skirts and 16” low-noise soft-ride alloys. Like other top line 2012 Mitsubishi models it has a rear view camera that sends a bumper-height image to the rear-view mirror when you select reverse, to help you spot wayward toddlers or puppies.

Mitsubishi’s head of sales and marketing strategy, Daniel Cook, says: “Last time the Lancer SEi was here it quickly acquired hero status. We’re convinced it will do so again!”
•   SmartBrake and Bluetooth aren’t only in Lancer. You’ll also find them in all 2012-model ASX, Outlander, Challenger, Pajero and Triton.
•   Alongside Lancer SEi, another long-awaited Mitsubishi is the 2WD cousin of the popular Triton 4WD GLS Sport auto: same high power 133kW engine with 3-tonne braked towing, same high spec equipment, such as sport seats, privacy glass, electric rear window, cruise control and Bluetooth.
•   The Lancer SEi is available at Mitsubishi Dealerships across the country at a special launch price of $29,990 + ORC

2012 Triton still tough as nails, and even safer

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:31:24 +1300

Take the 14-model 2012 Triton range.

For starters, there’s the new electronic SmartBrake system. If you hadn’t heard of it till now, well, neither had we, but it’s on every 2012 Triton. You might never need it, says Mitsubishi, but it’s there just in case. Stamp on your brakes in an emergency and there’s a chance that, panic-stricken, you might plant your foot on the accelerator too. SmartBrake spots the error and stops you safely.

Then, virtually every 2012-model Triton makes safe cellphone use easy via the Bluetooth hands-free system (USB connectivity too, so you can plug in your mp3 player or a music-loaded usb stick).

While quietly beavering away on improvements like these, Mitsubishi’s engineers have also come up with a new Triton that promises to be one of its most popular yet. It’s the double cab 2WD GLS Sport auto, cousin of its well-regarded 4WD equivalent: same high power 133kW engine with 3-tonne braked towing, same high spec features such as sport seats, fog lamps, privacy glass, electric centre rear window, side steps, cruise control, auto air, 16” alloys.

The 2012 Tritons, distinguished by flared guards and wide wheels on most models, start at $34,790 (2WD) and $44,190 (4WD).

Mitsubishi’s head of sales and marketing strategy, Daniel Cook, says: “Owners keep telling us Triton’s tough as nails, and its big tray wins fresh friends every week”.

• You’ll find SmartBrake and Bluetooth in all 2012-model Lancer, ASX, Outlander, Challenger and Pajero, too.

5-star Outlander adds more safety features

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:24:59 +1300

Across its forty years in New Zealand, Mitsubishi has earned itself a sound name for building safe, well-specified cars.

Take the persistently popular six-model Mitsubishi Outlander.

It’s already earned an across-the-board 5-star ANCAP safety rating, but wait, there’s more. Take the new electronic SmartBrake system. If you hadn’t heard of it till now, well, neither had we, but it’s on every 2012 Outlander. You might never need it, says Mitsubishi, but it’s there just in case. Stamp on your brakes in an emergency and there’s a chance that, panic-stricken, you might plant your foot on the accelerator too. SmartBrake spots the error and stops you safely.

Then, every 2012-model Outlander makes safe cellphone use easy via the Bluetooth hands-free system (USB connectivity too, so you can plug in your mp3 player or a music-loaded usb stick). And the upcoming VRX version has a rear view camera that sends a bumper-height image to the rear-view mirror when you select reverse, to help you spot wayward toddlers.

While Mitsubishi’s engineers have beavered away on improvements like these, the designers have been at work, too, adding civilised little touches, depending on the model, like colour-keyed door handles, leather seat trim, chrome accents, alloy scuff plates, soft-touch leather-look interior trim, leather-covered steering wheels.

Mitsubishi’s head of sales and marketing strategy, Daniel Cook, says: “Outlander’s popularity isn’t surprising. Wherever you look, there’s an extra level of refinement that just keeps appealing to people who appreciate good, effective design and want this car in their lives”.

The 2012 2WD/4WD Outlander range starts at $38,990.

• You’ll find SmartBrake and Bluetooth in 2012-model Lancer, ASX, Challenger, Pajero and Triton, as well as Outlander.

Talk to your local Mitsubishi Dealer today about getting behind the wheel of the new 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander.

Mitsubishi leads car industry customer care

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:27:48 +1200

Phone 0800 54 53 52 and you’re talking to New Zealand’s best car-industry contact centre, bar none.

Mitsubishi Motors’ eight-strong Porirua-based customer care team were named winners of the transport/travel sector at the call centre industry’s annual CRM Awards at Sky City on Friday 2 September.

Over a hundred top-flight contact centres, from eleven industry sectors, entered the awards.

It was a rewarding night for Mitsubishi. As well as winning the transport category, the team won the top award for the quality of their online communications: Haig Davidson was finalist for “manager of the year” and Mike Bodley for “team leader of the year”: and the judges chose team member Sieanna Iafeta as a favourite customer service representative.

“The real winners, of course, are our customers” said Haig. “Anyone who gets in touch with us wants a response that’s not only quick and accurate, but also warm and friendly. While we are flattered to collect these awards, we know we are only as good as our response to the next phone call or email”.

Haig added: “Industry recognition of our team’s performance, together with customer care initiatives like our unique 10-year Diamond Advantage warranty, takes us a further step along the way towards achieving our vision to provide the best customer service in New Zealand”.

The CRM awards, begun 14 years ago, use exhaustive “mystery shopper” techniques to take a regular “snapshot” of how effectively contact centres respond to customers’ phone and internet enquiries.

Mitsubishi and SolarCity team-up to solar charge the new i-MiEV

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:21:08 +1200

Mitsubishi New Zealand and SolarCity New Zealand today announced that they have formed a key national partnership to offer each new i-MiEV owner a high-efficiency rooftop solar system that will provide the car with enough solar power to offset the energy used for charging.

Daniel Cook, Mitsubishi NZ’s Head of Sales and Marketing says this partnership, launched today, is designed to give customers the right resources and technology to make powering the i-MiEV as efficient as possible.

“i-MiEV electric car owners are ahead of the curve, and want a greener and cleaner way to drive,” Cook says. “The energy the solar PV panels generate in a day exceeds what is needed to offset the energy used in the average daily commute, significantly reducing the total cost of ownership.

The specially designed i-MiEV PV solar panel charging system is viewable today at the Auckland Home Show, and gives everyone in the city the first chance to see how solar power and electric cars work together to protect families and communities from the rising cost of power.

Andrew Booth, CEO of SolarCity, says the aim is to give new i-MiEV owners the peace of mind that they never have to spend an additional dollar on energy for their car, in its lifetime.

“The high-efficiency solar system we are using will be sized specifically for recharging the i-MiEV,” Booth says. “It is engineered to provide enough power for about 1250 km of travel per month, and comes with a power output guarantee, allowing each customer to lock in their energy costs for the next 25 years.

“Forty percent of New Zealand’s energy is provided by oil and our key export and tourism industries also rely on it,” he says. “According to The Transport Ministry's annual survey of New Zealand's vehicle fleet, published this month, New Zealanders own 3.3 million vehicles, which will become increasingly expensive to run as the price of oil peaks,” says Booth. “With this in mind, it is apt that this initiative is being launched in Auckland, New Zealand’s most populated city, where car ownership is high.”

Hugh Byrd, School of Architecture and Planning, The University of Auckland agrees.

“The combined technology of solar PV panels and electric cars used in a city like Auckland not only makes the cars more energy efficient but also dramatically reduces carbon emissions, other pollutants that impact on air quality, and also noise levels, ” Byrd says. “In main urban areas, 90% of New Zealand's vehicles travel less than 69km per day, which is well within the range of the current generation of electric cars.”

How the i-MiEV / PV solar system works

The 1.5 kilowatt SolarCity system is comprised of solar photovoltaic modules that produce an average of 1,900 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. The power generated is distributed to the grid using the New Zealand-made Enasolar Inverter.

For i-MiEV car owners, the complete solar system starts from NZ$9,999 installed and is designed to be installed on the home or garage roof. Included in the purchase is a residential monitoring system, which includes the ability to track the performance of the solar system on the web.

About the Mitsubishi i-MiEV

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is New Zealand's first mass produced electric car, and was launched in New Zealand in July this year. The i-MiEV is an all-electric vehicle that can be charged through your household power supply and creates zero drive-time emissions and is whisper quiet.

The i-MiEV's small, lightweight, highly efficient permanent magnet synchronous motor provides sportier and quieter driving. This means i-MiEV is able to reach a top speed of 130km/h with up to 150km (New European Driving Cycle) of range from a single charge, which is more than enough to cover all of your daily trips around town.

Information about Mitsubishi i-MiEV and solar panels is available from the following six approved dealers: Andrew Simms Mitsubishi, Newmarket; Auckland Motors, Manukau; Simon Lucas Mitsubishi, North Shore; Ingham Mitsubishi, Hamilton; Armstrong Mitsubishi, Wellington; and Donnithorne Simms, Christchurch.

About SolarCity New Zealand Ltd

SolarCity is the nation's leading all-in-one solar power company. Across the past 30 years we have put more kiwi-made panels on homes and businesses than anyone else. We are the first solar company in the world to gain CarboNZero accreditation.

We have financial and strategic backing from Sir Stephen Tindall’s K1W1 investment fund and a US-based VC fund. Our board includes Keith Turner, former CEO of Meridian Energy, and Barrie Leay, former Executive Director of the Electricity Supply Association of New Zealand.

We are the architects of the nation’s largest solar incentive scheme, the $9million Nelson City Council SolarSaver Scheme fund, to put solar hot water systems onto over 1500 homes in Nelson across the next three years.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For more information please contact either:

Andrew Booth

Chief Executive Officer

SolarCity New Zealand

03 539 1761

027 294 3888

andy.booth@solarcity.co.nz

Daniel Cook

Head of Sales and Marketing

Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand

021 368 841

dcook@mmnz.co.nz

On Call

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:48:00 +1200

Sienna, Hayley, Fiona, Mike, Jessie and Michael of Mitsubishi’s Porirua based customer care centre share 180,000 conversations a year with
customers. They may help you with a query, check how your new Mitsubishi is working out, follow up after a service, organise a test drive. But did you know that friendly voice could belong to a Wheel of Fortune winner, a darts supremo or a house music buff? Meet the team at 0800 54 53 52.

1. Mike Bodley
Mike and his partner Samara Sergeant have a daughter called Cejay, who is 3. Cejay loves slides and swings, playing on her trampoline and, much to Mike’s dismay, she adores the music of pop songstress Katy Perry. Mike’s more of a house music fan and he enjoys mixing tracks on his computer in the evenings. When Mike was six years old, he won a family trip to Honolulu through a radio station competition. In 2008, he was recognised with an individual award in the national contact centre industry awards.

2. Sieanna Iafeta
Sieanna grew up in Porirua and enjoys the support of a large extended family around her. She spends her spare time with her children Raven, 7, and Timara, 15 months. On weekends, they often hit the parks or public swimming pools. Sieanna loves to cook, and her favourite dish is smoked chicken and bacon carbonara. Sienna once starred on Wheel of Fortune, winning $2000 on her first appearance but failing to hold her spot as the champion on the second night. She says it was a fantastic experience.

3. Hayley White
Hayley has a son called Jerome, 4. “I was a stayat-home mum before this so, when I’m not at work, I try to soak up as much Jerome time as possible.” Hayley loves to sketch, write poetry and short stories, and read “trashy girl fiction”. She once won a barista award even though she drinks a mocha, a coffee and chocolate blend which is much-derided in serious hospitality circles. Hayley says she enjoys talking to
customers. “We often have a good laugh, and when there a situation I can help with, that’s always satisfying.”

4. Fiona Forsdyke
Fiona’s partner Dave Drummond is a mechanic in the Super Trucks Series and she gets to the circuits as often as she can. Fiona and Dave have four children between them, from previous relationships, and they love the weekends when all four children are in the house together. Fiona and her friends play darts at each others’ homes – she says their supposedly-social games are ultra-competitive. She says the contact centre is her natural home. “I think I was born to be in a call centre. I just like chatting with people and helping them.”

5. Jessie Whelan
The newest member of the call centre team is Jessie. Jessie’s originally from from Taranaki, so spends many weekends travelling around the lower North Island catching up with family and friends. When she’s home, Jessie enjoys the company of her partner David Phipps and their long-haired Birman kitten Gary. The kitten has a pineapple-shaped pet bed and loves toy mice. Jessie is a devoted Shortland Street fan with 10 years of dedicated viewing behind her. She also sponsors an eight-year-old boy in India called Raunesh.

Michael Parker
Michael is happiest when he’s making a colossal racket. Michael has two sets of drums – one acoustic, one electric – and when the house is empty, he lets rip. Michael, who started with Mitsubishi just as this edition went to print, has a commerce and administration degree. In his last job, he got up at 4.50am to load trucks. He’s enjoying a leisurely 7am wake-up call these days as the Mitsubishi call centre is handy to his family’s Porirua home.

Our biggest fans?

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:27:17 +1200

Meet Lawrence Short and Jasper White – two loyal Mitsubishi fanatics.

Jasper White could write Mitsubishi before he could write his own name. The Mitsi-mad three-year-old developed a fascination with the three-diamond logo while his parents were scouring Wellington caryards for a new car. They went Peugeot in the end, but Jasper was sold on Mitsubishi. From that time on, Heather White says Jasper would spot a Mitsubishi’s distinctive diamond logo in a supermarket carpark and beg to be allowed to touch the car. “He would shake with excitement. His whole body would shake.”

The first word Jasper ever spelt out loud was our relatively complex 10-letter e brand name – before he’d ever even attempted to spell Jasper. Heather says, by two and a half, Jasper could recite the spelling of “Mitsubishi Motors Electric” (he gets a bit confused
by the different arms of the Mitsubishi family of companies).

For his third birthday, Jasper asked his mother to make him a cake with the three-diamond logo. “We really don’t know why he picked on Mitsubishi in particular. I think it was the diamonds,” Heather says. At 3, Jasper is now starting to write sentences. “He
loves words and it was Mitsubishi that started it.”

Lawrence Short is almost 65 and guess what he’s got lined up as a retirement present: his 25th new Mitsubishi.

The Ashhurst train driver spends his working hours on the rail-lines, ferrying goods and people around the lower North Island. After hours, he follows his beloved Auckland Blues and indulges his long-held Mitsubishi infatuation.

Lawrence has bought 24 new Mitsubishi cars from Feilding’s McVerry Crawford and previous Mitsubishi dealers, starting with a 1975 Galant 1850 2-door coupe.

His latest is an Electric Blue 2011 Lancer SX Hatch. In total, Lawrence has bought 41 vehicles from Mitsubishi and the earlier Todd Motors (which was bought by Mitsubishi in 1987), starting with a Hillman Imp. “I love Mitsubishi like I love the All Blacks – a bit one-eyed,” he says.

“I’ve had all sorts of models over the years. They’ve got lovely seats…their décor is a lot nicer…I feel comfortable in them. So, why change?”

Jasper was sold on Mitsubishi. From that time on, Heather White says Jasper

would spot a Mitsubishi’s distinctive diamond logo in a supermarket carpark and beg to be allowed to touch the car. “He would shake with excitement. His whole body would shake.”

The first word Jasper ever spelt out loud was our relatively complex 10-letter e brand name – before he’d ever even attempted to spell Jasper. Heather says, by two and a half, Jasper could recite the spelling of “Mitsubishi Motors Electric” (he gets a bit confused

by the different arms of the Mitsubishi family of companies).

For his third birthday, Jasper asked his mother to make him a cake with the three-diamond logo. “We really don’t know why he picked on Mitsubishi in particular. I think it was the diamonds,” Heather says. At 3, Jasper is now starting to write sentences. “He

loves words and it was Mitsubishi that started it.”

Lawrence Short is almost 65 and guess what he’s got lined up as a retirement present:

his 25th new Mitsubishi.

The Ashhurst train driver spends his working hours on the rail-lines, ferrying goods and people around the lower North Island. After hours, he follows his beloved Auckland Blues and indulges his long-held Mitsubishi infatuation.

Lawrence has bought 24 new Mitsubishi cars from Feilding’s McVerry Crawford and previous Mitsubishi dealers, starting with a 1975 Galant 1850 2-door coupe.

His latest is an Electric Blue 2011 Lancer SX Hatch. In total, Lawrence has bought 41 vehicles from Mitsubishi and the earlier Todd Motors (which was bought by

Mitsubishi in 1987), starting with a Hillman Imp. “I love Mitsubishi like I love the All Blacks – a bit one-eyed,” he says.

“I’ve had all sorts of models over the years. They’ve got lovely seats…their décor

is a lot nicer…I feel comfortable in them. So, why change?”