Mitsubishi's European Sales Plummet 18 Percent in 2008

The year that passed proved to be very difficult for automakers around the globe, so we can't say that we are surprised with Mitsubishi's latest announcement that concerns its European sales. For the calendar year 2008, in the 33 European countries that it operates, Mitsubishi's sales decreased by 18% to 164,462 units versus 2007 (200,045 units). The firm's large SUV sales were among the hardest hit with the Pajero/Montero/Shogun losing 46% and the L200 25%.

However, even Mitsubishi's best selling Euro model, the sub-compact Colt hatch, saw its sales decline by 20,6% to 53,435 units from 67,328 units in 2007. The Japanese automaker believes though that it will win back customers this year with the introduction of the facelifted Colt that was revealed at the Paris Show last October.

MME CY 2008 Sales Results

COUNTRIES


2008

2007

Variation

Market

1 – Germany

27,023

33,643

- 19.7 %

- 1.8 %**

2 –U.K.

23,497

30,656

- 23.3 %

- 11.3 %**

3 – Italy

12,499

19,461

- 35.8 %

- 13.4%**

4 – Spain

9,641

16,979

- 43.2 %

- 28.1%**

5 – Turkey

8,543

6,971

+ 22.5 %

- 17.5 %

6 –Netherlands

8,450

9,079

- 6.9 %

- 1.1%**

7 – Israel

8,430

9,057

- 6.9 %

+ 1.6 %

8 – Greece

6,081

6,769

- 10.2 %

- 4.5%**

9 – Norway

5,361

5,907

- 9.2 %

- 14.4%**

10 – Poland

5,432

3,433

+ 58.2 %

+ 9.4%**






** Source: ACEA / excludes L200

TOTAL EUROPE

2008

2007

Variation

Overall market (ACEA)*

14,712,158

15,959,804

- 7.8 %

Mitsubishi Motors (ACEA)*

104,929

129,937

- 19.2 %

Mitsubishi Motors (MME)**

164,462

200,045

- 18 %

* ACEA estimated figures / 27 EU countries (incl. Bulgaria and Romania / excl. Malta and Cyprus) + 3 EFTA countries / do not include pickups like L200.

** MME figures / 33 countries / includes L200 / excludes The Ukraine

MODELS

2008

2007

Variation

1 – Colt

53,435

67.328

- 20.6 %

(change-over to new model during Q4 - 2008)




2 – New Outlander

31,561

33,394

- 5.5 %

(launched early 2007)




3 – New L200

28,735

38,369

- 25.1 %

4 – New Lancer

20,802



(launched sequentially from the back end of 2007)