Gasgoo.com (Shanghai March 10) - Mitsubishi's Chinese branch will halt imports of its Eclipse coupe, the Beijing Times reported today. The company may reconsider importing the car in the future.
Yang Yang, vice president of Mitsubishi China's Market Sales department, said that the company had not fully thought out a sales strategy for the Eclipse when they began importing it, leading to a lack of interest among Chinese consumers. Total sales of the Eclipse were reported to number in tens of cars.
However, Mr. Yang was adamant in his resolve to support the Eclipse, saying that "Mitsubishi China will absolutely not completely abandon this model." He continued to say that the company will consider how best to reintroduce the car to China.
Industry experts believe that the decision to only offer the 2.4L version and not bring over the larger 3.8L version, disappointing many in the Eclipse's core demographic, was a key factor behind the its lackluster performance. Additionally, dealers reported that they had no new Eclipses ready for immediate sale, forcing them to send special orders for the car.
