Mitsubishi Lancer EX to be made in China soon

Shanghai, July 23 (Gasgoo.com) Fujian-based Southeast Motor, a Chinese partner of Mitsubishi Motors, announced yesterday that the Mitsubishi Lancer EX will be introduced to China for local production later this year, with a Chinese name 蓝瑟•翼神 (Lanse Yishen), the Shanghai Securities Journal reported.

Southeast Motor said it is already well prepared for producing the Lancer EX, a strategic model of Mitsubishi Motors. The locally made Lancer EX will go on sale in the Chinese market by the end of this year. As a fashionable sporty sedan model, the Lancer EX made by Southeast Motor will mainly rival the Civic (by Dongfeng Honda) and Focus (by Changan Ford).

The previous Mitsubishi Lancer has been a flagship sedan model of Southeast Motor and once contributed to more than 60% of the Chinese carmaker's all sedan sales. Mitsubishi Motors aims to introduce the Lancer EX as the first model for its all-new strategy in China, which has been a major market of the Japanese carmaker since 2006.

Southeast Motor, 25% owned by Mitsubishi, has produced the previous Lancer sedan, the Soveran wagon and the Galant sedan under the Mitsubishi brand. Mitsubishi is counting on the new Lancer EX to boost its sales in China.

The imported new-generation Lancer Evolution sedan went on sale in China last autumn. In addition to the sporty Lancer EX, a family version of the Lancer series will also be assembled in Fujian later this year.