Mitsubishi launches flexible-fuel Lancer

Writer: SANTAN SANTIVIMOLNAT

Newspaper section: Business

Mitsubishi Motors Thailand yesterday launched its flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV), the first mass-production car in the Thai market that can run on all types of gasoline up to E85 fuel.

Nobuyuki Murahashi, president of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand, shows off the new Lancer EX, which comes with a 1.8-litre engine compatible with fuel up to E85. The 2.0-litre engine can run on E20. WISIT THAMNGERN

The FFV is part of the debut of the all-new Lancer EX, the ninth generation of the Lancer model which comes with a 1.8-litre engine compatible with fuel up to E85 and a 2.0-litre engine that can run on E20.

The Lancer EX offers four variants to meet customers' needs and lifestyles, with the retail price starting at 831,000 baht for the 1.8-litre engine model and 1.034 million baht for the 2.0-litre engine.

Pre-sale bookings will be taken starting today at Mitsubishi Motors' 129 dealerships nationwide while official sales will begin one month later.

The existing Lancer with a 1.6-litre gasoline engine remains on the market after the revised Lancer has been launched but with reduced retail prices, starting from 592,000 baht to compete directly with the subcompact or B-car segment such as Toyota Vios and Yaris and Honda City and Jazz.

The new generation's powertrain uses a new 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre aluminium block engine, which meets the EU emission standard step 4 (Euro 4).

Mitsubishi has developed the FFV engine for the Lancer EX by improving all parts susceptible to corrosion by all types of gasohol. Parts such as fuel tanks, valves, valve seats, pumps, delivery pipes and injectors are made of metal, rubber and plastic. The electronic control unit adjusts the amounts of fuel injected and the ignition spark timing automatically to provide the best performance regardless of what fuel types are used.

"I am very confident that Lancer EX which is rich in ingenuity and loaded with new technologies will satisfy the needs and aspirations of sedan drivers," said Nobuyuki Murahashi, the president of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand.