[Tats07]

Originally Posted by autotranny

That is not because it was a bad car, rather it was due to the lousy sales strategy. The old Cedia is still a much better bet than many of its rivals in terms of road handling.

That's correct. I was trying to say that the sales did not justify continuing Cedia. Plus, it was a very old model, (last generation Lancer re-badged as Cedia in India to continue selling both the cars at the same time), they never upgraded it when it was necessary by introducing the Lancer.

[DReddy]

Originally Posted by Tats07

That's correct. I was trying to say that the sales did not justify continuing Cedia. Plus, it was a very old model, (last generation Lancer re-badged as Cedia in India to continue selling both the cars at the same time), they never upgraded it when it was necessary by introducing the Lancer.

We got a lot of older generation cars rebadged before and some of them sold really well - example the qualis. It had a solid run for close to 10 years here after being phased out of international markets. ICML still manages to sell the Rhino after another 10 years of absence of the qualis.

Indians are very picky car buyers and it is just not enough to give a good car but also price it and market it well. Some very worthy cars have suffered this fate for every manufacturer - including maruti read - VERSA, VITARA, KIZASHI. Look at EECOs sales figures now, that is what I call a turnaround.

Even a newbie on Team-bhp can figure out who would buy what and how much it should cost, but unfortunately major manufacturers get these decisions made by exorbitantly paid, number-crunching, hot-shot MBAs who dream of becoming mutual fund managers some day. Result is cars like the EVO no longer remain viable in the market.

Passion is what makes all the difference.

Are the BHPian MBAs listening???

[Tats07]

Originally Posted by DReddy

We got a lot of older generation cars rebadged before and some of them sold really well - example the qualis. It had a solid run for close to 10 years here after being phased out of international markets.

It's also a fact that earlier, the options in India were much less in number. When Qualis was launched, I don't remember having seen similar vehicles from non-Indian manufacturers such as Toyota. Plus, Qualis was sold in great numbers as commercial vehicles, i.e. Taxis and Pickup vehicles for major establishments such as hotels and call centres, especially in not so urban areas.

Cedia should have been upgraded to the newer model because Indians started getting options like Vento and Verna. Vento dented Honda City's sales seriously, simply because it was a good option with a diesel motor from a well known German manufacturer. Honda reacted by first giving discounts, then by providing leather seats, and finally face lifting and providing sun-roof and AVN to their cars. It was foolish of Mitsubishi to continue offering the older model.

If you look at the Indian market today, there's not much of a time lag between a car launched internationally, and the launch here. Case in point - Skoda Octavia 2013 based on MQB platform. Prices have been announced in Europe about a month or so back, and we are already talking about a possible August launch here.

[DReddy]

Originally Posted by Tats07

It's also a fact that earlier, the options in India were much less in number. When Qualis was launched, I don't remember having seen similar vehicles from non-Indian manufacturers such as Toyota. Plus, Qualis was sold in great numbers as commercial vehicles, i.e. Taxis and Pickup vehicles for major establishments such as hotels and call centres, especially in not so urban areas.

Cedia should have been upgraded to the newer model because Indians started getting options like Vento and Verna. Vento dented Honda City's sales seriously, simply because it was a good option with a diesel motor from a well known German manufacturer. Honda reacted by first giving discounts, then by providing leather seats, and finally face lifting and providing sun-roof and AVN to their cars. It was foolish of Mitsubishi to continue offering the older model.

If you look at the Indian market today, there's not much of a time lag between a car launched internationally, and the launch here. Case in point - Skoda Octavia 2013 based on MQB platform. Prices have been announced in Europe about a month or so back, and we are already talking about a possible August launch here.

I completely agree with that arguement, what I am trying to say is the industry needs more people with passion who can work behind the scenes to bring out products that are relevant.

Talk to employees in any major automotive manufacturer there are a suprisingly high majority of people who have stumbled upon the job and have no connect with the work or the industry on a whole.

I vividly remember talking to that HM guy, he spoke as if the EVO project was a big money sucking thing and the enthusiast crowd who were so gung-ho about it earlier didnt turn up. All he says is that the enthusiast crowd turned their backs on them after spending so much in bringing the car here, really cant blame him for it.

Very few people at my workplace know what teambhp is, leave alone being a part of it - I work at an OEM. This is my third post in the same thread ranting about more enthusiasts joining the industry. But I guess it is easier to find reasons for why something cant work rather than entertaining the idea at all.

[avimal]

I guess this is a fake news on launch of new lancer in india.
http://carzoom.in/news-on-launch-of-...shi-new-lancer ( source : carzoom.in).

I will be happy if I am proven wrong.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by avimal

I guess this is a fake news on launch of new lancer in india.
http://carzoom.in/news-on-launch-of-...shi-new-lancer ( source : carzoom.in).

I will be happy if I am proven wrong.

I do NOT think they have any plans for anything other than SUVs for some time to come. This came from the head of Indian operations and whatever I have seen lately is pretty much in the same direction.

[CARDEEP]

Mitsubishi Evo is returning to UK (source : Autocar-UK),as a part of the cars 40th anniversary celebrations.These 40 (only) cars could be most powerful Evo ever sold.

More details here:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...evo-returns-uk

Since UK is also a Right Hand Drive country like ours, this is good chance for the Indian enthusiasts to place order & own a masterpiece.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Mitsubishi Evo is returning to UK (source : Autocar-UK),as a part of the cars 40th anniversary celebrations.These 40 (only) cars could be most powerful Evo ever sold.

More details here:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...evo-returns-uk

Since UK is also a Right Hand Drive country like ours, this is good chance for the Indian enthusiasts to place order & own a masterpiece.

And import it from the U.K.?

Other than a very small community that knows what the Evo is, most people in India would think it's just a very expensive Lancer. Within the community that knows about the Evo, the number of people that will be able to and willing to spend over 50 lakhs on the car will be even smaller.

I'd be curious to know how many they sold the first time around.

[chsai]

Hi,
Anybody came across an used EVO X for sale?
Thanks

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by chsai

Hi,
Anybody came across an used EVO X for sale?
Thanks

Very very difficult I believe. I doubt they sold even 10 pieces in India.