Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Over that period, it has delivered more than 20,000 vehicles throughout Malaysia, catering to different segments.
The vehicles have been sold through a network which began with a modest number and has grown to over 60 outlets nationwide, with 16 of them in East Malaysia.
Local assembly resumes
During its first 9 years, MMM imported its vehicles from Thailand and Japan. In 2014, it began local assembly of the ASX at the Tan Chong Motor Assemblies plant in Kuala Lumpur.
Prior to that, Mitsubishi vehicles had been assembled in Johor during the 1970s and early 1980s, with the last model being the Tredia.
The most popular model sold by MMM has been the Triton pick-up truck which has accounted for 54.3% of all its sales over the 20 years. With its stylish design, the Triton has often been among the more popular trucks in the market.
Voluntary move by MMC
Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) had voluntarily stopped selling passenger vehicles after 1985 as a demonstration of its commitment to the national car project with Proton which it partnered with. The brand had popular models such as the Lancer, Colt, Galant and Tredia which were in the same segment as the Proton Saga and MMC decided to remove those models as competitors to the first national car.
However, it continued sell the Galant with 2000 cc engines through Cycle & Carriage (Malaysia) and light commercial vehicles like the Delica L300 and Pajero through USF. These models remained popular and were assembled locally at the AMM plant (today HICOM Automotive Manufacturers) in Pahang. USF also imported some passenger models (remember the Airtrek?) and also sold the locally-assembled L200 Storm (predecessor to the Triton).
In 2004, as Proton considered itself to be a fully qualified automaker and no longer saw a need for assistance, it started to distance itself from MMC, eventually leading to an end of the Japanese automaker’s involvement in the Malaysian company.
Teaming up with EON
Having disposed of its share in Proton in 2004, MMC decided it could return to the market. It sought a new business partner and EON (Edaran Otomobil Nasional) was the logical choice since MMC had a stake in the company from the start.
Additionally, EON’s parent company, DRB-HICOM also had a close relationship with MMC through its USF subsidiary which held the franchise for light commercial vehicles and 4WDs. MMM was thus established as a joint venture between EON and Mitsubishi Corporation (a trading company in the Mitsubishi Group), with the latter having a 52% share.
“Reaching our 20th anniversary is more than just a milestone – it’s a testament to the trust, passion, and support of our customers, dealers, and partners. Looking ahead, MMM remains committed to delivering vehicles that inspire confidence, support our customers’ ambitions, and embody driving performance, reliability, and trusted aftersales care,” said Shinya Ikeda, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia.
