Mitsubishi Motors Targets Car Sales in Southeast Asia

Mitsubishi Motors Corp.—which is now controlled by Nissan Motor Co.—is expanding its dealership network by 20% in three major southeast Asian markets in a bid to gain sales in the region.

By 2020 MMC plans to increase its dealer outlets to 300 from 250 in Indonesia, 230 from 217 in Thailand and 70 from 48 in the Philippines, The Nikkei reports. In Indonesia, an all-new sales arm for cars will be added to an existing network that represents MMC’s line of Fuso commercial trucks and buses.

MMC also intends to significantly expand its teams of vehicle repair technicians in the three markets, according to the Tokyo-based newspaper.

Southeast Asia already generates about 20% of MMC’s worldwide sales. The company believes it can increase deliveries in the region with a combination of more local production and a larger sales operation. MMC will assemble an MPV for Nissan in Indonesia. In the Philippines, the company has partnered with trading services provider Sojitz Corp. to assemble its Mirage small car locally rather than import the sedan from Thailand.