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Mitsubishi sees fast growing SUV trend in Mideast

DUBAI Global trends in the cross-country 4WD vehicle market are shifting from authentic heavy-duty models to more easy-to-use and sporty vehicles and the trend will also be prominent in the Middle Eastern market, claims Konstantinos Tsiknas, general manager, Middle East & Africa Department of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC).

"The lifestyle the motoring community in the Middle East and its keen understanding of the latest automobile trends contributed to the stable growth of the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) market in the region," he said at the unveiling of Outlander, Mitsubishi's latest compact SUV all-terrain vehicle.

"Steeped in tradition, yet heavily influenced by modern technology, Middle Eastern motorists are still deeply attached to routes that draw them closer to nature," he explained. "Whether it be in the vast expanses of dry desert covering most of the AGCC or the snowy hills of the Levant countries, the increasingly urban population still takes time to regularly venture beyond the city limits and experience nature."
He said the new Outlander should be well positioned to respond to a growing appetite for SUV's in the region.
"With the Outlander, Mitsubishi has once again delivered an outstanding vehicle designed to satisfy the ever-growing search for freedom, in town or off-road."

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Beirut, Muneyoshi Namba, in charge of the development of the Outlander, said "whether it is a trek to the hills for a mountain bike ride, a pick-up at the airport, or a shopping spree at the mall, the Outlander's serves its owner as a user-friendly accessory that can tame the challenges of urban life."

The Outlander is a five-passenger crossover SUV, that combines bold styling, all-weather capability and urban utility in a compact package. "With the Outlander, Mitsubishi recognises that managing everyday life is the most challenging ride a driver can find nowadays," Namba pointed out. Powered by a 4-cylinder, 2.4-litre engine delivering 146 HP, the Outlander offers a mix of comfort and performance in busy city streets as well as in wide-open spaces.