OREANDA-NEWS. Last year, sales of Mitsubishi cars in Russia fell in comparison with 2014 year by 55% up to 35.9 thousand units. Despite this, the President and CEO of "MMC Rus", Naoya Takaya keeps the optimism about the Russian market as a whole and positions of its company in particular.

According to forecasts of the MMC, the Russian market will continue to fall this and the next year (about 5% in total, up to 1.5 million units), and only in 2018 it will be a sharp rise. As a result, in 2020, according to Mr. Takaya, in Russia it will be sold about 2.9 million cars - as in the record 2012. The Japanese begin to prepare for it ahead of time, by promoting its own highly profitable credit and insurance programs. The goal, according to Mr. Takaya, is to provide the buyer with the lowest cost of owning of car in its class.

In the Russian market, the Japanese company will focus on crossovers and SUVs (SUV – is the second most popular segment in Russia, according to the agency "AUTOSTAT"). For example, in the last year it was introduced new-generation of Outlander crossover and pickup L200, and this summer it will be launched new Pajero Sport. Apparently, in 2017 it will appear a new generation of crossover ASX and another model, presumably - also crossover, but the class B. In addition, the company's plant in Kaluga will continue production of the Outlander, the rest will be imported from companies in Japan and Thailand.

By the way, the Japanese company still keeps in its model range "electric" cars - i-MIEV electric and "plug-in» Outlander PHEV. Although their annual sales are low (350 units), the MMC believes that in this way they prepare the ground for a new generation of vehicles on alternative energy.