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| Monday, 24 March 2003 |
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Mitsubishi 'Outlander' launched
The Mitsubishi 'Outlander', a combination of a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a sedan was launched on Friday by United Motors Ltd. The Outlander is aimed at users who want genuine off-roader and high speed tourer in the same vehicle. The Outlander's power comes from Mitsubishi's proven 2351cc16-Valve SOHC ECI-Multi engine delivering 136PS automatic transmission). Low peak torque and tall gear ratios ensure brisk acceleration and maximised torque response. These a tributes combined with the INVECS-114A/T with viscous coupling centre differential - really come into their own in off-road conditions, when the driver change from sports mode to more individual central. The Outlander's passive safety features include a monocoque body construction and ELR seatbelts with SRS airbags for driver and front passenger while the active safety 4-channel, 3-sensor ABS with EBD ensures skid-free emergency stopping. ######### BMW sees flat profits in 2003 MUNICH, Germany, Sunday (AFP) .German luxury car maker BMW said it was expecting earnings to come out only flat this year owing to higher spending on new models. Substantial product and marketing initiatives this year would lead to an unusually high level of expenditure in 2003, chairman Helmut Panke told a news conference here. "Nevertheless, we're hoping to again achieve the same overall results this year as in 2002," Panke said. By contrast, unit sales were expected to rise. However, it was difficult to make an accurate forecast for the full year in view of the current geopolitical situation, the chairman cautioned. BMW would only be able to increase sales of all of its brands in 2003 if there were a speedy resolution to the Iraq crisis and the German government could formulate "clear economic and political" policies. Assessing business so far this year, Panke estimated that first-quarter sales would come out just below 260,000, compared with unit sales of 260,462 in the January-March period of 2001. Sales of its new Mini were expected to have risen to "just under 45,000" from 27,691 a year earlier. Sales of the group's BMW marque, however, were expected to have fallen by around eight percent to around 215,000 cars owing to model changes. ######### Innovation and conquest strategy In the light of the "World Car Show", it is quite clear today that the three French automobile manufacturers, Renault, Peugeot and Citroen, have found a strong, converging direction, that of innovation. Revealing its attractive modular car, the Pluriel, Citroen offers a number of variations all based on the same body, the C3. Renault, for its part, consolidates its legendary assets with a new, particularly accomplished generation of its Espace model. Radically different, the PSA-Peugeot-Citroen group and Renault show technical choices and even a corporate culture that is diametrically opposed. The former banks on profitability whereas the latter will, in 2003, have renewed more than half of its models in terms of sales volume. Two philosophies and two conquest strategies. The World Car Show, held every two years in autumn in Paris, has become part of history. In eleven days, more than 1.2 million visitors attended the last show in October 2002, beating the 1998 record for the number of visitors. In the light of this car show, it is today quite clear that France's three national car manufacturers, Renault, Peugeot and Citroen have finally found a strong, converging direction, that of innovation.Renault, which had not waited for its colleagues to set out on this path, has consolidated its assets with a new, particularly accomplished generation of its Espace model. It extends its MPV principle to the Clio with its Ellypse-car concept and overturns the petit bourgeois criteria of the aesthetics of compact family cars with its Megane II, which becomes larger, more dynamic and more elegant than the Megane I. Citroen, for its part, has reactivated its box of ideas to create its attractive modular car, the Pluriel which increases the number of variations on a single base, that of its C3, an economy car which for the price of one give you five. |
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