No matter what the sales figures for Mitsubishi Lancer or the iconic Pajero SFX were, they were two of the most respected vehicles in India.
This news of Mitsubishi axing them was doing rounds for a few days now and it seems it has become true. We tried searching for both of them on Mitsubishi’s official Indian site but they are not present. When we tried contacting a local dealer here, we were informed that both the vehicles have been taken off from the market.
Lancer diesel was one real fantastic machine. Yes, we know a little more juice in the engine along with a few tidbit alterations here and there were needed, still we loved it for what it was. Ever since Pajero Sport was born, we knew the Pajero SFX was not going to survive for long. Pajero is known for the true hardcore hard-roading capabilities it possessed.
With the more modern Pajero Sport falling in similar price brackets, Mitsubishi felt it was best to discontinue the older car to prevent any cannibalization. Without Lancer, Mitusbishi is left pretty much vulnerable in mainstream sedan car segment with petrol-only Cedia which is also tippering off the sales charts.
The need of the hour for Mitsubishi is a focused and India-dedicated approach which could start with introduction of smaller cars and a reliable and modern diesel engine for India. Else, sales would continue to go down and there might come a point where they might be needed to shut shops, if things do not improve.
However, there is a silver lining! If you are in the market for either of these cars (or cars from similar segments), there is a pretty good chance that many dealers would have stocks left for sale. Since these are now discontinued cars, you can haggle around for huge discounts and savings.
Also read: Price Slashed! New Pajero Sport Cheaper by 1.87 Lac
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