Mitsubishi Mirage headed to Canada but not the States?

Automotive News reports Mitsubishi plans to bring its recently unveiled Mirage to the Canadian market but also revealed that the five-door hatch has a 50 per cent chance of making it to the U.S. Mitsubishi pulled the Mirage nameplate in North America a decade ago, but unveiled a new version of the car in Thailand just last month. At a smidge over 3.7 metres (146 inches long), the tiny hatch would be a suitable competitor for the likes of the Chevrolet Spark and give dealers a much-needed product infusion. The company killed off the Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder and the Endeavor just recently and Mitsubishi showrooms are starting to look decidedly emaciated.

But Mitsubishi says it may not be as simple as dropping the new Mirage on Canadian soil and hoping for the best. The automaker has a reworked Outlander coming down the pipe, and launching two models in close succession may make already scarce marketing dollars even harder to come by.

Then there's the fact that the new Mirage is a no-nonsense, bare-bones creation designed to appeal to the budget-minded buyers of South Asia. Mitsubishi has some reservations about unleashing the model on demanding American buyers but feels Canadians with their everyday sensibilities and fuel economy concerns are an ideal fit.

News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.

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