Faulty fuel pump leads HM-Mitsubishi to pull back Outlander crossover

Outlander crossover has been recalled in India by the joint venture of Hindustan Motors and Mitsubishi to check a faulty fuel pump. The parent company Mitsubishi Motor Corporation, based in Japan, has instructed the Indian division to check and replace the faulty parts, if need be. All models manufactured and sold in the country since 2008 will be called back under this recall exercise. The owners of the affected vehicles need to get them checked and replace the fuel pump, if required, at the nearest authorised dealer.

The car to be recalled is a crossover model and is built on the platform that it shares with Mitsubishi Lancer. This model justifies its crossover tag with its SUV-like ground clearance and car-like handling. It is powered by a 2.4 litre petrol powertrain unit which is built to deliver peak power output of 168 bhp and maximum torque of 226 Nm. A CVT transmission unit with INVECS III adaptive gearing system comes coupled with this powertrain. With this unique adaptive gearing system, the gearbox shifts according to the driving pattern of the owner mostly used by the owner. Therefore, light throttles will cause the gearbox to short shift and increase mileage while rapid throttles will cause the gears to change quickly.

A seven seater variant was launched by Mitsubishi India in the country in May 2012, wherein the boot space was occupied by two jump seats. A replacement for the five seater version of the car, it was part of the car maker's attempt to keep the model updated and relevant until a revamped edition is launched.

An all-new 2013 Outlander crossover was unveiled by the company at the Geneva Motor Show held this year. This new iteration of the model is more spacious and comes with more fuel efficient powertrain options. If the company decides to launch the diesel variant of the 2013 version in India, it will be received very well in the country as petrol prices have reached an all-time high. The company will launch the model in the global market with a hybrid option as well.

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���-12 per cent spurt is eyed by BMW India. Mercedes Benz also hinted that it is looking towards posting double-digit growth figure in 2012.

Auto practice leader, PwC, Abdul Majeed, said, “In the short-term, growth in volumes in luxury car market will slow down. However, in the medium-to-long term, growth will pick up with introduction of cheaper, locally-assembled models.”

As per the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), besides the luxury car segment, the car market in general is expected to mark a growth of 10-12 per cent over the 2.6 million cars sold in 2011.

Despite this prediction, a showroom for MINI was opened in Delhi by BMW India on 6th June 2012, the second official MINI outlet in India after Mumbai. The MINI models come in the range of Rs. 25 lacs to 35 lacs and the company plans on opening one more showroom in Delhi to tap the higher class. According to Schaaf, “We have received 50 bookings for Mini in Mumbai. More than 100 orders for the next three months are already booked.”