FIRST MITSUBISHI SHOGUN PININ ROLLS OFF THE LINE AT PININFARINA'S FACTORY

UK sales of the Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin with its 1.8-litre GDI engine will start from 1 January 2000 and prices are expected to range between �15,000 and �19,000 depending on specification.

The name Pinin is taken from Pininfarina. In Italian, the word "pinin" means youngest, appropriate for the youngest member of the Shogun family, but also the nickname given to the founder of Pininfarina when he first set up his own business.

Talks between Mitsubishi Motors and Pininfarina began in 1996 to add European styling to their new compact SUV. An agreement between the two companies was signed in January 1997. Pininfarina then purchased an industrial site at Bairo Canavese in Turin, Italy, in April 1997, as a facility dedicated to the production of the new Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin. Initial production will consist of the three-door model unveiled at this year's Geneva Motor Show, followed by production of a five-door model from autumn 2000.

The Bairo Canavese plant carries out the assembly and finishing operations, as well as the final quality control checks before testing on the track adjacent to the plant. The body assembly and paint shop are located at the Industrie Pininfarina factory in Grugliasco.

For Pininfarina, this agreement with Mitsubishi Motors means not only a significant increase in its manufacturing operations, but also opens the door on a rapidly expanding market sector. The compact SUV segments (small size Sport Utility Vehicles) have been one of the fastest growing segments in the European automotive market. Sales volume of compact SUVs are expected to reach approximately 440,000 units by the year 2,000.

The new Shogun Pinin will go on sale in Italy in autumn 1999 and will subsequently be launched onto the Spanish, Portuguese, German, British, Austrian, Belgian, and Swiss markets. The European production target is 11,000 units for 1999, and 35,000 units for 2000, when the Bairo Canavese plant will be in full production for a whole year.

The new production line at the Bairo Canavese plant expands Mitsubishi Motors' European manufacturing capacity and confirms its commitment to meeting the needs of the European market.

The Pininfarina Bairo Canavese Factory (Turin-Italy), which was purchased by Pininfarina in 1997 and covers over 150,000 square metres, will be devoted solely to the production of the new Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin.

Both partners in the venture made huge investments in the Shogun Pinin project. Pininfarina spent approximately $40 million US (�27 million, 70 billion lire, 36 million euro) on buying and equipping the Bairo Canavese factory, as well as on expanding its Grugliasco assembly and painting facilities. Mitsubishi Motors' investment has totalled almost $100 million US (�66 million, 180 billion lire, 93 million euro).

The plant will provide the local economy with a substantial boost. It will employ 450 people, creating 200 new jobs and transferring 250 jobs from other Pininfarina plants. In addition, a further 150 employees at Grugliasco will be working exclusively on the Shogun Pinin lines. This means that out of Pininfarina's total workforce of 2,500, almost a quarter (600) will be working on the Shogun Pinin.

Components such as the GDI engine and transmission system are being be sourced in Japan, while bodywork components are produced by Italian and other European suppliers. Local content is approximately 75%. The completed vehicles will be dispatched directly from the Bairo factory to Mitsubishi Motors' European sales network.

Katsuhiko Kawasoe, President of Mitsubishi Motors, said, "We are proud to be working with Pininfarina. We felt their renowned skills in product design and development would be a valuable addition to the fundamentals of the Pajero/Shogun-based design of the Shogun Pinin."

Mitsubishi Motors and Pininfarina expect that this combination of Pininfarina's world-class design and production capabilities, and the technological heritage and massive popularity of the Shogun brand will produce a unique vehicle with a huge appeal for the European market.

In terms of European manufacturing potential, the Bairo Canavese plant adds to Mitsubishi's highly successful NedCar joint venture in Holland, where the Mitsubishi Carisma and Colt Space Star are produced alongside the Volvo S40 and V40 models. The NedCar plant started operations in 1994 and continues to make a valuable contribution to Mitsubishi's European growth.

The market for Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) has grown dramatically over the last few years, and the Mitsubishi Pajero/Shogun has long been the benchmark for this category in Europe. However, many city/urban users now require a stylish and sophisticated 4WD vehicle that is compact, lightweight and practical for today's conditions. The Shogun Pinin is designed specifically to appeal to this highly selective market.

It combines the heritage and off-road ability of the Shogun with a smooth on-road driving experience and dynamic styling. Its tight turning circle, an overall length of under 3.7 m, as well as short front and rear overhangs make it extremely agile in town.

Over the past decade, the Mitsubishi Shogun has proved itself time and again to be one of the world's most rugged and capable of off-road 4WD vehicles. At the same time, the Shogun has established itself as an extremely popular 4WD leisure vehicle. Its unique combination of solid construction, outstanding off-road ability, luxury and style have all contributed to its unrivalled position in the European 4WD market.

The Shogun Pinin brings these same attributes to the compact SUV market for the first time. It has one of the best ground clearances in its class and is the only compact SUV which has the SS4-i system which allows it to switch easily between 4WD and 2WD. Thanks to its Shogun heritage, the Shogun Pinin is a true off-roader, but at the same time it is compact, lightweight and highly functional for city use.

Its styling combines the rugged appeal of a true off-roader with a more sophisticated look which fits perfectly into an urban setting. The Japanese market version of the Shogun Pinin, the Pajero iO, has already proved to be a tremendous success with a sales figure of approximately 55,000 units in the first year. Mitsubishi chose Pininfarina to ensure that the Shogun Pinin suited European tastes in styling and that it met EU regulations. The main area in which Pininfarina exercised its influence was the interior design and choice of trim materials. The exterior has also been modified with extra side mouldings to protect the bodywork from damage.

The new Shogun Pinin will be the first ever SUV in Europe to be equipped with a direct injection petrol engine. The GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) engine is Mitsubishi's revolutionary Eco-engine which sets a new standard for petrol engines. It combines the economy and reliability of a diesel with the sparkling performance of a petrol engine. Mitsubishi's GDI uses less petrol, produces more power and fewer C02 emissions than a conventional petrol engine. The Shogun Pinin's 1.8-litre, 118 bhp, 4 cylinder, DOHC 16V, GDI engine makes it highly fuel-efficient and far cleaner than other SUVs, making it ideal in town and country alike.

Sergio Pininfarina said "I am particularly grateful to Mitsubishi for their idea to call the new Pajero/Shogun - a name with a great prestige - with the nickname "Pinin" that is the way my father was called, a fact that makes the new car much closer to us."

Designed & maintained by caint.com