Tour de (X) Force
On the week of its upcoming launch of the all-new XForce, Mitsubishi’s newest nameplate and entry to the highly competitive subcompact crossover segment, we talk to Ritsu Imaeda who took over the reins at Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) as president and CEO last April.
The newly-minted chief executive steers the country’s second best-selling passenger brand through familiar waters with the launch of new models like the Mitsubishi XForce, which will be officially unveiled this coming Friday.
He plans to show MMPC’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction and also called for unity and collaboration among the entire Mitsubishi team and stakeholders to elevate the company’s presence in the Philippines further.
Inquirer Motoring: How will you continue to sustain Mitsubishi Motors Philippines on its current market position given the highly-competitive automotive market with so many new players coming in?
Ritsu Imaeda: Mitsubishi Motors Philippines (MMPC) has continuously offered the Filipinos vehicles that match both their wants and needs from design, to features, to reliability.
Recently, we just launched within this calendar year the all-new Mitsubishi Triton, and in a few days, the Mitsubishi XForce which both offer excellent value proposition in their respective segments. MMPC will continue to offer excellent vehicle choices backed with our strong after-sales support with our almost 70 servicing dealers nationwide and parts availability.
Inquirer Motoring: What is the trajectory of the local automotive industry? Will it continue its growth?
Ritsu Maeda: We think that the local automotive industry’s volume will continue its growth year-on-year since the pandemic. We’re projecting more than 450,000 total industry car sales this [fiscal] year. There’s a lot of new players coming to the Philippines as well. Although it’s additional competitors for us, it’s a good sign that many brands are being brought into the country.
Inquirer Motoring: How do you see the Philippine automotive market evolving in the coming years, and how is Mitsubishi preparing for these changes?
Ritsu Imaeda: The Philippine automotive market, just as in other countries/like the global automotive landscape is becoming more intricate in terms of the segmentation of vehicles not just in body style and size but also in powerplant options and the blooming of numerous new manufacturers. MMPC together with our HQ Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is of course very much prepared to evolve our products together with the market’s demand.
A concrete example would be our upcoming (in a few days) Mitsubishi XForce which will disrupt the compact SUV segment with its size and unique standard equipment like the 4 Drive Modes and Dynamic Sound Yamaha Premium which are firsts in its segment.
Inquirer Motoring: Can you discuss any upcoming new and updated models that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines is excited about?
Ritsu Imaeda: As mentioned in one of our previous press conferences, after the XForce, MMPC is set to introduce another three new models in succession. We are confident and very excited for these upcoming models to contribute to MMPC’s expanding market share.
Inquirer Motoring: How is Mitsubishi adapting its product line to meet the evolving needs of Filipino consumers, particularly in terms of technology and sustainability?
Ritsu Imaeda: MMPC has time and again offered the perfect vehicles for different stages in the lives of Filipinos. Currently offering the top-selling models in their respective segments are the Mitsubishi Xpander and the L300. MMPC will in time introduce new models to both satisfy the practical requirements and to tug at the Filipinos’ heartstrings.
The all-new Mitsubishi XForce offers first-in-class technologies while in the event of undeniable demand, advanced powerplant technologies like plug-in hybrid and the e-Motion hybrid system are already available in various Mitsubishi vehicle models in our neighboring countries.
Inquirer Motoring: How is Mitsubishi addressing the challenges related to EV infrastructure in the country?
Ritsu Imaeda: Mitsubishi Motors is a strong proponent of the plug-in-hybrid technology as it offers vehicle operation with renewable energy resource when available or still the most common (which is) fuel, for countries such as the Philippines with still a young EV infrastructure.
Inquirer Motoring: Can you share your leadership philosophy and how it influences your management style at Mitsubishi Motors Philippines?
Ritsu Imaeda: From my past experiences in several regions, I can only say that the style of leadership has to be different to match the culture of the country. In this regard, to be open minded and to be respectful are the keys I have in mind and I believe these principles are very apt to the Philippines culture as well.
Inquirer Motoring: What are the key challenges you have faced in your assignments in other markets and how have you addressed them?
Ritsu Imaeda: There were several challenges that I have confronted in the past which I cannot explain due to confidential reasons but at the end how to overcome is pretty much the same. “Do not turn your back and encourage yourself to communicate”.
Inquirer Motoring: What consumer trends have you observed in the Philippine automotive market recently, and how is Mitsubishi responding to these trends? And how does Mitsubishi ensure it understands and meets the needs of its Filipino customers?
Ritsu Imaeda: One of the obvious trends in the Philippine automotive market recently is that the younger market is more open in exploring non-traditional options such as trying out new brands and also a shorter ownership period.
We have introduced and are continuously exploring new marketing strategies to appeal to the younger generation of Filipino car buyers while at the same time introducing vehicles intended for this younger demographic such as the Mitsubishi XForce.
