Mitsubishi To Produce Mirage In Philippines - Supported By Generous Incentives

Mitsubishi Motors will begin producing the Mirage in the Philippines as early as 2016, reports Japan’s Nikkei Asian Review.

Philippines will become the second country in ASEAN after Thailand to produce the Mirage but unlike Mitsubishi Motor's regional export hub plant in Laem Chabang, Thailand, the Philippines-made Mirage is only for domestic sales.

Already the No.2 brand in the Philippines after Toyota, Mitsubishi is reportedly aiming to produce 30,000 or so Mirage cars per year at the former Ford Philippines plant in Laguna province, south of Manila. The plant currently produces the Toyota Innova-like Adventure MPV and the L300 commercial pick-up truck.

The decision to assemble the Mirage in Philippines is motivated by generous tax incentives by the Filipino government. Announced by President Benigno Aquino earlier this year, the USD597 million (27 billion Pesos) Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) offers up to USD199 million (2.7 billion Pesos) in tax incentives per qualified model.

Among the criteria to qualify is a cumulative production of 200,000 cars over a six-year period, investments in body shell assembly and large plastic parts assemblies and compliance to Philippines’ Clean Air Act.